To be clear, not all pickling is equally nutritious. In order to reap the benefits, pickling needs to be done naturally – meaning no vinegar added. Just water and salt will do the trick. This produces lacto-fermentation. Lacto-fermented foods are just regular vegetables placed in a brine of salt and water for a period of time at room temperature in order to let the beneficial bacteria develop. You can ferment any veggie and it will yield high amounts of probiotics, mostly the Lactobacilli type. This type of bacteria creates lactic acid. Lactic acid protects the fermented food from being invaded by pathogenic bacteria. The live organisms are naturally acid resistant and are able to repopulate beneficial organisms in your gut as you ingest these foods. Additionally, lacto-fermented vegetables are much more beneficial as the nutrients are “pre-digested” and more easily assimilated. In addition to creating a naturally occurring probiotic supplement, fermentation adds other nutritional benefits as well.
Sally Fallon is a huge proponent of lacto-fermentation in her book Nourishing Traditions:
This recipe is for one jar of pickled beets (but can easily be doubled):“The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anti-carcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.”
- 6 medium beets
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 2 cups water
- Optional Seasonings: mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves
Directions
- Wash and dry the beets.
- Poke the beets in several places, place on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for about 3 hours or until soft.
- Peel off the skin and chop into julienne type slices.
- Pack beets firmly into a very clean wide-mouth quart-sized canning jar.
- Make a brine of sea salt dissolved in water.
- Pour the brine over the beets until the liquid is 1 1/2 inches from the top of the jar. The beets need to be submerged in brine.
- Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.
Article originally published on LivingTraditionally.com republished with permission