As winter approaches, we start to think of time-saving ways to stay healthy and keep our immune systems in good working order without having to spend hours sourcing produce. Fermenting and preserving vegetables in olive oil is the perfect way to make sure that you have a good stockpile of nutritious foods in your pantry.
Fermentation and preserving vegetables in olive oils
We’re surely all aware of the health benefits of keeping our gut flora happy and balanced by now! The most effective way is to eat foods packed with probiotics – good bacteria that live in your gut and are found in fermented foods (Patrick Veiga’s study). These good bacteria improve digestion, boost immunity and keep you leaner by helping you run like a well-oiled machine!
The fermentation of vegetables is an age-old tradition that has recently seen a resurgence, and it’s fast becoming a major trend! By depriving foods of oxygen, you can preserve them for longer periods of time. The method was devised when we had little in the way of choice and refrigeration didn’t exist. We also shouldn’t forget the wonderful tradition of preserving vegetables, meats and fish, such as tuna, in olive oil, a technique that not only keeps food for longer and but also has the added bonus of enhancing their flavours. We all and love what happens when you conserve the likes of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, how both the olive oil and the tomatoes each become infused with the flavours of the other.
How you can incorporate fermented foods into your diet?
We all know and love the rock stars of the fermentation world: Kimchi and Sauerkraut. But you can also ferment any other vegetable such as red cabbage, carrots, radishes, garlic cloves and pickles, not to mention any type of meat and fish… The list is endless! There are simple ways to do it at home yourself and you can get as creative as you like with the spices!
We can make it easier – and tastier – to get your healthy dose of probiotics with some delicious ideas about how you can easily incorporate these foods into your diet. You can do just that by using some of the fabulous sauces found on our website for your own fermented or pickled vegetables.
A handy tip for when you make fresh mayonnaise, add a tablespoon of the juice from sauerkraut to make fermented mayonnaise, which acts as a natural preservative and keeps the mayo fresh for a month! We have the best mayonnaise recipe on our website:
Eating a Mediterranean diet will improve your gut health
The PREDIMED study recommends eating a Mediterranean diet including extra virgin olive oil and lots of fruit and vegetables. So, by adding an array of delicious fermented and preserved vegetables to your diet, you will never fall short of those 5 servings per day. If you want to add another flavour dimension to those vegetables, we have a wide variety of sauces you mustn’t miss on our website.
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