LET’S GET PICKLED!

It’s one healthy eating craze that really DOES work... fermenting. And as our resident GP Dr Ellie Cannon reveals, it can boost nutrition – and even banish IBS

THE kids were wailing. ‘We hate pickles – don’t make them here!’, they cried as they discovered what I was preparing in our kitchen. I was trying my hand at the latest food craze – properly known as fermentation – and I was in no mood to give up.

To be fair to the kids, I can’t say I blame them for forensically picking out all traces of the sour pickled cucumbers they so detest from their burgers when we eat out.

So it was a relief when the offerings I produced after the cookery session I had with Charlotte Pike, author of a new book on fermentation, were not only delicious but went down well with the family

Fermentation is a process where food is left to soak in its own juices, devoid of oxygen. It not only preserves food, but also appears to enhance its nutritional value.

Since it doesn’t use heat, fermentation retains enzymes and vitamins otherwise destroyed by food processing.

Fermented food is naturally enriched with pro-biotic bacteria – which put the ‘live’ into live yogurt and are thought to be important in many disease processes. For some time, probiotic bacteria have been used to treat irritable bowel syndrome and improve digestion and immunity. But a disruption or lack of bacteria in the gut also could be responsible for diseases including diabetes, and the obesity epidemic.

The bacterial make-up of the gut even affects brain development and mental health.

So while no research has yet been specifically done on fermented foods, it is clear our health thrives when gut bacteria is plentiful.

Fermentation is actually slightly different from pickling, where sugar, vinegar and heat are applied to preserve vegetables such as cucumbers. The good news is that it’s surprisingly easy, requiring little input – perfect for a busy mum like me.

The key thing is to ensure the food you’re fermenting is completely submerged in liquid so it doesn’t come into contact with air. Usually filtered water is used, plus a type of fermented water called water kefir (see opposite).

Here, Charlotte introduces some of the easiest fermenting recipes from her book…

Fermented, by Charlotte Pike, is published by Kyle Books at £16.99.