Why Pickles Are the Most Surprising Superfood
Pop quiz: What do pickles, vinegar, tempeh, chocolate and wine have in common? Yes, they're all delicious—and they're all fermented. And that means they all have major health perks.
Cultures around the world have enjoyed fermented foods for millennia; they devour kimchi in Korea, sauerkraut in Germany and cheese...everywhere. Now fermenting is appealing to consumers eager to return to naturally healthy ways of eating. Top chefs are embracing it too; Momofuku's David Chang has a culinary lab dedicated to food science, including fermentation, which he calls the "machinery of flavor."
Fermentation is what happens "when rotten goes right," Chang says. It may sound kind of gross, but fermentation involves "good" micro-organisms breaking down or partially digesting food, which makes nutrients easier for your body to absorb. Research suggests that fermented foods can also strengthen immunity. Fermentation helps extend shelf life (think how much longer a block of Cheddar lasts than a carton of milk) and can make food safer, since foodborne pathogens are less likely to survive in the acidic environment fermentation creates.
You're probably already enjoying many of these foods. Here are some of my favorites.