The following post is part one of an upcoming series, written by our team member, Kristie, as she learns the art of fermentation. Follow along, and learn, step by step, with Kristie. Enjoy!

I know we’ve all heard the word probiotics thrown around, but what are they and why would I need them and how the heck can I use a Mason Jar to make them?? Here are some quick and dirty facts on fermentation and probiotics. Mason Jar Lifestyle has all you need to get started, minus the fresh veggies, of course.

Fermentation is basically the breakdown of a substance into a simpler substance, which is why fermented foods are more easily absorbed by us. This process kills the scary bacteria we don’t want and eats up the carbohydrates in the food you are fermenting. What….?!?! Eats away the carbs! Yep, so when you eat them it helps stabilize your blood sugar and makes you feel fuller longer. Fermentation prolongs the life of food, but do not ever heat them, as that will kill all the probiotics they contain.

And what is a probiotic you say, well glad you asked…..

These little guys are the main reasons why you should be eating fermented foods. Probiotics are the friendly bacteria that help to keep the not so friendly bacteria from taking over. They are basically the by product of fermenting foods. There are many more benefits, but mainly we like them at this time of year because the friendly bacteria will keep our immunity up.

Fermenting food does look a little intimidating, which is why I chose to write this blog post and series. I’m going to share my fermenting journey with all of you, and hopefully show you how easy it is! Mason Jar Lifestyle’s website has everything you need to get started right along with me on this fermenting food adventure! They’ve got a great fermentation starter kit, that I will absolutely be taking advantage of!

So because I am starting from square one, I will also be grabbing the awesome book on fermenting vegetables that Mason Jar Life Style offers on their site. I am truly excited to try this out, and to help improve my family’s health as well as save some money. Fermented foods are not cheap, so learning how to ferment yourself will be extremely beneficial. And I know you all probably have a plethora of vegetables left over from your beautiful gardens that you’ve been wondering what to do with!