Fermented Vegetables

Fermented vegetables are vegetables preserved thanks to the natural process of lactic-acid fermentation, in which beneficial bacteria convert the vegetables' sugars into lactic acid. This acid is a natural preservative: it suppresses harmful microbes, keeps the product for months, and at the same time gives it a characteristic pleasantly sour flavour and crisp texture.

It is one of the oldest and healthiest methods of preserving, common in many cultures of the world. In the Ukrainian tradition these are sauerkraut, soured cucumbers and tomatoes, and soaked apples; in the Korean, kimchi; in the German, sauerkraut. The method is simple: the vegetables are packed tightly, covered with brine (or salted so they release their juice) and left without access to air at room temperature while the natural bacteria do their work. Besides long keeping, fermentation substantially raises the nutritional value of the product: it is enriched with vitamins (especially C and the B group) and living probiotics beneficial to the gut flora and digestion. That is why fermented vegetables are a cornerstone of healthy eating.