The process of fermentation, also known as culturing, creates
probiotic-rich cultured food and has been used for thousands of
years. In the past, our food contained much more good probiotic
bacteria than our food does today, and this lack of good
bacteria in our diets can decrease gut health, nutrient
absorption, and overall health. Probiotics help support healthy
digestion and weight, metabolic and immune health, nutrient
assimilation, as well as the production of B vitamins and
certain enzymes. It’s time to start living the diverse cultured
life once again with probiotic-rich foods like kefir (which
means “feel good” in Turkish), yogurt, fermented cheeses,
cultured cream, fermented vegetables and more. And speaking of
kefir…back in 1908 Elie Metchnikoff, known as the “Father of
Probiotics,” wrote in his book The Extension of Life that the
secret to extraordinary health and longevity found among those
in the Russian Caucasus Mountains was kefir—the cultured milk
consumed by the Bulgarian people living there.