With the ever-increasing tempo of life and tenacity to achieve, it's often our nutrition that takes the brunt. We work long hours, rushing from one task to the next and can forget that our bodies and minds need fuel to ensure we’re firing on all cylinders. When we rush out of the door in the morning or don’t take time for lunch, our bodies crash and in this desperation, we seek immediate sustenance, paying little attention to its nutritional content.

It’s no wonder that our society is facing ever-increasing rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and digestive diseases. But it’s not all doom and gloom. With mindful nutrition and small changes, these habits are preventable and reversible - it’s just a matter of focusing on consuming vitamin enriched nourishment with plenty of minerals and phytonutrients from plant-based foods.

Understanding this demand on our time, and the demand from our bodies, there is a way to consistently support your nutrition on-the-go. Fermented vegetable juices that are bursting with vitamins and good bacteria and are an excellent means to boost your nutritional intake when you most need it. In this 5 minute read, we explore the myriad health benefits of fermented vegetable juices.

Fruit Juice and Smoothie Generation.

According to this survey by research company Mintel, 83% of people drink fruit juice or a smoothie at least once a week. You only have to look on social media to see people gleefully drinking their brightly coloured beverages and the rise of Fruit Juice Bars on every corner. With this demand, producers seek means to mass-produce and this often means pasteurisation which kills off the ‘good guys’. What looks like a super-healthy drink, is leaving a lot to be desired in the vitamin and mineral department, and is actually a one-way-ticket to sugar town (hello, calories).

The Art of Fermentation.

For those in the know, the age-old technique of fermentation is key to ensure our drinks (and foods) are packed with nutrients. Historically, fermentation was a practice purely for preservation, however, today we know that this technique is key for producing good bacteria.

The transformation of sugars and starches during fermentation enhance the natural, beneficial bacteria in food and produce probiotics. Probiotics are essential for good gut health and a happy microbiome. Your microbiome is a vast ecosystem of good and bad bacteria living in your gut and plays an important role in a range of bodily functions, everything from supporting metabolism and digestion, through to influencing mood and immunity.

Plant-based foods that have undergone the process of fermentation are literally bursting with probiotics. Now with this in mind, why wouldn’t you want to top up your ‘good guys’ and make your microbiome happy? It’s a no-brainer, really.

Let’s further explore the multitude of health benefits of fermented vegetable juices below:

1. Repair the Digestive System.

We’ve all heard the popular idiom, “you are what you eat,” well, that isn’t entirely true. Instead, people should really say, “you are what you absorb”.

Nearly 90% of nutrient absorption takes place in the first stages of the small intestine. From there, nutrients enter the bloodstream and seek out areas to nourish and support the body to perform at its best.

For those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) or any other type of gastrointestinal disorder, intestines are in a constant battle with absorption and simply can’t take nutrients into the bloodstream. This is why many IBD patients are often clinically malnourished. If you are suffering from a damaged digestive tract, supporting nutrient absorption with shots of fermented vegetable juice will significantly improve digestive health and help heal a leaky gut.

2. Boost Immunity.

Probiotic-rich fermented vegetable juices support the mucosa (gut lining) as a natural barrier, subsequently making the immune system more robust. If your body is lacking in beneficial bacteria, bad bacteria has permission to multiply, causing inflammation in the gut wall. If you have recently taken a course of antibiotics, fermented vegetable juices are particularly helpful to support to heal your mucosa and keep your microbiome healthy and balanced.

3. Nurture Skin Health.

For skin, probiotics work in a similar way as they do for the digestive system and support it to remain balanced and healthy. In short, for problem-free skin, nurturing your gut flora to reduce inflammation is the place to start.

According to the renowned dermatologist, Dr Whitney Bowe, probiotics benefit the skin in three significant ways:

“First, they act as a protective shield by preventing microorganisms from provoking an immune reaction. Second, they support natural antimicrobial peptides that combat bad bacteria. And thirdly, they boost the skin’s functionality in dealing with external damaging factors including free radicals, sun, and pollution.”

Skin woes such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea can be managed with a probiotic juice boost. Since skin conditions - like other health issues - stem from inflammation, the anti-inflammatory benefits of probiotics are a skin’s saviour.

4. Detoxification.

If you’re having a hard time with your digestive health, short bursts of cleansing with fermented vegetable juices can support to cleanse and strengthen your digestive system. By consuming only fermented probiotic juices during your cleanse, you strip back food sensitivities and allergic reactions that lead to digestive difficulties.

It’s the combination of reduced caloric intake, elimination of processed foods, and the addition of beneficial probiotics that delivers a transformational cleanse experience. If this is something you would like to explore, we recommend that you always seek professional medical advice prior to cleansing so you can find a solution tailored to your body and needs.

Loving Foods Fermented Vegetable Juices.

In case you didn’t catch on, we’re quite the advocates of fermented vegetable juices. Our Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Krautchi and Beet Kvass juices are microbiome-loving, delicious vegetable juices made with 100% certified organic ingredients.

Each bottle contains a symphony of the finest raw ingredients, alchemised during the traditional lacto-fermentation technique to deliver wholesome, plant-based goodness when you need it most.

Our unpasteurised, undiluted fermented vegetable juices offer a concentrated source of probiotics and a delicious zing of goodness. We recommend that you drink full-strength in small quantities daily to truly feel the nutritional benefits.

Keep refrigerated at work and home and when the going gets tough, seek a blast of goodness to power you through the day. One of our team at Loving Foods recently discovered that mixing half juice with half olive oil creates a delicious and healthy salad dressing too. So there’s even more great ways to incorporate into your daily routine.

Our Classic Kimchi Juice is currently half-price (March 2018), why not get on the fermented juice train and give it a try now. If you’re already exploring the wonders of fermented vegetable juices, share your tales and experiences and comment below.