Homemade pickles

By Jessica Campbell, MS, FNTP

Pickles are an amazing probiotic food, both delicious and full of beneficial bacteria. Best of all, they are so easy and inexpensive to make. Historically, fermentation was the farmers' answer to preserving bountiful produce. Not only does fermenting pickles allow them to keep for 6 months, but they become more nutritious as beneficial colonies of bacteria begin to eat away the natural sugars. These bacteria produce vitamin B, prevent dysbiosis and support your immune system. Try a batch and begin your own counter culture.

The one thing you want to look out for is mold on the surface of the pickles. Make sure the jars are clean to start and they are stored airtight. Keep them 4 feet from any other ferment such as yoghurt, Kombucha or a compost pile. If you see mold, scrape it off the surface and put the pickles in the refrigerator, they will most likely be fine.