Getting Started With Fermented Foods Part 2: Using A Starter Culture
If you want to make your own fermented foods at home, an easy option is to use a starter culture. A starter culture is made up of specific bacterial strains that initiate the fermentation process.
Using a starter culture creates a controlled environment for your ferment comprising only the specific bacteria strains in your starter culture.
Using a starter culture is like a half way point between doing everything from scratch and buying your own. Some cultures are as simple as adding the culture to some coconut cream or coconut water and leaving it on your bench to ferment.
Benefits of using a starter culture
Knowing exactly what strains of bacteria are going into your ferment. This is particularly beneficial for people who are sensitive to traditional wild ferments or who need to avoid particular bacterial strains.
Quick, easy and low maintenance way of making your own fermented foods.
What are the best cultures to use?
Over the years I’ve researched and experimented with different starter cultures and the Kultured Wellness cultures are by far the best ones that I’ve come across and the only ones that I personally use and recommend.
Why do I love them?
They’re easy to use and maintain
They’re high potency (like a therapeutic strength probiotic)
They are specially formulated with the right strains of bacteria for gut healing and rebuilding
They’re suitable for people who are sensitive to traditionally fermented foods, have histamine intolerance, an autoimmune condition or severe gut imbalance.
I like to think of these cultures as a quick, easy way of getting high quality therapeutic strength probiotics into my family’s diet.
The cultures come as a coconut yoghurt or kefir starter but you can also add them into your cultured vegetables, use them to ferment fruit or as a starter to ferment just about anything.
There is no right or wrong way to ferment, which is why I ferment both with and without starter cultures. I encourage you to experiment with and without cultures, so you can choose what works best for you and your family.
Where can I buy them?
Kultured Wellness ship their cultures anywhere in Australia and to selected countries overseas. To purchase a culture or to read more about them click here. You can receive a 10% discount off the cultures when you use the code ‘culturedbaby’.
**Please note I am an official ambassador of Kultured Wellness which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase any products through my link. I do however only recommend products that I personally use and would recommend to friends and family.
