Watch: How to get started in the bubbly world of fermented food and drink

Thinking of trying out some gut-enhancing fermentation at home? With a basic kit and simple ingredients, Linda O’Flynn of Terra Ignis explains how the natural process works

Linda O'Flynn of Terra Ignis. Picture: David Keane.

Kombucha, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut: fermentation of food has been used to make beverages and preserve vegetables for millennia, but it’s only in recent times that we’ve come to realise how important these are for our diet.

Fermented food — adding an extra layer of flavour to our diet — is beloved by our gut microbiome, that dense community of microbes that lives in our intestines and plays a vital role in digestion and overall health. Knowing that we should include more of these foods in our diet is one thing; acting on it is another.