Cultured Food Life

Episode 240: Dairy-Free Yogurts: L. Reuteri and More

30 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Making dairy-free yogurt, whether it be L. reuteri or Yogurt Plus, it can be a little different than regular yogurt. Since these types of milk are mad...

Episode 239: Building Up The All-Important Bifido Bacteria

23 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most important bacteria you have is called Bifidobacteria. They call it the young bacteria which is extremely important for adults too, alt...

Episode 238: L. Reuteri and Kefir Cottage Cheese

16 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I love to teach people to make probiotic cottage cheese with Yogurt Plus, L reuteri, or kefir. I can even teach you how to make cottage cheese ice cre...

Episode 237: Getting Started Making Cultured Vegetables

09 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Having a jar of cultured vegetables in your fridge is a must. They can last for over nine months in the fridge and can be very helpful if you have sto...

Episode 236: Do Your Microbes Make You Crave Certain Foods?

26 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We tend to think food cravings are normal and there is not much we can do about them, but there is much more to it than this. How can tiny microbes, a...

Episode 235: Living Healthier and Longer on Yogurt

19 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I love to eat and make yogurt. I love kefir with every fiber of my being and have it every day, but there were bacterial strains that kefir didn't hav...

Episode 234: How Many Cultured Foods Do I Eat In A Day?

12 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast is about what a typical day looks like for me when I consume cultured foods. I eat cultured food mostly every day but often in little bit...

Episode 233: 10 Ways To Heal Your Gut

05 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Your gut is your largest immune organ and is responsible for 80 percent of your immune system. The more good bacteria you have, the better your immune...

Episode 232: Kefir & Yogurt For Breakfast

19 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nine times out of ten, I have a kefir smoothie every morning. A cup of coffee and a smoothie has been the norm for me for over twenty years. It's supe...

Episode 231: I Love Kefir Soda

12 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kefir Soda has a whole host of benefits. I'm really excited to introduce you to my new Kefir Soda Starter. For many many years, I have wanted to make ...

Episode 230: Fermented Foods For SIBO

05 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or SIBO is popping up everywhere and seems to be becoming more and more prevalent. We have seen a number of peop...

Episode 229: Magnesium Health and Wisdom

22 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I am a big believer that you need more magnesium. Most people are very deficient in magnesium which affects 325 processes in the body. Tune in to list...

Episode 228: How the Microbes in Your Gut Can Change Your Mood

08 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Before I found cultured foods, I was a different person - physically and emotionally. I started to really change once I had cultured foods and not jus...

Episode 227: How to Make Winter Kefir

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Winter kefir is different than summer kefir due to the temperatures cooling. It is my favorite kefir since it's extra creamy. Check out the podcast to...

Episode 226: How to Make Yogurt with L. Gasseri

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lactobacillus Gasseri species is super important in the world of intestinal microbes. You might just think you can take a supplement with L. gasseri a...

Episode 225: Chemical Free Body with Tim James

06 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tim James is my guest for the show today and has an amazing story. After suffering from multiple health problems including rectal bleeding, two separa...

Episode 224: 8 Tips For A Healthy Halloween

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Halloween is always a fun time for kids and families. Let's face it, the kids look adorable in their costumes and even I like to dress up; but it's a ...

Episode 223: More Help For Eczema and Probiotic Foods

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Changing your gut flora can go a long way in helping with any kind of skin condition. I have lots of new information and testimonies of people who hav...

Episode 222: 7 Reasons I Drink Coconut Water Kefir

09 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Coconut water is one of my favorite drinks! It is fast and super easy to make and wow is it good for you. It has a lot of health benefits and is bubbl...

Episode 221: Food Allergies and Your Gut Bacteria

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Food allergies have tripled in the last few years. More and more research supports that many important gut bacteria are missing, or have been damaged ...

Episode 220: L. Reuteri, Your Gut, and Sleep

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sleeping is fundamental to our well-being and health. What’s going on in your gut greatly influences how and when you sleep. Specific cultures like ...

Episode 219: Don't Rinse Your Kefir Grains and More Tips

18 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I get so many emails from people who, in an attempt to help their kefir grains, will rinse them in cool water. You should NEVER, EVER, EVER do this. I...

Episode 218: It's Not The Scoby That Makes Kombucha

04 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are two parts to the culturing process of Kombucha. The first part is the starter tea, which is just kombucha tea that has already been made. Th...

Episode 217: My Kefir and Kombucha Are Too Sour!

28 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Perhaps you've had this happen, and it even happens to me from time to time: my kefir or kombucha will get really sour. This can happen for several re...

Episode 216: Cultured Vegetables Saving Lives

21 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Forget everything you think you know about vegetables and let me tell you what happens when you culture them. Grow your own probiotics in a jar of veg...

Episode 215: My Every Day Kefir L. Reuteri Super Smoothie

14 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This is the superfood smoothie I've been having every morning. I've changed it up and added some new ingredients that have supercharged this smoothie....

Episode 214: Many Reasons I Drink Kombucha

07 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kombucha is an amazing probiotic drink. I have many reasons I drink it daily. A few things it helps me with are not needing deodorant to help with det...

Episode 213: You and Your Housemates Share the Same Bacteria

31 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You are a cloud filled with 100 trillion bacteria walking around. You change every room you walk into with your bacteria, and it happens within minute...

Episode 212: Don't Be Afraid Of Fermenting

24 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every day I receive many emails from people who are new to fermenting and want to do a good job and they are afraid they are going to do it wrong, mes...

Episode 211: 10 Tips For Summer Kefir

17 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kefir is a living food that tends to have a mind of its own. It ferments differently in the winter than in the summer, so understanding the process ca...

Episode 210: Probiotic Foods and Cancer

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our gut bacteria can not only help us from developing cancers but can also help us repair our guts which is crucial in our survival from chemotherapy....

Episode 209: Fermented Foods and IBS

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Keeping your gut lining intact is one of the most important things you will do. More and more people are experiencing leaky gut syndrome with dire con...

Episode 208: Fermented Foods For Stomach Distress

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Of all the health ailments cultured foods can help with, the one I hear the most about is either food poisoning, stomach virus (Gastroenteritis), or s...

Episode 207: Oxalates and Why You Need Fermented Foods

19 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Oxalic acid is an organic compound found in many plants that we eat. In fact, all plants produce oxalic acid at various levels. Higher oxalates in the...

Episode 206: Feeding Your Microbes - Wellness is Made in the Gut

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The microbes that have made your body their home are quite impressive, and most people are unaware of the magnitude of microbes that reside within the...

Episode 205: L. Reuteri Benefits and Answers to Common Questions

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

L. Reuteri yogurt has shocked me in so many ways but it wasn't without its problems. I always shoot straight with you and the health benefits blew my ...

Episode 204: The Many Benefits of Beet Kvass

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Beets are powerful root vegetables and have many surprising health benefits. Ferment these beets and you'll receive even more benefits. This is an eas...

Episode 203: Kefir Benefits for Your Heart

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kefir is a powerful probiotic food that has more than 50 good bacteria and good yeasts. More and more studies are coming out showing the power of my f...

Episode 202: Emotions and Your Gut

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Emotions are my best friends. They help me not only understand my present state but also how my body is doing. Researchers are discovering that an imb...

Episode 201: Ways To Use your Extra Sourdough Starter

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You'll always have left-over sourdough starter if you feed your starter once a week and don't bake with it. Here are a few of the things you can do wi...

Episode 200: Can Kids Have Cultured Foods?

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kids respond very fast to beneficial microbes in cultured foods. It can make all the difference to start them out young. Always follow your own instin...

Episode 199: 10 Ways to Use Your Over-Fermented Kombucha

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you have a bunch of kombucha that is over-fermented and tastes like vinegar, don't throw it out! We have lots of ways to use this special tea. Ever...

Episode 198: Where Do I Get Started With Cultured Foods?

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to change your life and feel better? Here’s the truth. I have tons of resources to help you. You can find everything you need on my site...

Episode 197: The Thick and Thin of Kefir

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I get more emails about kefir separating into whey and curds than any other question about cultured foods. It can happen because the grains are growin...

Episode 196: Eight Probiotic Foods To Always Keep In Your Fridge

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to cultured/probiotic and fermented foods, I am officially obsessed. Not everyone is going to make as many of these foods as I do; but o...

Episode 195: Fermenting Tip: Put a Lid on it?

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you're making fermented foods, you need to know which ones are anaerobic and which ones or aerobic... meaning or which ones need lids or a cloth ...

Episode 194: The Many Reasons to make L. Reuteri Superfood Yogurt

13 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lactobacillus Reuteri bacteria species is a superstar in the world of intestinal microbes. Someone who has done a ton of research on this species is D...

Episode 193: Fermented Foods Versus Fiber — Guess Who Wins?

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nothing has changed me more than cultured foods. I've consumed them for over twenty years and nothing is more convincing than your own life experience...

Episode 192: An Apple Peel A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Apples have been associated with a number of benefits that could help promote long-term health, but one of my favorite things that apples, and more im...

Episode 191: How to Care For Your Sourdough Starter

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I usually make sourdough bread once or twice a week. Making sourdough bread requires a strong sourdough starter. The health benefits are many when you...

Episode 190: Hesperidin: The Amazing Flavonoid in Orange Juice

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Orange juice contains special compounds that have a lot of health benefits. Hesperidin is abundant in oranges and is a phytonutrient (a naturally occu...

Episode 189: The Many Reasons To Make Cultured Vegetables

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Forget everything you think you know about vegetables and let me tell you what happens when you culture them. Grow your own probiotics in a jar of veg...

Episode 188: FAQs About Non-Dairy Kefir

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Non-dairy kefir is a wonderful way to have kefir. There are a few things you'll need to know if you want to make this type of kefir. I have lots of FA...

Episode 187: Making Winter Kombucha

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Making kombucha in the winter can be a little bit of a challenge when temperatures drop, as kombucha likes to brew at about 75-80 degrees. Here are my...

Episode 186: Warm up With Prebiotic Marshmallow Hot Chocolate

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I love warm chocolate cozy drinks but as the years have gone by I learned that I needed to incorporate healthy treats that not only satisfy my craving...

Episode 185: 7 Ways to Heal Your Gut

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Your gut is your largest immune organ and is responsible for 80 percent of your immune system. The more good bacteria you have, the better your immune...

Episode 184: Gingerbread: The Healthy Holiday Treat

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gingerbread is one of those special recipes that has two of my favorite ingredients: ginger and blackstrap molasses. Loaded with vitamins and minerals...

Episode 183: 9 Ways to Use Extra Kefir Whey

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you're making kefir, and especially kefir cheese, you're going to wind up with a lot of whey. Whey has been called liquid gold, and it has been use...

Episode 182: Kefir Soda: The Soda Pop That's Good For You!

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I have a fun and easy way to make kefir soda that does not involve using water kefir crystals. You only need 3 ingredients and a thick glass bottle ma...

Episode 181: The Power of HMOs

07 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When I first heard about how powerful HMOs were, I went looking for them. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are specific carbohydrates, and essential...

Episode 180: How to Make Your Own Vinegar

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Making your own vinegar has many health benefits and the taste is so good you'll always want to make your own. Vinegar is so simple to make - you just...

Episode 179: Helpful Tips For Sourdough Bread

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sourdough bread is worth the effort and the joy you'll get is hard to describe until you pull your first loaf from the oven. The secret to good sourdo...

Episode 178: Immunity, Your Gut, and Longevity with Joel Greene

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I'm really excited for you to meet Joel Greene founder of Veep Nutrition and author of Immunity Code The New Paradigm for Immune Centric Health and Ra...

Episode 177: Why People Fight Over Kefir

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of my favorite things about kefir is the many stories, legends, and history behind it. It has been around for thousands of years and the stories a...

Episode 176: Why You should Eat Berries Every Day

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Berries and I have a love affair. I eat them every morning for breakfast with kefir and for snacks too. I eat a lot of berries and they are a mainstay...

Episode 175: 7 Ways to Fix Your Gut

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gut health is more important than you can imagine. Having a healthy gut means your gut contains large amounts of healthy bacteria and immune cells tha...

Episode 174: Resistant Starch - The Key To A Healthy Gut

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Resistant starches are a type of fiber that plays a major role in digestive health, but it is also essential for achieving incredible overall health. ...

Episode 173: How to Make Kefir Mousse

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Life gets crazy at times, but most of the articles I write are meant to give you little things you can do that can make a big difference. Life is too ...

Episode 172: The Most Probiotic Kefir Dip

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This recipe has only two cultured ingredients (cultured veggies and kefir cheese) and has more probiotics than any other dip recipe and it's crazy del...

Episode 171: 7 Ways To Use Your Extra Kefir Grains

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kefir grains themselves are made up of many different species of bacteria and yeasts. Within the cell walls of the grains are cellulose microfibrils w...

Episode 170: Fix Your Gut Fix Your Life

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For many years, I'd read thousands of books on what foods are best for you and tried gazillions of diets and still couldn’t figure it all out. What ...

Episode 169: How Many Calories in Kefir?

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kefir can be made with many different kinds of milk, be it non-dairy or dairy milk. It differs in calories and nutritional differences depending on wh...

Episode 168: The Probiotic Superstar in Cultured Vegetables

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lactobacillus Plantarum is a very powerful good bacteria. It can remove pesticides from fermented food, lower cholesterol, help with candida, help wit...

Episode 167: Cooling Down With Cultured Foods

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I live in a desert climate - hot during the day and cool at night. When it gets hot, it's really hot. Today it's 100°F and I'm looking for foods that...

Episode 166: Probiotic Tomatoes - Tomatoes Are Super Foods!

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fermented Tomatoes have billions if not trillions of probiotics. They are so good for you and one of the easiest cultured vegetables you can make. Che...

Episode 165: Foolproof Kefir

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I love kefir grains, but I didn't start my journey making kefir using kefir grains. I started with powder kefir packages and was very glad I did. I wa...

Episode 164: How To Make Your Kefir Creamy Again

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In these summer months, has your kefir been fermenting faster and turning into curds and whey before you know it? In the summertime, kefir can change ...

Episode 163: What Kind of Milk Do I use To Make Kefir?

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many ways to make kefir with many different types of milk, and believe me, I've tried them all. Mostly to try to help you. I have some of my...

Episode 162: Is Your Kombucha Too Sour?

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the early days of making kombucha, I would often let my kombucha go too long and it would lose its bubbliness. There were a few times it turned so ...

Episode 161: 20 Smart Ways to Use Your Kombucha Scobys

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You all keep asking . . . What do I do with all these SCOBYs?! If you are anything like me, you have a pile of SCOBYs in a massive SCOBY hotel just wa...

Episode 160: Why You Should Sprout Your Own Greens In a Jar

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fermenting, sprouting, and soaking are all ways I enhance my food. These are the heroes that help me stay healthy in spite of all that seems to tell m...

Episode 159: Frequently Asked Questions About Cultured Vegetables

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's my favorite time of the year - when I have an abundance of fresh vegetables that I can ferment. Fermented vegetables can last nine months stored ...

Episode 158: 7 Healthy Reasons I Love Dates

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I love dates and so do my microbes since they're loaded with fiber and lots of nutrients. Here is what I've learned about dates and why date sugar is ...

Episode 157: Probiotic Salads and Dressings and Why Your Microbes Need Them

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If I want to feel better from one meal, a salad is just the ticket I need. If I could teach you to eat a small salad every day it could change your li...

Episode 156: Frequently Asked Questions About Kombucha

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Watching tea turn into kombucha is quite a thing to behold. You give it the ingredients and let it work its magic. Billions of microbes and yeasts tra...

Episode 155: Your Immune System and Seasonal Allergies

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The process of healing from seasonal allergies was a long process for me because there was much to learn and I continue to do so. Food is powerful med...

Episode 154: Frequently Asked Questions About Milk Kefir

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kefir is my favorite cultured food. It has the most probiotic strains of any cultured food (over 50 strains) and is also super easy to make. It was th...

Episode 153: 19 Healing Cultured Carrots Recipes

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I think carrots are something special and that we should include them in our diets as much as possible. I love the flavor of fresh carrots. Nothing sh...

Episode 152: Fermented Foods Can Help With Constipation and Diarrhea

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nobody really wants to talk about constipation and diarrhea, but it's something everybody deals with at some time in their life. I've had so many peop...

Episode 151: My Favorite Cultured Foods

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Almost two decades ago I had a revelation. No longer could I rely on any individual to solve all my health problems even if it was a medical professio...

Episode 150: Jun Kombucha, Is It Kombucha Made With Honey?

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jun is a cultured food similar to kombucha but supposedly its own separate thing. It is brewed with a SCOBY culture that is light in color and is made...

Episode 149: My Favorite Cultured Vegetable Recipe

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I want to share with you my favorite cultured vegetable recipe and how it came to be. It's been quite a journey and I love all the things I learned fr...

Episode 148: Are You Getting Enough of This Powerful Protein?

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I have used bone broths and collagen as a form of natural healing in my life and in the lives of my family members. The older I get, the more I find h...

Episode 147: Eating Cultured Foods For 20 Years

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes you have to fight through some bad days to find the best days of your life. As a young woman, I always had a sense of urgency but never knew...

Episode 146: Do Cultured Veggies Need a Starter?

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

No, you do not need a starter culture to make cultured veggies. However, by using a starter you will receive more probiotics and a lot of other benefi...

Episode 145: Why You Should Eat Slow Fermented Sourdough Bread

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I've been making sourdough bread for almost 18 years and it is one of my very favorite cultured foods to make. Our baking traditions have changed down...

Episode 144: Gain Wisdom From Your Kraut

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For many years people thought I was crazy for eating and making these cultured foods. I didn't care, for I had gone from hoping they would work, to be...

Episode 143: Why and How You Should Soak Your Beans, Nuts, Seeds, and Grains

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

More and more people are eating raw and unprocessed whole foods which is a good thing - unless they're loaded with enzyme inhibitors and phytates. Fro...

Episode 142: What are Cultured Foods?

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fermentation or "culturing" is a special process of food preservation that has been around since the beginning of time. As humans learned the importan...

Episode 141: H. Pylori and Fermented Foods

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many gastrointestinal diseases are caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. H. pylori can cause gastric inflammation which may lead to gas...