Even “healthy” foods can have a negative impact especially if our bodies are very out of balance. We’ve lost a lot of our bacteriological heritage vis-a-vis generations of processed foods, excessive antibiotic use and a variety of other negative practices. Any person with a healthy immune system can enjoy fermented foods without ill effect, but some people will need to take it slow and others will need to avoid them all together.
So back the original question of “How much to drink?” The short answer is Trust YOUR gut. If you drink water kefir and find yourself in the bathroom a short while later, maybe you’ve had enough for that day. For example – while Hannah was on book tour, she was craving fermented foods. She found a bottle of gut shots (sauerkraut juice) and it was so delicious she chugged the whole bottle. Needless to say, later that night she had a “mini-cleanse” because although it was tasty, it was more than she needed.
If you are consuming fermented foods and feel energized, then continue to enjoy them! Alex sometimes drinks a gallon of Kombucha in a day and he feels great; other days it’s a lot less. But not everybody ought to or will enjoy drinking that much. So listen to the feedback and adjust from there. This applies to your food too.
Histamine Intolerance
Anyone with a healthy immune system will enjoy fermented foods and the benefits they provide. However, some people have difficulty breaking down histamine which is found in numerous types of foods including fermented foods. They symptoms vary and are similar to an allergic attack. Ironically, while fermented foods are often used to alleviate many of the potential symptoms they only end up aggravating the intolerance. If you have tried fermented foods and not found relief, you may want to consult your primary care physician and see if you are histamine intolerant.
Recommendations
If you are new to ferments, its best to add them in slowly and monitor the feedback your body provides to help you determine the right amount for you.
Newbies, Children & Immunocompromised
2-4oz of fermented food or drink on an empty stomach
Monitor how you feel. If you experience a Herxheimer reaction or healing crisis, reduce intake, increase water consumption and add back in gradually.
