Fermented Vitamins: What Are They & Why It Matters

Let’s face it, the good stuff in life is fermented! From bread to wine, from kimchi to yogurt, fermentation has been humankind’s way of transforming and unlocking food’s potential since before the written word. At New Chapter®, we take this ancient process and apply it to vitamins and minerals to help you really absorb the good stuff. Let’s peek behind the scenes at how it all works!

What is Fermentation?

So, what does fermentation mean exactly? Fermentation is when food is transformed through the action of friendly, living microorganisms. The word “fermentation” is rooted in the Latin word “fervere,” meaning “to boil.” The ancient Romans noticed bubbles forming as vats of grapes transformed into wine.

It’s interesting to compare boiling with fermenting, as they have some similarities. We boil food to process it using heat, and we ferment food to process it using microbes. Cooking helps to unlock food’s nutrition, and fermentation also unlocks food, creating an easily digestible, body-ready version. Fermenting has even been called “cold fire” because of its ability to break down raw food for human digestion and the human palate. The result? A leveled-up, pre-digested version of the food. Normal food becomes superfood once it’s fermented! It’s enriched, unlocked, and according to Harvard Health, fermented food has added nutritional value.

Fermented Foods

Fermentation is an ancient and universal human practice. It’s been around for thousands of years! Beer, pickles, and preserved meats are among the first fermented foods in the historical record . Some researchers think that the human brain is hard-wired to love fermented tastes . (What makes your mouth water more: a slice of raw cucumber or a salty-sour, juicy-crunchy pickle?) Experts also find that fermentation is used in cultures all around the world. From sauerkraut to kimchi, from kefir to kombucha, from miso to injera, from kvass to salami, from cheese to chocolate, fermented foods are part of human life. And of course, our perennial favorites beer, wine, bread, coffee, and tea are also fermented. Fermentation has a special way of making things better .