Zymbiotics for your health

I have known about Zymbiotics for about a year — first hearing about the company from my friends in the #mkefoodies group. After reading about it, I was a bit intrigued. Then I saw the products at Good Harvest Market and my interest peaked even more. I still wasn’t 100% sure what it was, but I knew the products were supposed to be good for you.

I recently reached out to the owner Jeff after he introduced himself to the Wisconsin Whisk group that I am a member. I asked him more about his products, and he suggested that we meet up so that I could try them and ask anything that I wanted to know about them.

Here’s a bit about the company from the website: “Zymbiotics are fine naturally fermented foods including Jeff’s Zauerkraut, Jeff’s Ginger Zarrots, Jeff Zimchi, and Jeff’s Vegan Zimchi.  These prebiotic and probiotic ferments are delicious and nutritious. We strive to use locally sourced produce for our products to reduce the environmental impact wherever possible.  Educating our community  on the health benefits of fermentation is a fundamental part of our mission.”

Jeff and I met at Good Harvest Market and sat down in the cafe area. Did you know that Good Harvest Market has a full cafe, smoothie bar, and beer on tap? You can enjoy these treats while shopping or take a meal home. There is even a loft area above the cafe to get a better view of the store while you dine.

Jeff told me a bit about his products, Zymbiotics. The product are kept in the cooler case because they aren’t pasteurized and are fresh. The products will last over a year opened or unopened if kept refrigerated. On your first time opening them, its recommended to open them over the sink–the CO2 builds up and could cause a little spill.

The company recommends at least two tablespoons of the products a day for maximum results. Here are more of the benefits of these products.

Zymbiotics Zauerkraut

I tried the Zauerkraut first – a bright, beautiful purple color. It was delicious and puts the kraut at Miller Park and the green can(Franks?) to shame. I want to only have this with my brats and hot dogs in the future. However, I was told to not get it over 104 degrees or it will lose the good bacteria and health benefits.

Zymbiotics Ginger Zarrots

Next I tried the Ginger Zarrots. I was a little hesitant as I didn’t believe these flavors would go together at all. I was very pleasantly surprised – this was a great combination. I could eat this as a between-meal snack for sure. Or have them with a nice grilled chicken breast. Two tablespoons of this daily will be no problem. And there are some great recipes for this product on their website.

Zymbiotics Zimchi

Next up was the Zimchi – As someone that has never had Kimchi, I wasn’t sure what to expect except Asian flavors. It has beautiful color and a great variety of products in it. There is a kick of spice, but if I had some rice with dinner, it would be just fine for my palette. I didn’t try the Vegan Zimchi, but I was told the flavor is very similar, just doesn’t have the fish sauce in it.

Jeff was nice enough to send me home with the Zauerkraut, Ginger Zarrots, and Zimchi. I have had Ginger Zarrots a few times and can’t wait to make a few of the recipes from the website. Stay tuned for posts on that.

Jeff’s wife has her masters in nutrition and culinary arts and she oversees the recipes to make sure they are healthy and that the prebiotic and probiotic dignity of the products are in tact.

Zymbiotics can be found at Good Harvest Market, Woodman’s, Albrechts Sentry, B&K  Sentry, and the Sendik’s on Capitol in Brookfield. The local food stores have welcomed his products and really supported his mission. I love seeing local work together.

I recommend you try these products for improved digestion and quality bacteria in your gut. In just a couple weeks, you will notice a change. Eating fermented foods increases the vitamin content and helps us absorb the vitamins.