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We are you: food consumers who have been concerned about what we've been putting in to our bodies for years. We have been loyal natural food shoppers for years, and, as we've found out more and more about how our food is processed, have been more and more alarmed at what's happening to our society. We started out as consumers just trying new things and reading about nutrition, and, over the years, got more involved in local agriculture and food production. Over time, we have been able to change our lives so that we get all our milk, beef, poultry, and eggs directly from local farmers who we know by name. At the same time, we started to raise all our own vegetables on a little plot based on the 'double-digging' techniques of John Jeavons. It's been fun, informative, and has kept us very healthy. It hasn't been easy, but we're proud of the fact that we've been able to truly experience what it's like to be a part of a sustainable, local agricultural community.
Along the way, we found out about lacto-fermented vegetables, through the book 'Nourishing Traditions' by Sally Fallon and Mary Emig. We loved the fact that the fermentation process actually made the vegetables healthier than they had been, and we loved the taste as well (which was very important to Scott, since he doesn't like most raw vegetables). Imagine, we thought, that this simple, natural process could have so many benefits, and it could connect us with the ways our ancestors kept themselves healthy through the cold winters in Eastern and Northern Europe. We did some kitchen work, loved the results, and haven't stopped experimenting yet. While we loved what we did, we realized that we could do much more good if we made a product that everyone liked, since not everyone enjoys pickled beans, cabbage and squash. So, the idea behind ZUKAY was born – an everyday probiotic, lacto-fermented product that can make you healthier every time you eat it, and that you don't have to change a single thing in your eating habits to enjoy.
You may wonder what 'ZUKAY' means. In our culinary travels, we had the great fortune to visit Japan and learn about their pickled vegetables, called 'tsukemono'. These vegetables, made in many different methods, are an enormous part of the regular Japanese diet, and are eaten alongside virtually every meal as a digestive aid. We don't know if it's a reason that the Japanese have one of the longest life spans in the world, but it certainly hasn't hurt them. While the line is not Asian at all, we named in 'ZUKAY' in honor of 'Tsuke' the word for 'pickled' in Japanese.
Thanks for taking the time to learn about ZUKAY Live Foods, and we're glad to have you join us on our journey to making America a healthier place in which to live and eat!
Scott, Cathy, Jacob and Noah Grzybek
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