I have heard that fermented foods are good for our health. Is this true?
Fermented foods and beverages have been a staple in the diets of virtually all cultures. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy have all been used as mediums for growing bacteria that are responsible for the fermentation process. While bacteria get a bad rap, not all bacteria are “bad”. Rather, the strain of bacteria determines whether it is considered “good bacteria/beneficial” or “bad bacteria/pathogenic” to the body. How important are bacteria to our health? The average adult has over 5 pounds of bacteria that reside in and on their body. While most of the bacteria live within the digestive tract, they also exist on our skin, eyes, ears, hair, and in our sinuses, nose, throat and oral cavity.
These bacteria are an essential part of life. They assist us in digestion, immunity, protection and can even help to prevent certain cancers. When we eat and drink fermented beverages with beneficial strains of bacteria (probiotics), we are seeding our body. These organisms grow into colonies and can “crowd out” other species that may cause disease. An example of this would be a yeast infection. While many may think that a yeast infection (candidiasis) is caused by yeast “invading” a region, the truth is the yeast were already there. When the tissue the yeast is living on becomes more acidic and/or other bacterial microflora were disrupted or killed, the most opportunistic organism will begin to multiply. This can be either because of the metabolic conditions of the tissue (acid/base)are compromised or there is more surface area to colonize because another species was eliminated (ex. antibiotics). Remember, many antibiotics will not just kill the “bad” bugs, but the beneficial bacteria as well!
So are fermented foods and beverages good for us? They are not just good, but essential in our diet.
Some examples of fermented foods are beer, wine, sake, spirits, vinegar, olives, yogurt, cheese, bread, kombucha, miso, sake, soy sauce, kimchi and sauerkraut (cabbage), kefir (milk or coconut), and pickled vegetables. There are also many probiotics on the market that you can supplement if you are not including fermented products in your diet. One of my favorite sources of probiotics is coconut kefir. It is not only beneficial, but tastes great too.
If you are interested in learning more about kefir, check out the Organic Soul article on kefir.
September 26, 2011 at 7:19 pm
I’m not so sure about breads being all that good for you, especially breads made by rapid-raising yeast. That’s the stuff that promotes candidiasis. Try getting sourdough breads, these are made from wild yeast (you find them in the air, in flour and the grains flour comes from) which are cultivated slowly over time (from a few months to 20 years!). Sourdough breads all have their unique tastes (tangy-ness), depending on the region the breads are made and the flour used (different strains of yeast grow from different regions. If you think about it, eating sourdough bread made from yeasts live in your region = your body is more likely to be able to accommodate them naturally). Plus, (in my own understanding based on reading, for more accuracy Google it!) in the process of making sourdough breads, the wild yeasts are grown and as they ferment they produce their own enzymes, which aids your body in digestion.
If you don’t like the taste of sourdough, there are also semi-leaven breads (Greek, Indian breads like pitas and naan) or loaves from specialised bakeries. Semi-leaven (also known as artisan) breads are made from combining sourdough yeasts and instant yeast.
Sourdough breads take many hours to rise before they are baked, sometimes12 hours or more. Semi-leaven breads take less time, but it’s still longer prep time compared to the (nasty) white sliced bread you get from supermarkets. You can imagine the price of sourdough and semi-leaven breads are more expensive, but I find it is so worth it! With the unique tastes, you stimulate your tastebuds, and you enjoy eating them more, than say gulping down your food. And you eat LESS. Which is definitely good for you because you are cutting down on carbs and reducing the amount of “bad” yeast (the yeast that contributes to candidiasis).
You can try making your own sourdough breads – it takes a lot of time and planning ahead but it’s quite fun! And nothing beats the smell of baking bread
May 10, 2012 at 3:42 pm
[...] Probiotics are bacteria that are used in the fermentation process of saké, and are also the “good” bacteria that our body needs for digestion, fighting off infections and building our immune system. (1) [...]