Fermented foods have been found in every civilization across the globe throughout history. These foods have been found to support and maintain the health of these cultures.
Fermentation creates a chemical change with effervesce in and enzymatic breakdown of an energy rich compound (as in carbohydrate to a carbon dioxide and alcohol, or to an organic acid), which is primarily an enzymatically controlled transformation of an organic compound.
Lactic acid is one of the primary ferments from cabbage in the form of sauerkraut and kimchi. It’s also found as a ferment of pickled vegetables. This is one of the preferred compounds for feeding your gut bacteria. Yogurt is one of the better sources of lactic acid as well.
Combinations of ferments like ethyl alcohol as well as acetic acid can occur with lactic acid. Kombucha is a combination of ferments with both lactic acid and a yeast ferment producing carbon dioxide and alcohol.
Although I do enjoy kombucha, there’s usually a residual sugar which over time can affect your overall carbohydrate intake. Occasional consumption is healthy, but a diet of too much can be a challenge. This is especially true for anyone dealing with an insulin resistance problem.
There are many reasons to ferment. Fermentation can increase shelf life of food as well as enhancing the probiotic nature of foods. Besides preserving foods, it enhances taste, nutritive value, digestibility, and improves overall health outcomes. It improves the diversity of microbial cultures internally and externally. It reduces waste and produces energy.
The main strategy of fermentation is to provide lactic acid which crowds out bad bacteria. Acidification is the main strategy for fermenting your food, and it’s something anyone can do for themselves.
As health benefits go, There are many. Nattokinase which is a ferment of soy is a fibrinolytic enzyme complex which means it digests fibrin and opens up the vascular tree. Being so, it has anti-coagulant properties and lowers blood pressure. This is important for anyone who’s had a stroke.
Miso is also a ferment of soy which is a reactive oxidant scavenger, making it helpful at protection against cancers. It’s an ACE inhibitor, without the damaging side effects of pharmaceutical ACE inhibitors intended to lower blood pressure. It protects from radiation, stroke, and hypertension.
Kefir, a dairy ferment is an acidic/alcohol ferment which contains yeast, acidic acid, and lactobacillus acidophilus. This is helpful in restoring the gut, especially after being challenged with antibiotics.
When embarking on a fermentation adventure, there are many components involved in success. Salt has long been important in preservation of foods. To get started it’s easy to begin simply with a head of cabbage and a tablespoon of salt. Getting information for a successful journey is as easy as going to google. The options for fermentation are as many as your imagination.
Elements to control besides salt are humidity, pH, time, microbes present. temperature, oxygen, and the composition of your starting material.
Being able to rely more on foods and their medicinal properties than pharmaceutical drugs can give you greater control over the financial burden, the physical damage, and dependance on unfriendly chemicals.
Whether you decide to embark on a mission of your own and experiment with fermentation or not, many good fermented foods are available to purchase. Getting a starter to make your own kombucha is really easy. Sometimes, just asking around will yield a friend who has one you can have. Growing your own is really easy. Dairy ferments are readily available and excellent for improving gut health and lowering blood pressure. You don’t have to be afraid of experimenting on your own.