Fermented foods : Traditional way of eating, foundation of gut flora (Part 3)

Today, I'm going to write the final post about fermented foods. Does anyone at home ever prepared fermented foods? If yes, how often? When I asked this question to most people I know, the answer mostly is NO. Well, most modern people have lost touch with traditional foods, especially fermented nutrient dense foods. 

Alot of people especially in the 21st century, have forgotten the importance of traditional fermented foods which has nourished our ancestors for generations. Western and Amercian diets have replaced the nutrient dense eating tradition, and we have evolved for the past 30-50 years or so, becoming more and more malnutrition, apart from being sicker and fatter.

If you would to randomly as any young adults and easily 5 out of 10 people, may not know what whole foods fermentation is all about. But McDonald's and Pizza? Oh yeah, everyone knows about it. There are even some people who eat yogurt, cheese and butter, don't even know those are fermented form of foods. But if in the form of commercial yogurts, butter and cheese, I would not recommend as these types of foods are loaded with toxins and chemicals derived from sick cows.

As I've mentioned briefly in earlier posts, fermented foods are basically foods which are produced in a way that intentionally encourages the proliferation of beneficial bacteria and/of yeasts. Fermented foods can be made from a starter that acts as an innoculant to introduce specific bacteria into a food, or can be made by encouraging the proliferation of bacteria and yeasts already present in the environment or on the food. Common fermented foods also includes chocolate, anchovies, yogurts and etc.

Fermented foods played many roles if you looked at traditional societies and some primitive tribes. Many of us look at fermented foods as a way to preserve the harvets for a long-term storage, and in extreme latitude, fermentation did fulfill this function. Traditional peoples in northern Europe salted cabbage to make sauerkraut that could last all winter long. In East Asian cultures, especially in cold climates, did the same with cabbage as well as other vegetables.

However, traditional societies from all around the globe fermented foods regardless of a need to extend the harvest. In some areas of South America, where food can be found year round, they will consume Chicha de Yuca. Many equatorial African societies also ferment their foods.

Question, why do we stop consuming fermented foods? Can anyone take a wild guess? Yes, the invention of refrigeration in the early 20th century. Fermentation began to decline in the 19th century and fell largely out of favor at the turn of the 20th century. The process of canning fruits and vegetables, which came into wide spread use during the 19th century, coupled with the invention of refrigeration reduced the need for fermentation as a food preservation strategy. Without this pressing need to preserve our foods for the long term storage, we kind of stop fermenting foods at least in western and industrialized nations, and thus, we see the decline in health status globally as well.

Later on, with wider recognition of bacteria and germs, modern society became obsessed with cleanliness and hygiene. We have anti-mibrobial sprays, anti-bacterial cleaning agents and tons of other substances and products which started the war on bacteria. The eradication of microbes became a goal not only in commercial food operations, but at home as well. Subsequently, national health declined. As we stopped eating traditional foods, we have reduced the consumption of beneficial bacteria which is found mainly in fermented foods and beverages. It plays a critical role in gut health and immunity and most people is not aware if this fact. 

Now, let's talk abit about hygiene hypothesis. Our modern war on bacteria is primarily about absence of fermented foods, excessive cleanliness, avoidance of mud, dirt and farm life, and we no longer allow our children to play in the dirt anymore. What happen is we do not allow our immune system being trained to and when you coupled that with lack of breastfeeding during infant, the babies were not given the important immunity by the mother's beneficial bacteria from breast milk. Raw milk, human's milk, cow's milk all these different types of milks provide critical immunity and defense against infections especially when you talk about lauric acid and colostrum and dense with beneficial bacteria. If you put a dose of anti-biotics to the infant's gut with addition of depleted beneficial bacteria, the gut flora and immune system is severely imbalanced. With that, it leaves us open to health conditions such as asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders and even cancer. 

In a normal and healthy body, bacteria actually outnumber our body's own cells. We are more bacteria then human. These microbes, as well as the microbes in our environment and in fermented foods actually train the immune system to function properly as well as fulfilling other important roles. It modulates immune system response and it keeps us alive and healthy. That is why, studies have shown that chidren raised in farms and consumed organic grass fed raw milk have fewer incidence of asthma and allergies.

People asked me, how fermented foods impact our health? Well, first of all, fermented foods are rich in beneficial bacteria that populate the gut, helping to recover from gut dysbiosis and conditions related to gut dysbiosis. Fermented foods are rich in food enzymes which help us to better break down the foods we consume, thus, reducing the stress or load on the body's organs/glands. Example, if you consume honey, it contains amylase, which is an enzyme to break down the sugar in your body during ingestion process. Also, lipase and lactase are also enzymes found in raw milk, which are important to digest fats and lactose. So what happens is it doesn't force your body into producing more enzymes to break down these macronutrients, thus less stress on the body's organs and glands.

Fermentation also increases the levels of vitamins which are already in the foods. Imagine you are getting a double dose of vitamins content in any consumed foods, in this case, fermented foods. Example, sourdough breads have much higher folate levels then commercially quick rise breads. Fermented foods are also strongly anti-carcinogenic. One of them is kefir which is one of the best foods which is strongly anti-carcinogenic.

Kefir studies:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21390946
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3345116/                           

Now, some of you might be wondering, what do i need to ferment? Which types of foods? Well, it's easy. Number 1, you need something to ferment, it could be beet (beet kvass), cabbage and salt (sauerkraut), cucumbers, pickles, etc. Number 2, you need something to fermented in, you need certain bags or bottles,  crocks, mason jar, something which you can preserve and you don't need any special equipments. Just allow the bacteria some period of time to consume the carbohydrates in the foods and you are set to go. Example, if you like preparing yogurts pr cultured dairy products, give at least 8 hours, up to maybe 40 hours or so. Fermented vegetables typically take longer time period, maybe a week or more. Finally, finishing and storing your ferments. The time it takes to ferment the vegetables varies wildly depending on the time of the year, quantity fermented and also your preference of flavor. Smaller amounts require less time then large amounts.  If you are fermenting gallons of foods, it may take up to months for the bacteria to eat up the carbohydrates. The longer it sits at room temperature, the more complex the flavor becomes. 

Once the fermented food achieves the flavor you like, then you can halt the fermentation by transferring it to cold storage such as fridge, root cellar, basement, etc. Taste it and ask yourself if you like the flavor. It's quite subjective and it depends on each individual how they prefer specific flavor. Before I sign off, there is one more thing which I would need to share with you guys. If you would to find mold on your ferment, especially for those fermenting large amounts in large barrels, bear in mind, it is not abnormal. Don't freak out or anything. If a 'film' develops on the brine or surface of your ferment, simply lift it off with a spoon. Using airlocks devices such as specifically designed crocks will reduce the likelihood of the top of your ferment being contaminated by molds and stray microbes. As long as solid materials are your fermented foods are not actively exposed to air, your ferment will be safe. 

As for beginners, try one thing at a time, master it and move on. Don't let yourself become overwhelmed! You don't need to make three kinds of yogurts, kefir and five fermented vegetables at once. Easy things to try out including yogurts, sour pickles, sauerkraut and maybe anchovies. So, enjoy fermenting your own foods! Try it out!