Fermented Foods
DEFINITION
Foods can encourage the growth of healthy bacteria, know as probiotics, in the human intestines. This is thought to improve the function of our immune system and aid in digestion. The definition of a probiotic is - A live microbial feed supplement, which beneficially affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Research suggests that fermented foods help prevent or aid recovery from diarrhea, colon cancer, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, infectious illnesses, the ill effects of stress on intestinal flora, IBS and colitis.
EXAMPLES
The macrobiotic diet is very high in fermented foods and potentially high in healthy bacteria.
Fermented foods have long been part of human food consumption. Examples of fermented foods include sour milk, pickles, sauerkraut, miso, shoyu, umeboshi plums, yogurt, kimchi, gherkins and natto.
In addition to foods that have been fermented, many raw vegetables will grow healthy bacteria on their skins. If we leave a salad exposed to the air, spores in the air will attach to the skins of the leaves and start to breed, forming healthy bacteria. Research shown on the BBC’s Truth About Food, demonstrated that raw vegetables could be many times, more effective than commercial probiotics in encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria in our intestines.
ENCOURAGING THE GROWTH OF HEALTHY BACTERIA IN FOODS
Healthy bacteria lives between 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) and 40 degrees C (100 degrees F) so keeping foods in the fridge will inhibit the production of healthy bacteria. Similarly heating foods risks killing the healthy bacteria. It is therefore best to keep fermented foods at room temperature or keep them at room temperature for at least 2 hours before eating. Being exposed to the air will expose the foods to spores. Generally the warmer the air the quicker the fermentation.
Many salty fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, pickles, shoyu and umeboshi will store well at room temperature. To get the best effect from foods like yogurt, natto and salads they need to be left exposed to the air for several hours before eating. In the case of salads they will need to be exposed to the air for the maximum time before adding oil or any dressing. You can wash the salad vegetables before leaving in the air. Kimchi can be stored at room temperature.
Pasteurizing foods kills off the healthy bacteria, so fermented foods will ideally not have been pasteurized. Similarly, cooking foods will kill the healthy bacteria, so adding miso or shoyu to hot dishes may eliminate any benefit in terms of healthy bacteria. A more healthy approach would be to add diluted miso to a soup after the soup has been served and just prior to eating, when the liquid will be cooler. Miso and shoyu can be added to sauces at temperatures up to 40 degrees C or 100 degrees F.
One way to speed up the growth of bacteria in vegetables is to mix them with salt and press them between two plates with a weight on top for an hour or more. This is known as a pressed salad.
HELPING HEALTHY BEACTERIA THROUGH OUR STOMACHS
Our stomach acids reduce the number of healthy bacteria that get through to our intestines. It therefore helps to keep ourselves more alkaline. This would imply that eating fermented foods with alkaline forming foods helps enrich our intestinal bacteria. So for example acid forming foods like coffee, alcohol, sugar, meats and shell fish may, in some people, reduce the beneficial effects of the healthy bacteria.
As stress can lead to greater acidity, it may help to try a short meditation before eating or to stay in the moment to enjoy a calm state of mind.
DISHES HIGH IN HEALTHY BACTERIA
Miso soup
Natto mixed with shoyu
Saurekraut
Kimchi
Salads
Pressed salads
Live yogurt
Back
to the Top
