What are fermented foods? Are fermented vegetables healthy? Learn more about the world of fermented foods in this science-based guide.
It seems like every time you turn around, you hear that you should eat more fermented foods because they are so good for you. but why? How do fermented foods affect your health? What are fermented foods? From kombucha to sauerkraut, fermented foods may seem like the latest and greatest on supermarket shelves as these foods get a huge amount of attention these days, but they’ve actually been around for billions as a means of preserving food for survival. Year. We now know that fermented foods have many health benefits.
The history of fermentation
Fermentation has been around since at least 10,000 BC. Ancient societies, such as the Sumerians and Egyptians, as well as early explorers, used fermentation to preserve food so that people could obtain enough key nutrients to survive the long winters when fresh food could not be harvested and in the cold winter. long trip. The Sumerians enjoyed fermented foods such as barley malt, bread, and wine. The ancient Egyptians also fermented bread and beer. Explorers like Captain Cook carried sauerkraut with him on long voyages to prevent scurvy, a disease associated with vitamin C deficiency. The art of fermentation spread throughout most cultures and societies. I’ve tasted fermented foods from just about every culture, from Iceland, Greece, Sweden, and Germany to Thailand, Japan, Morocco, and Tanzania. To survive, fermentation is absolutely necessary. As a result, we have some of our favorite foods! Can you imagine good food without pickles, wine, bread and olives?
For a long time, our ancient ancestors didn’t really understand the fermentation process. A scientific explanation did not emerge until around 1856, when French scientist Louis Pasteur documented how this extraordinary process occurred. He learned that specific microbes caused different types of fermentation.For example, one called Saccharomyces cerevisiae Responsible for the fermentation of bread.microorganism Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus Participate in yogurt fermentation. And the rest, as they say, is history!
Fermented Food Nutrition
The consumption of fermented foods has long been an integral part of the human diet. Live fermented foods contain at least a thousand times more bacteria than fresh fruits and vegetables. Fermentation improves microbial food safety and produces unique flavors and textures because each strain is genetically and phenotypically different. Fermented foods such as yogurt, wine, kombucha, kimchi, and sauerkraut contain a variety of nutrients in addition to microorganisms that provide health benefits. Fermentation increases the content of vitamins and bioactive compounds; in fact, it helps produce vitamins (including GABA, CLA, folate, vitamin B12, riboflavin, and thiamine) from microorganisms that are abundant in fermented foods. This is why fermented foods have a positive impact on our health, especially in the area of gastrointestinal health.
When we eat fermented foods, the microorganisms we consume help diversify our gut microbiome. Many studies have focused on the connection between the gut microbiome and the body. There is a link between a strong, healthy gut microbiome and many diseases, including reduced obesity, type 2 diabetes, digestive disorders, inflammatory diseases and cognitive decline. For example, in mouse studies, reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease has been linked to a diversified gut microbiome.
To diversify our gut microbiome, we can eat foods that contain fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. We can also increase the intake of fermented probiotic foods, such as kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, etc. Keep in mind that not all of these foods contain live, active cultures. Not all fermented foods are probiotic because they have undergone processing steps that inactivate the culture, such as baking and canning. Even live fermented foods cannot be defined as probiotics because the strains present in the food must have clinically proven benefits. But fermented foods can still be a healthy, delicious addition to your diet!
fermented food
Many traditional diets include large amounts of fermented foods. Some common ones are kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, sauerkraut, wine, beer, soy sauce, and bread. There are two manufacturing processes for fermented foods: wild fermentation and cultured fermentation.
Wild fermentation occurs naturally. Naturally occurring bacteria in the air are necessary for wild fermentation to occur. Consider sauerkraut, which requires no starter culture. However, leavened bread requires cultivation and anticlination techniques. Regression occurs when you add parts of an old culture to a new culture.
Under these two main categories, fermented foods can be divided into three subcategories: alcoholic fermentation, lactic fermentation, and acetic fermentation. Wine is a common fermented alcohol. Kimchi is an example of lactic fermentation and vinegar is an example of acetic fermentation. Kombucha is an example of all three types.
What is kombucha? Kombucha is a fermentation that has been studied in the following ways in vitro (conducted in a test tube, petri dish or elsewhere outside the living body) and live (Carrying out or taking place in) research in living organisms. Kombucha contains polyphenols, which are found naturally in plants and are enhanced during digestion. A diet rich in polyphenols may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and type 2 diabetes. Polyphenols also have anti-cancer properties as they act as antioxidants by reducing free radicals in the body.
What happens during fermentation?
Fermentation occurs because of the presence of microorganisms, which are small units of life invisible to the naked eye. Bacteria and yeast are examples of the types of microorganisms required for fermentation. Fermentation takes place without oxygen. This process occurs when microorganisms convert sugar into alcohol or lactic acid. For example, when yeast fermentation occurs, glucose is converted into two molecules of pyruvate and then into two molecules while releasing carbon dioxide. The released carbon dioxide becomes trapped in the gluten network, causing the bread to rise. The final byproduct is two ethanol molecules. The final by-product of bacterial fermentation is lactic acid. First, glucose is converted into two pyruvate molecules; then, pyruvate is converted into lactic acid with the help of lactate dehydrogenase. Yogurt, tempeh, and soy sauce are all fermented through this process.
The fermentation process has several basic practical steps, starting with selecting and gathering a variety of ingredients, such as cabbage, pickles, and olives. Once collected, these materials must be prepared through various methods, such as chopping, grinding, mixing, salting, slicing, immersing or compacting. Commercial producers of the food then incubate it and measure the temperature, oxygen and length of time. Some products, such as bread, have terminated fermentation.Using typical microorganisms, e.g. lactic acid bacteria. The pH during fermentation is low at 4 – 4.5.
Foods contain different microorganisms that give them certain flavors and textures.For example, yeast and mold fungus Among them, beer, wine and bread are all available Saccharomyces.Plants have Pichiasoy sauce contains koji bacteria, while tempeh has Mucoraceaethe surface cloth contains Penicillium. Nutrients in food encourage microbial growth, while the structure of the material determines texture.
The end result is the characteristic flavors we love in fermented foods, such as the complex flavors in deep red wine, the mild caramel sourness of baked yeast bread, and the salty tang of olives.
How to incorporate fermented foods into your healthy diet
Although the benefits of fermented foods are well known, food models from around the world do not make specific recommendations regarding their suitability. For example, MyPlate recommends the fruit, vegetable, dairy, protein, and grain categories, but makes no mention of fermented foods. However, many traditional dietary patterns include fermented foods. For example, the Japanese culture regularly consumes fermented foods and has one of the longest lifespans in the world, so why hesitate to offer fermented food recommendations?
One reason why governments and health organizations have not issued formal recommendations about eating more fermented foods may be due to concerns about food safety. As we know, fermented foods produced correctly can provide many health benefits. However, improperly prepared fermented foods can cause illness due to the growth of harmful bacteria.
How to find plant-based fermented foods? Look for live, active cultures in fermented foods stored in the refrigerator. Many canned products, such as pickled beets, sauerkraut, and dill pickles, are processed with vinegar; therefore, there is no fermentation.
List of common plant-based fermented foods
As part of a healthy plant-based diet, be sure to enjoy a variety of fermented foods, whether they contain live cultures or are produced through fermentation technology.
Try some of my favorite recipes calling for fermented foods:
refer to
- Bell, V., Ferrao, J., & Fernandes, T. (2017). Nutritional Guidelines and Fermented Foods Framework. Food, 6(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6080065. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5575640/
- Tuba Esatbeyoglu, Secil Sarikaya Aydin, Büsra Gültekin Subasi, Ezgi Erskine, Recep Gök, Salam A. Ibrahim, Birsen Yilmaz, Fatih Özogul & Esra Capanoglu (2023) Other advances related to health food medicine related to kombucha consumption, review 》 and Nutrition, DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2163373. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2022.2163373
- Kitwecharoen, H., Phung, LT, Klanrit, P., Thanonkeo, S., Tippayawat, P., Yamada, M., & Thanonkeo, P. (2023). Kombucha Healthy Beverage – Latest Advances in Production, Chemistry, and Health Benefits. Fermentation, 9(1), 48. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9010048. https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/9/1/48
- National Institutes of Health (2023, June 12). Beyond the brain: The gut microbiome and Alzheimer’s disease. National Institute on Aging. Retrieved September 21, 2023, from https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/beyond-brain-gut-microbiome-and-alzheimers-disease#:~:text=These%20 Different%20types%20of% 20bacteria, chemicals that affect%20 the function of bras%20.
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