fermentation is fun - how to get started with fermented foods at home

7/31/2019 Fermentation is Fun - How to Get Started With Fermented Foods at Home.

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Fermentation is Fun: How to get started with Fermented Foods at Home

Fermenting is Fun

Fermenting your own foods can be a healthy, fun, and nutritious hobby. We feel that anything youcan make at home is much better than commercialized foods. We have put together a summary offermented foods followed by a few recipes. Enjoy.

The Power of Microbes:

We live in a world dominated by microbes. The Earths microorganisms are able to adapt to almostany environment and thrive. Bacteria have been found in the icy regions of Antarctica, near thesurface of volcanic vents in the Atlantic, and even in our digestive tracts. Our civilization is but a palecomparison to the invisible world of microbes that surrounds us. It is likely that these microbes willadapt and survive beyond human existence.

It is not surprising that microbes have become experts of adaptation when you consider theevolutionary pressures of their world. They are constantly disrupted by changes in environment,competition from other species, attacks from specialized viruses (i.e. bacteriophages), and a shiftingfood supply. Imagine trying to survive in a world filled with rampant diseases, famines, hurricanes,and floods, and youll begin to appreciate the world of the microbe.

Some microbes have colluded with the competition to form symbiotic relationships. For example, thebacterial strains Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacilllus bulgaricus, work together andtransform milk into tasty yogurt. The thirty or so strains of bacteria and yeast found in Kefir, atraditional fermented drink of the Caucasians, band together to form complex ecology capable ofdigesting almost any food source and staving off harmful pathogens. The microbes of Kefir even

provide themselves with homes in the form of Kefir grains that are composed of a polysaccharidematrix.

Our ancient ancestors did not live in a sterile environment. It is likely that they ingested variousmicrobes found naturally in their foods. Some of these microbes were beneficial to their life whileothers caused infections and disease. Somewhere along the way in their struggle for survival, ourancestors allied themselves with certain species of microbes. Our intestines have evolved into a

perfect microbial farm. We provide these microbes with furnished home and plenty of food, in return,they produce beneficial nutrients and help defend us from pathogens. About a thousand years ago, our

ancestors began to experimenting with fermenting their own foods with beneficial strains to preventspoilage, fight infections, and increase absorption of nutrients. This action further allied our bodieswith the microbial world.

Benefits of Fermented Foods:

Nobel Prize winner Dr. Elie Metchnikoff was one of the first scientists to recognize the benefits ofeating fermented foods. His research in the early 1900s focused on the Bulgarians. He believed thedaily ingestion of yogurt was a major contribution to their superior health and longevity. Today, if yousearch the Internet on probiotics, you will find an almost endless supply of reasons why good

bacteria are good for you. We hope to convince you that fermenting your own foods is cheaper, morefun, and better for you than just popping a pill of freeze dried bacteria.


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Detoxify and Preserve:

If theres anything that the microbial world does well, it is detoxifying things. Today, Bacteriologistsperiodically visit old military facilities in search of new strains of bacteria living off of contaminantsin the soil. If you put it in the ground and give them enough time to mutate and evolve, thesemicrobes will find a way to break it down. This probably holds true for any organic chemical. These

earthly microbes purify the world.

Not only have we been able to use the detoxifying properties of microbes to breakdown nastysubstances, such as oil spills, military dumps, and sewer plants, we also use them to detoxify our foodand water and increase shelf lives. For centuries, Europeans used wine as a source of clean, durablewater. Bulgarians perfected the art of detoxifying and preserving milk (removing the lactose and

predigesting the proteins) and transforming it into yogurt and cheese. The Caucasians used Kefirgrains for the same purpose: detoxify milk products to make Kefir. Vegetables were also fermented to

preserve them from spoilage. Most of the pickled products found on our grocery shelves were at onetime a fermented product: pickles, saurkraut, and even catsup (a Chinese word for pickled fish brine).However, since fermentation isnt always a uniform process, manufacturers found another way to

make these products.

Fight Off Infections:

Competition between microbes can be fierce. The good bacteria that are normal inhabitants of ourintestinal tracts will fight off many foreign intruders. They can be seen as our first line of defense inthe war of infection. Scientists have documented many different substances produced by lactobacilli(lactic acid bacteria) that have been found to inhibit harmful microorganisms. For example,lactobacillus acidophilus produces several substances while fermenting milk, including acidolin,acidophillin, lactobacillan, and lactocidin. These substances have been shown to inhibit pathogenic

bacteria, such as Salmonella, while leaving other lactobacilli and human cells unharmed Theseantibiotic agents are found in fermented milk, but not always in a probiotic pill. A 2000 study led byDr. Chitra N. Wendakoon of the University of Alberta, Edmonton, found that fermented milk

products, like yogurt, can kill Helicobacter pylori (the ulcer causing bacteria) but that the beneficialbacteria alone cannot. This means that probiotics in pill form would have no effect on H. pylori butthat homemade yogurt and Kefir would.

Nutritious to Boot:

Fermented products are a great source of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. The process offermentation increases the amounts of some vitamins. Fermented milk is a great source of energetic

B vitamins while fermented vegetables are a great source of Vitamin C. Sauerkraut often served asmilitary rations in ancient armies, most notably the Mongolians, and was used to prevent scurvy. Theprocess of fermentation also increases the bioavailability of these foods.

Harnessing the Power of Microbes:

Pills versus Food:

We have already mentioned earlier that dairy products fermented with lactobacilli have been shown tokill pathogenic bacteria, such as H. pylori, while the lactobacilli alone did not. This means that someof the antibiotic properties of these good bacteria may be missing in the probiotic pills you see on the

shelves. Also, you have no way of verifying the potency or vitality of these products. Bacteria areliving organisms and must be alive when you eat them in order to reap their benefits. It does no goodto ingest dead, good bacteria. Furthermore, good quality probiotics are often very expensive. For


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instance, a months supply from a popular vendor may cost as much as $80 to $100 per month. With abudget of $100 per month, you can make all the sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt youll need. Not onlywill you be getting the benefits of these beneficial bacteria, you will be making delicious and healthymeals as well. The only benefit store probiotics offer is convenience. However, once you get started,fermenting your own foods is very easy.

Please Use Caution:

Before we get too far into fermenting your own foods, we want to emphasize two caveats offermentation. First, the process of fermentation is only good for you if it occurs outside of your body.What does this mean? It means that if you ingest foods that provide an abundance of sugar andgrowth media for bacteria, they will ferment those foods inside of you. An overgrowth of fermentative

bacteria in your body can cause all kinds of medical problems, including Crohns Disease, AnkylosingSpondylitis, candidiasis , and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. So the key is to pre-ferment your foods, thatis to say, ferment your milk before you eat it.

Secondly, please do not eat spoiled fermented foods. In some rare instances, fermented foods can be

overtaken by mold or become spoiled. In these cases, throw out the result and start anew.

Commercial versus Homemade:

In our opinion homemade products are better all around. For one, you do not have to trust amanufacturer with your health. You have total control over what you are eating. You can purchase the

best milk and/or vegetables to use. Commercial products are usually geared for taste and not health.In the case of yogurt, this means that commercial yogurt usually has a high lactose content and isusually loaded with sugar. Homemade yogurt can be made to eliminate virtually all of the lactose andwill be much fresher than anything you can buy in a store. If the taste isnt to your liking, you canadd in fresh fruit and/or honey to sweeten it up. Store bought Kefir has the same problems, you haveno control over the lactose content in the end product. Another thing to consider is, real Kefir isdifficult to find in the store. Quite often a manufacturer will label a product as Kefir when in fact it isnot the real thing. In order for Kefir to be real, it needs to made from Kefir grains and not a powderedstarter. As for fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut, most commercial products have been

pasteurized and do not contain live cultures. The pasteurization process not only kills the beneficialbacteria, but may also destroy many of the enzymes and nutrients. Commercial sauerkraut may alsocontain a fair amount of unnatural preservatives. We know that you will find fermenting your ownfoods at home more rewarding, healthier, cheaper than probiotics, and more enjoying than anythingyou could purchase in the store.

Getting Started

So you want to start fermenting your own foods, eh? Glad we could convince you. To get you startedweve listed a few easy at home products you can make.

1. Yogurt:

Making yogurt is very easy, especially if you own a yogurt maker. We recommend purchasing aYogourmet Multi they are cheap, easy to use, and can make 2 quarts per batch. You can get ayogurt maker and yogurt starter from a trusted friend at Lucys Kitchen Shop. Once you have astarter and a yogurt maker, all you need is some milk (we recommend using Half-n-Half) and some

patience. The directions that come with the maker provide a fermentation of 6 hours. However, werecommend you ferment your yogurt for 24 hours to eliminate all lactose in the yogurt. Any residuallactose could be used as food for bacteria already found in your GI-tract and result in fermentation in


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your intestines. CAUTION: Those of you following the SC Diet MUST ferment your yogurt for 24hours in order to stay on the diet. Please refer to page 131 of Breaking the Vicious Cycle for moreinstructions on making SCD legal yogurt.

2. Kefir:

Kefir is a fermented milk product made from Kefir grains. Unlike yogurt, Kefir is made fromlactobacillus bacteria and several different yeast organisms and is fermented at room temperature.The most difficult step in making Kefir is getting someone to sell/give you some Kefir grains. Itwould be impossible for us to give Kefir any justice when there is a website out there that willdescribe everything and anything you need to know about Kefir. The web site is called Doms KefirIn-site. Dom also sponsors an egroups list you can join to find someone to share Kefir grains with youand to answer any question you may have about Kefir. For those of you on the SC Diet, here aresome directions from the wise Dominic about eliminating the lactose in the Kefir:

I find a good way to eliminate lactose even further is to ferment the kefir per usual (24 hours), strain,then keep the strained kefir in a bottle (at room temperature) for a further 2 -3 days before consuming

(ongoing fermentation). I don't keep my strained kefir in the fridge any more, but keep it like this in acupboard. The kefir is still good even after 6-7 days. One must give the bottle which the kefir iscontinuously fermenting in, a shake at least once daily. This is so that the microbes (mainly theyeasts) are mixed in well. Other wise one may find a film or colonies of yeast or the acetic acidforming bacteria on top of the kefir. This is safe, but some lactose digesting yeasts may be flourishingmainly in this top layer, shaking will help to distribute them into the kefir, where you want them to dotheir work (breaking down lactose). This continuous fermentation can also be done in the fridge, but Ifind that a more pleasant tasting kefir, with markedly reduced lactose is achieved this way, (at roomtemp.). One can also keep fermenting the kefir, like above, in an air tight bottle. After the second dayor so, an effervescent kefir will be produced. But i must point out that the bottle must not be filledmore that 3/4 full. Of course, one could also ferment the original kefir for 48 hours, then follow onwith the suggestions above. This may further make sure that the lactose content would be eliminatedto a greater extent, and possibly in a smaller amount of time.

3. Sauerkraut:

Sauerkraut can be made in several different ways. The traditional recipe involves shredding andpounding fresh cabbage, adding salt, and submerging it under water for several days. The naturalbacteria in the cabbage, such as lactobacillus plantarum, will natural begin to ferment the cabbagewhile the salt inhibits other microbes. You can eliminate the use of salt altogether by innoculating theshredded cabbage and water solution with yogurt starter or Kefir grains. A superior recipe can be

found on Aquamans Website. A traditional recipe follows:

Ingredients:

1 Fresh Medium Cabbage (red or green)

2 Tablespoons Pickling Salt (Please no iodine, it will kill the bacteria)

Distilled Water (or filtered and non-chlorinated)

Shred the cabbage. In a large bowl, mix shredded cabbage and salt together. Pound the cabbagemixture to expel the juices. Place pounded cabbage and juices in a medium sized glass jar (1 QuartSized). Press down firmly on the cabbage. Add distilled water until cabbage is fully submerged.

Solution should be at least one inch from the top of the jar. Cover the jar and let sit for 3 to 7 days atroom temperature. Store in the refrigerator. Alternatively, one can use Kefir grains to ferment thecabbage, just eliminate the use of salt.


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4. Pickled Ginger:

Ingredients:

4 lbs fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon pickling salt (no iodine) package of yogurt starter

1 cup Distilled Water (or filtered and non-chlorinated)

Peel and cut ginger into very thin slices. Pound ginger slices to expel juices.Place juices and pounded ginger into a glass jar. Mix with salt and water.Add yogurt starter and seal. Let sit at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.Store in the refrigerator.

fermentation is fun - how to get started with fermented foods at home

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