People jump on the bandwagon of eating fermented foods after they hear about how probiotic rich the foods can be. We are told today by many in the health field how probiotics can improve our health and keep colds, the flu, and even sickness at bay. Wow, that is exciting right! But has it become a video game methodology; kill the most bad guys and you win. Sometimes we don’t see the forest because of the trees.
What am I trying to say?
The Human body is basically like a machine! Yes, I understand we are not a machine. I am just using the basic principal of a machine. Put fuel in and it runs. In our case the fuel is food. So if we are a food burning machine it makes sense to use the highest quality food, Right! Am I saying fermented foods rich in probiotics don’t matter, no not at all. Probiotic rich foods are great for the body, but the food making up the fermented item is more important. Probiotics don’t fuel the body! If they did we could just eat pills all day and skip the food. We need nutrition!
Our ancestors, I am talking about people say 500 to 2,000 years ago, did not eat fermented foods or any other foods because they were rich in health gaining probiotics. Heck, they did not have a deep understanding of human biology. What they did know, was that if they ate certain foods they had the energy to accomplish the day’s tasks and stay healthy. Which was often was a matter of survival. Actually our ancestors had a better understanding of food than many today, they knew quality mattered, not quantity.
Since fermented foods were commonly eaten and important to these ancestors, these food types must have been a great source of power packed energy. Why else would they have eaten them daily? Now are you starting to ask, “What is up with fermented foods beyond the probiotics?” Sauerkraut has been traced back to the Chinese when they were building the great wall of China, over 2,000 years ago.
Fermented Foods Are Baby Food!
Fermented foods are rich in the raw materials we need to function daily. First and foremost is that fermented foods are actually pre-digested to a certain level. I know, when you think of pre-digested foods you think of baby food and we are not saying fermented foods are baby food; or are we? In a way they are! Baby food is puréed food so the baby without teeth and a fully developed digestive track can get the most nutrition possible during the most rapid development period of their life. So how is fermented food like baby food? Well the cell walls of fermented foods are softened during the fermentation process and cabbage that is almost inedible when raw, is transformed into a delightful sauerkraut after fermenting.
The Original Veggie Fermenter (starter kit).
Just add the food and a jar
Here is something we share in all our classes on fermented foods. Each day we have a certain amount of energy for use by our body, to think, work, play, and heal, this amount of energy differs from person to person. One of the most important uses of this energy supply is digestion, and while this only accounts for about 10-15% of the body’s daily energy expenditure it is the most important 10-15% of operations happening everyday. Keep in mind this estimate is for a digestive system that is working at peak efficiency. My experience in consulting with people is that I feel their digestive system is only working about half as good as it should. Why do you think we have such an issue with constipation in this country? Keep in mind years of eating improperly weakens the body since it does not have the nutrition needed to function, repair, and grow.
We understand that the digestive function breaks down, processes, and absorbs all the nutrients, vitamins, enzymes and minerals your body needs to survive daily. Ok, so we have that basic understood. Is your body using excessive energy trying to pick through the poor quality food it is given for that needed nutrient or is it picking from high quality food stuffs abundantly supplying all the needed nutrients? And what if your digestive system is operating at a less efficient level? Energy requirements for basic digestion climbs from 10-15% to what level we don’t know, for an operation that supplies the nutrients needed for LIFE!
The voice of Grandma rings loud, “You are what you eat child, so stop complaining and eat that good food.”
So what was that I mentioned earlier about fermented foods? That they are predigested so the body does not have to work hard to get the nutrients and that fermented foods are high in quality since you are picking choice items to ferment in the first place. Can you say, JACKPOT!!! And do you want a bonus round? These foods are high in digestive enzymes making them even easier to digest, sounds like pre-digested foods are what we need. There have been many cultures studied to find out what gave them vitality and longevity, they all have one aspect in common, fermented foods.
Make Fermented Food At Home – Easily
Add to this that fermented foods taste great. I have to tell you they are much better than eating the vegetables raw. The foods that are fermented through a process called lacto-fermenting taste different, they taste kinda cooked. But since no heat is used in the lacto-fermentation process the food is still raw. Wow! All the vitamins, enzymes, and nutrients are unharmed in the lacto-fermentation process and yes that goes for the great healthful probiotics. In fact these vitamins, enzymes and nutrients are made more bio-available for easier digestion, hence BABY FOOD!
If you have never made fermented foods your next addition, question may be, “How hard is it to make fermented foods?” My answer, “Not hard at all!” Fermented foods have been made for centuries in just a simple jar type vessel, so it is cheap. Today we do have some improvements in the equipment, but at the heart it is still a simple jar. And since this process has been around for centuries it is tried, tested and proven.
USDA research service microbiologist Fred Breidt says –
“Properly fermented vegetables are actually safer than raw vegetables, which might have been exposed to pathogens like E. coli on the farm…With fermented products there is no safety concern. I can flat-out say that. The reason is the lactic acid bacteria that carry out the fermentation are the world’s best killers of other bacterica,” – San Francisco Gate, June 2009.
Where would you start if you are interested in fermenting vegetables? Let me suggest you start reading “the methods“, so you can understand how the process works. We have many articles on Cooking God’s Way that cover lacto-fermenting along with the needed hardware to lacto-ferment. We have developed The Original Veggie Fermenter to make it so easy to make fermented foods. You don’t even have to be local to take one of our classes, we have created videos that take you through it all. Joining the ranks of the thousands that have learned how to ferment the easy-way.
Whichever method you choose is up to you. But do take the time to read about how easy fermenting your own food can be to help improve your health and if you have a question or comment leave it below or write us.
About Jeff
I don’t get the point in relation to the headline? What reason am I not supposed to eat fermented foods for?
The article shows that fermented foods have lots of different benefits and I am trying to show that if you are only eating them for the probiotic advantage you could be missing the point of the other great benefits.
Does absolutely everything I eat have to be fermented? thanks
Sandi, no everything you eat does not have to be fermented. But eating fermented foods (vegetables) with your meals can help everything digest much better.
Great article, thank you! I just started eating fermented foods yesterday and have gas and bloating and some loose stools. Do I slow down and work up or is my body saying back off? I eat very clean (1L fresh veggie juice with an apple a day plus only home made simple food, always with veggies included. Dairy free, meat free, sugar free) I do everything organic, gmo free etc…
Hi Julie! Thanks for writing. I’m not a doctor, but from what I’ve seen, and common sense 🙂 , it does sound like you should back off a little. Maybe try eating less of the fermented foods, since they are new to you, and gradually allow your body to adjust to them. Re-evaluate how things are going as you slowly increase the fermented foods. Just remember to always “listen” to your body.
I love the questions! It seems people are more afraid to eat sauerkraut then a bag of Cheetohs. Rest assured folks, I’m 54 and I have been fermenting my own veggies for 40 years. My grandmother gave me a cabbage, a crock and some salt when I was 14 years old and she basically told me to ‘have at it.’ Fermenting is one of the great stimulators of the imagination in my opinion. I eat the lively little buggers with EVERY meal.
I ‘put’ up a Mason jar of cabbage mixed with wild cherries to ferment two weeks ago. Being summer, my mixture began bubbling the following day. Last night, I had a couple of scoops with dinner and the flavor was fantastic. The hints of cherry in the kraut was subtle yet extraordinarily rich. Of course I woke up the following morning feeling fantastic. Great article Jeff.
Joseph, I had a nice bowl of sauerkraut today as a snack before lunch and the best part was drinking down the juice left in the bowl at the end. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great fermenting. Cherries sound like a great addition.
Should I be drinking one of the Green Powder drinks along with the fermented sauerkraut?
Karen, I can’t really say how much of live foods you should eat. Each person needs different amounts. The green powder drink you are talking about, if it is processed I would recommend making one fresh from greens. I can’t stress enough how much processed foods loose quality. Yes, this man mean more work, but keep in mind you get what you put in. Our founding settlers of this nation did amazing things each day and they ate no commercial foods. And they had to grow it or find it daily. We have some convince of a fridge and store down the street that stocks fresh veggies! Thanks for the great question. – Jeff
Some people hate to eat bananas after they start turning black. I discovered though, that bananas that are allowed to ferment make great smoothies and keep you from throwing food away in the process.
Lorri, Keep in mind that bananas fermenting is not lacto-fermentation. This does not mean that they are bad, there are many uses for ripe bananas in cooking and shakes.
Humans have evolved to crave the sour taste of fermented foods through the evolution of the sour taste sense on their tongue. With the exception of citrus, all sour taste derives from fermented foods. Modern food product companies have exploited this craving by adding sour-tasting chemicals in food products such as vinegar and citric acid.
Actually it is not evolution as it can be changed one way or the other in a matter of a few weeks. If someone eats lots of sweets they will adjust their taste to want sweet. If they then remove sugar from the diet for a period of time their tastes will adjust back to more of a neutral level. And if you eat more bitters then you will become more sensitive to sweets. I see this all the time when consulting people. You are right about food companies exploiting this trait in people.
I found a jar of artichoke hearts in the back of the fridge. They have that “tang” and lack of firmness that says to me they are at some stage of being fermented. At what point are they “too far gone and crossed-over from being perhaps a bit better for you and into the Mareah of dangerous-to-eat? There’s no evidence of mold. I wipe mold off cheese and have never had a problem. Please advise.
Jim, I would suggest you take a look at this article it may answer your questions. Lacto-fermentation: Ten Biggest Questions Answered
“the human body is basically a machine”, this is a very common thinking mistake and leads to all kinds of troubles. but your veins are not like a garden hose, your joints are nothing like mechanical hinges, and food is nothing like petrol.
Newton, thanks for helping to show my point.:) In saying the body is not like a machine you use machine parts to describe what the body is not. When I said the body is like a machine, it is, in that a machine needs fuel and we need fuel. So yes at a very basic level (notice the word basic) we are like a machine. Yes, I agree we are not machines and can’t have mechanical parts put in or replaced. We need to give our body great foods so that it can gain the energy it needs to function and heal. Thanks for your comment –Jeff
Thank you, Jeff, for this very well written, informative article. I am made curious now about the appropriate time to eat fermented foods? Should it be at a certain time of the day? On an empty stomach? After your meal?
Thanks much!
Myrna, Thanks for your comments. Great question! My answer would be eat them all the time and anytime. Yogurt and Kefir are fermented foods that are great for breakfast. Lunch can be a fresh salad with fermented foods on top, salsa, peppers, onions, carrots, etc. Or a sandwich with some fermented foods on it. A yogurt smoothie at lunch is great too. Dinner can have lots of fermented foods. Most all condiments can be lacto-fermented, as can pickles, hummus, BBQ sauce, peppers, onions, asparagus, green beans, and even garlic can be lacto-fermented. Another neat think about fermented foods is the hydrophobic affect they have on cooked foods, which is that they help attract and supply the digestive enzymes needed for digestion, resulting in better digestion of cooked foods. I hope you see now that there is never a wrong time to eat fermented foods!!!! 🙂 Do put fermented foods in your diet, in my book they are more important than raw foods.
Hi mate very good article and massive respect to anyone who tries to help people to eat and therefore live much better lives… but in a sense probiotics DO fuel the body, a certain type (I could check its on wikipedia if anyone wants to) helps to create energy by breaking down fibre which we would otherwise be unable to utilise.. much love
Martin, Thanks for the comment. I think you might be confusing the cart with the horse. I am open for discussion on the topic. Could you provide me with their food classification?
I am just going to start fermenting. Do I have a spoonful every day. How long should it be fermented for. Some say months. Others weeks. I don’t want to get it wrong.
Thank you for your site.
Val, I understand it can be confusing about how much to eat of fermented foods balanced with so many different opinions on how long the foods should ferment. Just as I mentioned in the article why are you eating the fermented foods? Food is nutrition (proteins, carbs, fats, minerals, vitamins, etc.) and in fermented foods additional great bacteria that helps our digestive track. To focus on anyone thing in food is unbalanced. Some people feel it is very important to ferment for maximum bacterial count. Let me ask you this, “How many people do you think are going to ferment a food if it takes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 weeks?” Most people would never spend the time to do this. What about fermenting a food for a much shorter time, (few days to 10 or so), still getting great amounts of bacteria, and awesome healthy foods. Now many more people will do that!! Pick something realistic for you to start with.
I’m not convinced that fermented foods are healthy. I believe fresh is best.
John, It sounds like you need to do some additional reading so you can understand more what fermented foods are. Wish you best in that. 🙂
Is is possible to consume too many fermented foods? I have been eating/drinking either miso soup or kombucha daily in addition to the probiotics I ingest through Greek yogurt. When I discuss my eating habits with people they often criticize me for this. Can fermented foods have an adverse effect?
Thanks!!!
Jessica, You are asking can a person eat to many fermented foods? Good question. At the heart of this question is, “What would be in fermented foods that could be harmful?” I look at it this way. Fermented foods are foods that have been fermented, which enriches the enzymes, nutrition and vitamins in the food. Fermented foods are so to speak super charged, highly nutritious, highly digestible foods. Is it unhealthy to eat too many healthy foods? I think the big picture here would be balance. Eating the same few foods again and again, even fermented foods could lead to vitamin, mineral, and nutrition deficiencies over time. We are creatures of habit and it is easy to fall into a menu that has a limited amount of foods eaten again and again. We try to vary our diet and add many different fermented foods and drinks in a rotation. Kombucha is good, but don’t forget yogurt and milk kefir. How about some fermented vegetables, how about some raw vegetables. Keep switching things up and your pallet will stay excited and interested in what you are eating and drinking.
Actually, probiotics DO fuel the body, in fact they are the primary source of fuel. Without probiotics we do not have proper mitochondria in the cells, and the mitochondria make ATP, the body’s energy. Lack of probiotics is almost a universal problem at this time, after too many years of too many antibiotics and too much sterilization of our soil, amongst other things. And we have a very sick society, overall. Although insufficient number and range of probiotics is not the only reason, it makes us highly vulnerable to other factors. And the body is not a machine. That is a very outmoded and incomplete view of an organism, which has led to many improper treatments. Did you know that most of human DNA is bacteria?
Joly,
Thank you for your comment and helping to prove my point. People think that probiotics are fuel and they are not. Probiotics do not fuel the body. Probiotics are beneficial live microorganisms that reside in your digestive track, are found on some food sources, they aid in assimilation and use of food. If they were food sources we could live off probiotic pills, which we can not. But we can live for a period of time with out eating probiotic rich foods, which as you point out is a current issue today. I understand what you were trying to say, that they are very important in their role in the body. Yes, they are very important, but people tend to focus too much on probiotics and in doing so miss the quality concerns of the food, which is what the article’s point is. The current model used to manage health in this country is one of micro-management, (trying to control every aspect of the body). When a macro-management view is taken, (viewing the body as a whole and supplying its basic needs in the best quality possible) the body will heal itself of most issues. Too often the healthy living group tries to imitate the detail focused medical model (micro-managment), by being overly concerned with vitamins, enzymes, probiotics, etc. Humans have been on the earth for many thousands of years in a thriving manner and they ate food as a nutrient source of fuel for the body without paying attention to vitamins, enzymes, probiotics, etc. Sometimes we miss the forest for the trees.
Great post. Fermented foods are a wonderful compliment to any meal. The good news is, it’s easy and affordable. When we’re worrying about our foods not having enough nutrients, we can rest assured that when we ferment, we’re making more nutrients available to our bodies that wouldn’t otherwise be available if we didn’t ferment them first.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks Lea, and a neat side effect is the food tastes great, but we can’t help that! 🙂