Re: Fremented Foods & Drink (Helps with Digestion Problems)

[Guest guest]

Sorry, ignore this post I am not very well organized I already

posted on Tuesday.

Beth

>

> Could it be that by abandoning the ancient practice of lacto-

> fermentation, and insisting on a diet in which everything has been

> pasteurized, processed and denatured, we have compromised the

health

> of our intestinal flora and made ourselves vulnerable to legions

of

> pathogenic microorganisims and RSS? Our daughter's reflux

> declined rapidly with consumption of lacto-fermented foods and a

> high fat diet. Our doctor recommended that fermented foods and

> drink be consumed just before and during meals.

>

> Most of the fermented foods and drinks taste great and are

> inexpensive. Once you get a system down a weeks supply can be

> prepared rapidly on the weekends in a half hour. I found the

> following article very informative.

>

> Beth

>

> LACTO-FERMENTED FOODS & DRINKS

>

> FERMENTING is FUN

>

> http://www.healingcrow.com/ferfun/ferfun.html

>

> Fermenting your own foods can be a healthy, fun, and nutritious

> hobby. We feel that anything you can make at home is much better

> than commercialized foods. We have put together a summary of

> fermented foods followed by a few recipes. Enjoy.

>

> THE POWER of MICROBES:

> We live in a world dominated by microbes. The Earth's

> microorganisms are able to adapt to almost any environment and

> thrive. Bacteria have been found in the icy regions of

Antarctica,

> near the surface of volcanic vents in the Atlantic, and even in

our

> digestive tracts. Our civilization is but a pale comparison to the

> invisible world of microbes that surrounds us. It is likely that

> these microbes will adapt and survive beyond human existence.

>

> It is not surprising that microbes have become experts of

> adaptation when you consider the evolutionary 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 shifting food supply. Imagine trying

to

> survive in a world filled with rampant diseases, famines,

> hurricanes, and floods, and you'll begin to appreciate the world

> of the microbe.

>

> Some microbes have colluded with the competition to form symbiotic

> relationships. For example, the bacterial strains Streptococcus

> thermophilus and Lactobacilllus bulgaricus, work together and

> transform milk into tasty yogurt. The thirty or so strains of

> bacteria and yeast found in Kefir, a traditional fermented drink

of

> the Caucasians, band together to form complex ecology capable of

> digesting 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 polysaccharide matrix.

>

> Our ancient ancestors did not live in a sterile environment. It is

> likely that they ingested various microbes found naturally in

their

> foods. Some of these microbes were beneficial to their life while

> others caused infections and disease. Somewhere along the way in

> their struggle for survival, our ancestors 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 prevent spoilage, fight

infections,

> and increase absorption of nutrients. This action further allied

our

> bodies with the microbial world.

>

> BENEFITS of FERMENTED FOODS:

>

> Nobel Prize winner Dr. Elie Metchnikoff was one of the first

> scientists to recognize the benefits of eating fermented foods.

His

> research in the early 1900's focused on the Bulgarians. He

> believed the daily ingestion of yogurt was a major contribution to

> their superior health and longevity. Today, if you search 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, more fun, and better

for

> you than just popping a pill of freeze dried bacteria.

>

> DETOXIFY and PRESERVE:

>

> If there's anything that the microbial world does well, it is

> detoxifying things. Today, Bacteriologists periodically visit old

> military facilities in search of new strains of bacteria living

off

> of contaminants in the soil. If you put it in the ground and give

> them enough time to mutate and evolve, these microbes 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 nasty substances, such as oil spills,

military

> dumps, and sewer plants, we also use them to detoxify our food and

> water and increase shelf lives. For centuries, Europeans used wine

> as a source of clean, durable water. 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 Kefir grains 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 one time a fermented

> product: pickles, saurkraut, and even catsup (a Chinese word for

> pickled fish brine). However, since fermentation isn't 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 our intestinal tracts will fight off

many

> foreign intruders. They can be seen as our first line of defense

in

> the 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 These antibiotic agents are

> found in fermented milk, but not always in a probiotic pill. A

2000

> study led by Dr. 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

> beneficial bacteria alone cannot. This means that probiotics in

pill

> form would have no effect on H. pylori but that homemade yogurt

and

> Kefir would.

>

> NUTRITIOUS to BOOT:

>

> Fermented products are a great source of amino acids, vitamins,

and

> minerals. The process of fermentation 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 as military rations in ancient armies,

most

> notably the Mongolians, and was used to prevent scurvy. The

process

> of fermentation also increases the bioavailability of these foods.

>

> PILLS VERSUS FOOD:

>

> We have already mentioned earlier that dairy products fermented

with

> lactobacilli have been shown to kill pathogenic bacteria, such as

H.

> pylori, while the lactobacilli alone did not. This means that some

> of 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

are

> living organisms and must be alive when you eat them in order to

> reap their benefits. It does no good to ingest dead, good

bacteria.

> Furthermore, good quality probiotics are often very expensive. For

> instance, a month's supply from a popular vendor may cost as much

> as $80 to $100 per month. With a budget of $100 per month, you can

> make all the sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt you'll need. Not only

> will

> you be getting the benefits of these beneficial bacteria, you will

> be making delicious and healthy meals 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 of fermentation. 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 and growth 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 Crohn's Disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis, candidiasis ,

> and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. So the key is to pre-ferment your

> foods, that is 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 a manufacturer 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 is

usually

> loaded with sugar. Homemade yogurt can be made to eliminate

> virtually all of the lactose and will be much fresher than

anything

> you can buy in a store. If the taste isn't to your liking, you

> can

> add in fresh fruit and/or honey to sweeten it up. Store bought

Kefir

> has the same problems, you have no control over the lactose

content

> in the end product. Another thing to consider is, real Kefir is

> difficult to find in the store. Quite often a manufacturer will

> label a product as Kefir when in fact it is not the real thing. In

> order for Kefir to be real, it needs to made from Kefir grains and

> not a powdered starter. 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 beneficial bacteria, but may also destroy many of the

> enzymes and nutrients. Commercial sauerkraut may also contain a

> fair amount of unnatural preservatives. We know that you will

find

> fermenting your own foods at home more rewarding, healthier,

cheaper

> than probiotics, and more enjoying than anything you could

purchase

> in the store.

>

> 1. YOGURT:

>

> Making yogurt is very easy, especially if you own a yogurt maker.

> We recommend purchasing a Yogourmet Multi – they are cheap, easy

> to

> use, and can make 2 quarts per batch. You can get a yogurt maker

> and yogurt starter from a trusted friend at Lucy's Kitchen Shop.

> Once you have a starter 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, we recommend you ferment your yogurt for 24 hours

to

> eliminate all lactose in the yogurt. Any residual lactose could

be

> used as food for bacteria already found in your GI-tract and

result

> in fermentation in your intestines. CAUTION: Those of you

following

> the SC Diet *or Candida Diet* MUST ferment your yogurt for 24

hours

> in order to stay on the diet. Please refer to page 131 of

> " Breaking

> the Vicious Cycle " for more instructions on making SCD legal

> yogurt.

>

> 2. KEFIR:

>

> Kefir is a fermented milk product made from Kefir grains. Unlike

> yogurt, Kefir is made from lactobacillus 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. It would be impossible for us to give

Kefir

> any justice when there is a website out there that will describe

> everything and anything you need to know about Kefir. The web site

> is called Dom's Kefir In-site at:

> http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html Dom also sponsors

> an egroups list you can join to find someone to share Kefir grains

> with you and to answer any question you may have about Kefir. Here

> some 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 a cupboard. The

kefir

> is still good even after 6-7 days. One must give the bottle which

> the kefir is continuously fermenting in, a shake at least once

> daily. This is so that the microbes (mainly the yeasts) are mixed

in

> well. Other wise one may find a film or colonies of yeast or the

> acetic acid forming bacteria on top of the kefir. This is safe,

but

> some lactose digesting yeasts may be flourishing mainly in this

top

> layer, shaking will help to distribute them into the kefir, where

> you want them to do their work (breaking down lactose). This

> continuous fermentation can also be done in the fridge, but I find

> that a more pleasant tasting kefir, with markedly reduced lactose

is

> achieved this way, (at room temp.). One can also keep fermenting

the

> kefir, like above, in an air tight bottle. After the second day or

> so, an effervescent kefir will be produced. But i must point out

> that the bottle must not be filled more that 3/4 full. Of course,

> one could also ferment the original kefir for 48 hours, then

follow

> on with the suggestions above. This may further make sure that the

> lactose content would be eliminated to 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 and pounding fresh cabbage, adding salt,

> and submerging it under water for several days. The natural

bacteria

> in the cabbage, such as lactobacillus plantarum, will natural

begin

> to ferment the cabbage while the salt inhibits other microbes.

You

> can eliminate the use of salt altogether by innoculating the

> shredded cabbage and water solution with yogurt starter or Kefir

> grains. A superior recipe can be found on Aquaman's 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 cabbage mixture to expel the juices. Place

> pounded cabbage and juices in a medium sized glass jar (1 Quart

> Sized). 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

> at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator. Alternatively, one

> can use Kefir grains to ferment the cabbage, just eliminate the

use

> of salt.

>

> 4. PICKLED GINGER:

>

> Ingredients:

> 4 lbs fresh ginger root

> 1 tablespoon pickling salt (no iodine)

> ½ 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.

>

> FOR MORE INFORMATION:

> Dom's Kefir In-site: How to Make Kefir (The best source for Kefir

> anywhere).

> Sauerkraut Fermentation - from the Bacteriology Dept of UW-

Wisconsin

> Weston A Price Org - Lacto-Fermentation Article

> Lucy's Kitchen Shop: A trusted source for yogurt makers and

> starters.