Fremented Foods.

[Guest guest]

I am not posting this to push Mercola's book. I am posting this to get your

interest in fermented foods.

 

Kefir, Temphi, Tofu, Sourkraut, Kim Chi. And many more. They are good for you

because they have many beneficial orgamisms in them. As long as they are

produced in a tradional manner which is not usually the case with most large

commercial brands

 

Tofu is fermented soybean which is the way that the majority of soya has been

eaten in Asia. After fermentation it no longer has the poisonus element. Kefir

is rich with beneficial bacterias and yeasts, but only if made tradionally. The

store bought variety is not real Kefir and has but a few good organisms.

 

Search Google for fermented foods and start making your own.

 

Frank

 

http://mercola.com/2004/jan/3/fermented_foods.htm

 

 

The Incredible Health Benefits to You of Traditionally Fermented Foods

 

 

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

The following article on the very important topic of the benefit of

traditionally fermented foods to your diet is by Nancy Lee Bentley. Nancy is the

co-author of my new book, " Dr. Mercola's TOTAL HEALTH Cookbook & Program " who

created the more than 150 brand new delicious and nutritious grain-free,

low-carb recipes that you'll find there.

 

 

By Nancy Lee Bentley

Self-serve olive bars are becoming so popular in many Washington supermarkets

that storeowners are now offering expanded “antipasto” bars, heaped high with

pickles, pickled peppers, mushrooms, artichokes and other tangy pickled and

marinated foods, according to The Seattle Times.

 

 

 

This growing trend in both health/natural and regular commercial supermarkets

across the country is theoretically good news for health-conscious consumers

looking to increase their digestive, cardiovascular and immune health, since

these traditionally lacto-fermented foods are some of the oldest and healthiest

on the planet. Yet, the key phrase you absolutely must watch for if you want to

achieve the amazing health benefits is traditionally lacto-fermented, as not all

of these tasty condiments are created equal.

 

The Wonderful Health Benefits of Traditionally Lacto-Fermented Foods

 

 

Olives, pickles, grass-fed cheese, wine, yogurt, sauerkraut and the seasoned,

aged sausages the French call “charcuterie” are some of this category’s most

popular delicacies.

 

 

 

Though the term “fermented” sounds vaguely distasteful, the results of this

ancient preparation and preservation technique -- produced through the breakdown

of carbohydrates and proteins by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and

molds -- are actually delicious. Even more so, they are so beneficial to overall

health that some of these “functional foods” are now considered to be

“probiotics,” increasing your overall nutrition, promoting the growth of

friendly intestinal bacteria, and aiding digestion and supporting immune

function, including an increase in B vitamins (even Vitamin B12), omega-3 fatty

acids, digestive enzymes, lactase and lactic acid, and other immune chemicals

that fight off harmful bacteria and even cancer cells.

 

 

 

 

 

Beware the BIG Difference Between Healthy Fermented Foods Versus Commercially

Processed

 

 

 

Fermentation is an inconsistent process --almost more of an art than a science

-- so commercial food processors developed techniques to help standardize more

consistent yields. Technically, anything that is “brined” in a salt stock is

fermented, but that’s where the similarity ends, as each type of fermented food

has specific, unique requirements and production methods.

 

Refrigeration, high-heat pasteurization and vinegar’s acidic pH all slow or halt

the fermentation and enzymatic processes. “If you leave a jar of pickles that is

still fermenting at room temperature on the kitchen counter, they will continue

to ferment and produce CO2, possibly blowing off the lid or exploding the jar,”

explains Richard Henschel of Pickle Packers International, which is why, of

course, all “shelf-stable” pickles are pasteurized.

 

 

 

It’s probably not surprising that our culture has traded many of the benefits of

these healthy foods for the convenience of mass-produced pickles and other

cultured foods. Some olives, such as most canned California-style black olives,

for instance, are not generally fermented, but are simply treated with lye to

remove the bitterness, packed in salt and canned. Olive producers can now hold

olives in salt-free brines by using an acidic solution of lactic acid, acetic

acid, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, a long way off from the old time

natural lactic-acid fermenting method of salt alone.

 

 

 

Some pickles are simply packed in salt, vinegar and pasteurized. Many yogurts

are so laden with sugar that they are little more than puddings. Unfortunately,

these modern techniques effectively kill off all the lactic acid producing

bacteria and short-circuit their important and traditional contribution to

intestinal and overall health.

 

 

 

 

 

How to Make Sure You are Getting the Incredible Health Benefits of

Lacto-Fermented Foods

 

 

As fermented foods expert Sally Fallon asks in Nourishing Traditions, with the

proliferation of all these new mysterious viruses, intestinal parasites and

chronic health problems, despite ubiquitous sanitation, “Could it be that by

abandoning the ancient practice of lacto-fermentation, and insisting on a diet

in which everything has been pasteurized, we have compromised the health of our

intestinal flora and made ourselves vulnerable to legions of pathogenic

microorganisims?” Like the $2.97 gallon jars of dill pickles Vlasic sells at a

loss at Walmart, are we undermining our health and even economic well-being by

our insistence on “more, faster and cheaper?”

 

You can still find some healthy traditional varieties. The stronger-flavored,

traditional Greek olives you are most likely to find on olive bars are not

lye-treated and are still alive with active cultures. So are “overnights,” the

locally-crocked fresh pickling cukes made in local delis every few days, as well

as the pickles, sauekraut and other fermented foods you make yourself at home.

Generally, the more tangy and stronger the flavor (not counting any added

jalapeño or other hot pepper flavorings), the more likely that the food will

still have active and beneficial lactobacteria.

 

 

 

So how can you be sure if you are getting the benefits of these active,

fermentation cultures? For one thing, you can make your own. Olives, sauerkraut,

miso, crème fraîche -- these are some of the recipes and ingredients I created

to be right in line with Dr. Mercola’s dietary program that you will find in his

new book, “Dr. Mercola’s TOTAL HEALTH Cookbook and Program.”

 

 

 

In addition to being good for individual metabolic types, reducing carbohydrates

and cholesterol, strengthening digestion and immune systems, and even

proactively helping us fight off and prevent disease, these foods are a lot

simpler, easier to prepare and enjoy than you might think.

 

 

 

So in “Dr. Mercola’s TOTAL HEALTH Cookbook & Program,” we’ve demystified the

process for you, providing an entire chapter, in fact, devoted to simple,

health-enhancing “Raw, Sprouted and Fermented Foods.” This means double

dividends for you: foods that taste good and are actually incredibly good for

you, as well.

 

 

 

Check out “Dr. Mercola’s TOTAL HEALTH Cookbook & Program,” including the Table

of Contents and List of Recipes, as it is a sure way to make your New Year a

happy and healthy one. Dr. Mercola guarantees the book or your money back for

the rest of your life for a reason -- it WILL improve your health while pleasing

your taste buds. Now, please pass that relish tray!

 

 

 

 

 

Find out what made the Top Searches of 2003

 

 

[Guest guest]

, Frank

<califpacific> wrote:

 

> Tofu is fermented soybean

 

Tofu is made by chemically coagulating soymilk and pressing the

resulting curds into cakes. Tofu is not fermented, and it contains

soy's full complement of anti-nutrients.

[Guest guest]

Hello Johnny,

 

The article was not about soy, but yes I could have used a better

example than Tofu as a lot of it is not fermented. But for your

information, some of it is fermented. I should have said natto or

miso. When you take it out of context like that it appears

differently.

 

I am not a big fan of soy and if anyone will search the messages they

will find a lot of articles about the dangers involved. Although some

women love soy for the phytoestrogens.

 

If you wanted to alert people to the dangers involved, I wish that

you would have given some real information instead of your terse

outburst. Because what you have written is misleading, when the facts

are bad enough without exagerating other elements.

 

If you say that tofu has the same full complement of antinutrients

then you should have posted the information. As for chemicals, yes it

can be made with chemicals and the statement is also true if you

condider all things as having a chemical structure. Tradionally made

tofu was made using seawater to coagulate the curds and some still is.

 

I do use soy in very small amounts and try and get in a fermented

version. I eat very sparingly of Miso, soy sauce, fermented and

unfermented tofu, black bean sauce, and I stay away from soy milk,

soy youghrt, and most other soy products. Soy makes up a very, very

small part of my diet but I like asian foods.

 

I believe that everyone should learn about things like this and

really understand them rather than just make sweeping statements with

no real information. But as will all things here it is up to the

individual to self educate and to discern the usefull from

misinformation for himself personally. For me personally, I choose to

use very small amounts of soy but try and use it sparingly and almost

all in a fermented form.

 

Here are some links:

 

http://www.campaignfortruth.com/Eclub/180602/theshadowofsoy.htm

 

http://www.westonaprice.org/myths_truths/myths_truths_soy.html

 

http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/ploy.html

 

http://www.ellenskitchen.com/clearlight/soyfoods.html

 

http://www.rense.com/health/soydanger.htm

 

Most of these are in the archives as well as quite a few more.

 

Frank

 

 

 

 

 

 

, " John Stanley "

<johnny_tesla> wrote:

> , Frank

> <califpacific> wrote:

>

> > Tofu is fermented soybean

>

> Tofu is made by chemically coagulating soymilk and pressing the

> resulting curds into cakes. Tofu is not fermented, and it contains

> soy's full complement of anti-nutrients.