What does fermented food mean?
Every year, since the last 10 years; I get asked the health trends of the coming year by some leading National dailies. This year (2018-19), since I had written The Detox Diet focusing on gut health; I said that fermented foods was going to be the new health trend in India. I’d like to clear up the confusion here on fermented foods, for those who haven’t read my book or the literature out there on what they actually are.
These are foods that have been cultured, in a way that wild bacteria start working through them, to create a pool of new nutrients as they eat away at the sugars and a process called ‘lacto fermentation occurs making them beneficial for us to consume. Thereby replenishing our good gut bacteria.
Fermented foods Myths –
Q. Are idlis and dosa in this category
A. Yes, as long as no baking soda or artificial synthetic salts (Eno) have been added to fluff them up.
Q. Is it okay if fermented foods are sour, can people who have rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune ailments have them?
A. Yes.
Q. Is it good for everyone?
A. No, if you are histamine intolerant then definitely NOT (usually the case in some severe IBS cases); unless fermented longer like a month.
Q. Do I have to consume kombucha or kefir made commercially?
A. Not necessarily, as you can make your own at home (if you’d like to do it)
Q. How much is good to eat or drink?
A. 1-2 tabsp of an edible food that is fermented with each meal; 1 servings i.e., 1 glass of a beverage daily is good enough
Q. Kinds of fermented foods
A. Sauerkraut, kimchi, quick-pickles (no refined oil or table salt but cold pressed oil and rock/sea salt), kefir, kombucha, kanji, beet kvass, idli, dosas, miso paste and many more; but at present in India these are the ones being made.
I will be out with my own product line soon!!!
