Secret 23: Eat Fermented Foods

What do sour cream,

Peaches and sour cream

miso,

Organic miso found in the refrigerated section of the downtown Denver store Sakura

and sauerkraut

Sauerkraut or 'pickled cabbage'
Popular in Germany today, popular in China 6000 years ago
purchased at Karl's Delicatessen in Centennial, CO

have in common? What about capers, Thai fish sauce,  sourdough bread, wine, traditionally brewed soy sauce, yogurt, traditionally brewed vinegar, kefir, beer and aged cheese?

You are right.  These are all fermented foods and they are good for you.

Before refrigerators became ubiquitous in Western countries. we used to add 'friendly' bacteria, mold or yeast to our food. Not only did this prolong the shelf life of food, it also improved the taste and increased its nutritional value. For example, fermented soy sauce contains anti-carcinogens daidzein, genistein and isoflavone aglycones - all natural plant products (note: choose soy sauce low in salt, as a link might exist between a very salty diet and stomach cancer). The Greeks from Symi enjoy capers, pickled buds of the caper bush that grows around the Mediterranean, for their medicinal properties. The buds, when preserved in salt and vinegar, release mustard oil. This contains powerful antioxidant flavenoids such as rutin and quercetin. Perhaps you like tartar sauce? Capers are an important ingredient in tartar sauce.  You can also enjoy capers in salads, pasta, pizza and meat dishes.  

So why are fermented foods good for you? You read about the benefits of bacteria in yogurt in the last secret. Likewise the organisms in fermented foods assist in the digestion of fats, protein and carbohydrates, help make available Vitamins C and B12 and calcium and other minerals, provide anti-carcinogen isothiocyanate, protect the lining of our intestines and enhance our immunity. They also help reduce digestive problems such as diarrhea, bloating and constipation.

When choosing fermented foods, use the same process you use for choosing any other kind of good-quality food.  Inform yourself of the methods used to ferment the foods.  Avoid those that are mass-produced and high in salt.  Check all the ingredients.  Can you pronounce them?  Are there less than five ingredients or is the fermented food replete with additives, chemicals and colorings?  Buy traditionally fermented foods. You will more likely find these better-quality foods at your local delicatessen, in a Greek store (especially traditional marinated Greek olives), and health-food stores (in the refrigerated areas).    

Caveat:  should you suffer from Candida, i.e. an overgrowth of yeast, go easy on fermented food as your body may already be overly sensitive to mold or yeast.