Fermentation is literally synonymous with fermentation. In other words, the process of decaying a food by bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms by creating heat and foam is called fermentation.
Fermentation is one of the ways to preserve food that has been used for thousands of years. In addition to taking on a different flavor and smell through fermentation, foods also become richer in vitamins, minerals and many substances beneficial to health.
What are Fermented Foods?
When fermented food is mentioned in our country, the first thing that comes to mind is yoghurt, cheese, kefir and tarhana obtained by fermentation of the milk group; pickles, turnips and fermented olives obtained by fermentation of vegetables; Vinegar, wine obtained by the fermentation of fruits, and sourdough bread obtained by the fermentation of grains and legumes. Although the diversity of these products increases by region in our country, in many other countries there are fermented foods produced with very different but basically the same logic. These include kumiss in Central Asia, kurut in Middle Eastern countries, boza in Mesopotamia, kimchi in Korea, sauerkraut in Germany and Western Europe, gundruk in the Himalaya, sunki, miso and natto in Japan, soy sauce in China and Indonesia. Tempeh can be given as an example.
Traditional meat products such as sausage and pastrami are also among the fermented foods. However, the high fat content of the meat from which sausages and pastrami are made, the high amount of salt used in the production process, the presence of carcinogenic substances released during the cooking process, and the additives used in sausage making make the benefits of these products ignored. For this reason, it is not included in healthy nutrition programs.
Similarly, pickles are among the fermented foods we use quite frequently. However, due to the high amount of salt it contains, pickles should be used occasionally to increase flavor at the table rather than being consumed as a fermented food.
Benefits of fermentation and fermented foods?
The purpose of fermentation is to extend the shelf life of perishable foods by preserving them. Foods that undergo fermentation become more easily digestible. At the same time, they protect and support intestinal health with the prebiotics and/or probiotics they contain. Look at the friend in the intestines By increasing the amount of sweat, they increase and protect the health of the digestive system and support the immune system. With these properties, they can affect our mood by supporting the communication of friendly bacteria with the nervous system.
Fermented foods support the digestive system. They are especially effective in cases such as constipation and diarrhea. They prevent constipation by shortening the transit time of stool from the intestine. They can prevent diarrhea by preventing the proliferation of bad bacteria in the intestine. They are very effective in healing diarrhea caused by antibiotics. I think you can imagine your mother trying to make you eat yoghurt when you had diarrhea as a child.
Lactic acid bacteria used during the fermentation of dairy products digest the lactose in milk, making it more usable for individuals with lactose intolerance. Digestion of lactose by bacteria will minimize possible digestive complaints that may occur when milk and dairy products are consumed. Similarly, some bacteria used in sourdough production digest gluten and convert it into glutamate-derived substances. Thus, they increase both the taste and digestion of bread.
To sum up, some vitamins and bioactive substances beneficial to health are produced in foods through fermentation. Fermented foods increase the diversity of microorganisms in the intestinal microbiota. Some also contain probiotic bacteria. These foods are effective in weight management. For those with lactose intolerance, it will be easier to consume fermented milk products. Studies have shown that fermented products reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
Speaking of fermented foods, it is impossible not to mention probiotics and prebiotics. We said that some fermented foods have probiotic and prebiotic properties. So what are these prebiotics and probiotics?
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that live with us in our bodies and contribute to our health. The nutrients of these bacteria are called prebiotics. In many recent studies, probiotics are effective in diabetes, autoimmune diseases, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, nervous system diseases, digestive system diseases and It has been found that it can protect against many diseases and even cure some diseases.
Probiotics have many functions in our intestines. Probiotics protect intestinal health by preventing the proliferation of bad bacteria in the intestinal environment. At the same time, they facilitate the digestion of nutrients (such as complex carbohydrates) that are necessary for our body. As a result of this digestion, they produce short-chain fatty acids, which are very essential for our body and protective against some diseases. They support the proper functioning of the immune system by communicating with immune cells. They communicate with our brain using the vagus nerve. In this way, they take part in many events such as the hunger-satiety mechanism and mood control.
Of course, these bacteria, which play so many roles in our body, should not be starved. For this reason, it is very important to include prebiotic foods in our daily diet. For this, it is necessary to eat plenty of fiber and include fermented foods in our diet.
Is Every Fermented Food Probiotic?
In order to have probiotic properties, the food must contain live microorganisms that are beneficial to health and these microorganisms must remain alive in the digestive tract until they reach the colon. For this reason, not every food is probiotic. In particular, heat-treated foods cannot show probiotic properties, but they show very important prebiotic food properties due to the decomposition of probiotics and the health-beneficial substances released during the fermentation process.
Fermented foods with probiotic properties: Yogurt, Kefir, Pickled Vegetables, Kimchi
Fermented foods with prebiotic properties: Sourdough bread, Tarhana, Wine and beer, Chocolate
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