Why Ferment?

Last night, after long study session for my upcoming biology exam, I grabbed an evening snack  of paté (recipe coming soon) and carrots before heading to bed. Unfortunately, my brain was so fried from memorizing the role of the sodium-potassium pumps in neuron membranes that I forgot to put the paté container back in the fridge. Thankfully, there was only a few spoonfuls of paté left so I wasn’t too distraught when I dumped the sour-smelling leftovers down the sink in the morning.

In general, we try to avoid fermenting our foods by leaving them out at room temperature. But while soured paté is certainly not appetizing, purposefully fermenting fruits, vegetables and dairy produces delicious and probiotic-charged results. As a matter of fact, I try to eat a form of fermented food (usually my homemade yogurt or homemade sauerkraut) with every meal.

A few days ago, I discussed the #1 Missed Opportunity to Boost Your Immune System. I explained the role of gut flora in the immune system and how consuming sources of fermented foods bolsters your immunity. I encourage you to go read that post so you can learn how:

• bacteria from fermented foods reduces an autoimmune response in the body
• a certain fermented food was shown to drastically increase antibodies
• special probiotics play roles in reducing inflammation and strengthening immunity

How does fermentation work?

Purposeful fermentation (think yogurt, traditional sauerkraut and creme fraiche) involves fermenting a food with microbes, leaving it at room temperature for a specified period to allow the flora to reproduce, and then transferring the jar to the fridge for longer storage.

During the fermentation time, the microbes flourish and transform the ingredients. Crunchy cabbage wilts into tangy sauerkraut. Milk thickens into pleasantly sour kefir. Even black tea turns into a fizzy kombucha.