Fermented Foods
Fermented foods is one types of naturally processed foods. There are particular foods that only gets fermented.
Fermented Foods are also healthy and testy.
This techniques is specifically used from ancient time to preserve foods.
What is Fermented Foods?
Fermented foods means, such a product or drink that is the results of microbial activities or process in foods.
What are the Benefits of Fermented Foods?
Many people eat fermented foods in daily dishes, such foods are very healthy for our body.
In fermentation process microorganisms I.e. yeast, bacteria converts the carbs like sugar & starch into the alcohol / acids.
Below are some health benefits of fermented foods.
1. Nutrient Growth
Fermented foods enhances the nutritional value of foods. It is also beneficial for minimizing sugar as well as carbohydrates, It makes food easier for digestion.
2. Weight Loss
Fermented foods indirectly support for weight loss. It facilitate the functioning of hunger related hormones and in turn helps to hunger control and weight loss.
3. Happy Hormones
Fermented foods are good source for happy Hormones. This will increase good bacteria that gets converted into hormones.
Hence happy hormone will improve your mood with metal peace.
Fermented foods also reduces inflammation.
Properties of improve our mental health and make life healthy.
4. Increase in Immunity Power
This is better food as increases our immunity power that keeps many infections and small diseases away.
5. Fermented foods is beneficial for increasing antibiotics in our body.
6. Lactic Acid
Most of the fermented foods contains lactic acid. This bacteria facilitates smooth digestion. Probiotic amounts may be vary depending on different products but eventually it is beneficial for our health.
7. Healthy Heart
Fermented foods can support health of heart. It regulates the cholesterol level as well as blood pressure level. Hence such food is good to add in daily consumption.
8. Obesity Management
It is said that, people with obesity have different gut biome as compared to lean people.
Healthy biome is good for heavy weight issues, fermented foods like yogurt improves our gut biome.
Yogurt reduces the blood sugar, so people with diabetes can eat such fermented foods daily.
Which are the fermented foods?
1. Sauerkraut
This is prepared by processing on fresh cabbage, it is vegetables and easily available In local market.
Raw cabbage is cut in small pieces and got fermented by lactic acid bacteria, there are different methods to make Sauerkraut.
Sauerkraut gives us amazing health benefits, it has below nutrients.
Vitamin like B6, C & K Minerals
Dietary fibre
Folate
Calories
Sodium
Copper
Protein
Manganese
Iron
Potassium
2. Kimchi
Kimchi is just like sauerkraut but made with additional spicy.
This is said to be Korean delicacy.
Korean people eat Kimchi as a side dish along with their main meal.
Below ingredients are used for Kimchi preparation.
Garlic
Ginger
Chinese leaves
Napa cabbage
Radish
Carrot
Salt
Mustard
Onion
Fish sauce
Chili powder
Scallions
Balloon flower roots
Glutinous paste of rice flour
Cucumber
Eggplant
Pumpkin
3. Kombucha
This is one type of drink. It is prepared from tea & sugar with the help of colony yeast & bacteria (scoby).
Kombucha has various nutritional components like amino acids, vitamins etc. This is not an alcoholic drink.
This is fermented and sweetened drink. It is very delicious and various fruit flavours and spices can be added to get different taste.
How Kombucha is prepared?
It is green or black tea that is the main ingredient.
Culture of bacteria, yeast (scoby) is added in Tea, then just leave it to ferment for around 1-3 weeks in normal room temperature. Then next step is to storage in bottle for around 1-2 weeks. Here carbonization will happen. Keep it in refrigerator to slower the process of fermentation & carbonation.
4. Kefir
Kefir is a drink which is made by fermentation on milk. It contains kefir grains & have live bacteria as well as yeast.
To make this drink, just take milk and add the yeast culture & bacteria. Such bacteria will keep growing or multiplying by feeding themselves on sugar that contains in milk.
Taste of kefir is like somewhat carbonated type, because microbes eat milk sugar and digestive it. In this process gas is generated by microbes.
Kefir has good nutrional components.
Calcium
Proteins
Calcium
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12
Phosphorus
Magnesium
Riboflavin B2
At around 104 calories.
5. Yogurt
Yogurt is very known and popular product in all around the world.
It’s making process is very easy, time requirement is only 1-2 days.
Yogurt is prepared by fermentation process on milk. We have to add only spoonful of yogurt in milk. It has two live culture named as Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus.
Nutrients of Yogurt
Protein
Carbs
Water
Sugar
Fat
Fiber
Sodium
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
Acetic acid that helps for the functions of probiotics & prebiotics in our gut.
a. Blood Sugar
Culture of apple cider vinegar is best for the balancing of as blood sugar.
Apple cider vinegar has the capability of fight against diabetes by maintaining blood sugar level under control.
b. Kills Bacteria
Apple cider vinegar is useful in killing of harmful bacteria and it works on both inside as well as outside part Of our body.
c. Weight Loss
Drinking of apple cider vinegar can help us in weight loss. It will give us feelings of belly full or no hunger, and it means low intake of food.
d. Sourdough Bread
To make the Sourdough bread, fermentation process is done on dough with yeast & wild lactobacillaceae.
Sourdough bread takes more time for its fermentation process.
Benefits of Sourdough Bread
It is good for our gut health.
Beneficial to reduce the heart disease.
It supports in regulation of blood sugar.
It is easy to digest.
What are the nutritional components of Sourdough Bread.
Calories
Protein
Fat
Fiber
Carbs
Calcium
Manganese
Potassium
Riboflavin
Selenium
Sodium
Thiamine
Niacin
Copper
Folate
Iron
7. Miso
To make the Miso, fermented rice or starter culture is added in cooked soybeans and salt water.
Miso takes around 3 months time to complete fermentation process.
Benefits of Miso
Increases Vitamin Level
Beneficial for girls in their early period of pregnancy.
Miso is good for our bone health.
It is beneficial for our nerve system.
What are the nutritional components in Miso.
Sodium
Potassium
Magnesium
Fat
Carbohydrate
Calories
Vitamin
Protein
Zinc
Iron
Carbs
Copper
8. Tempeh
Soybeans are used to make the Tempeh. Fermentation process is done on the soybean.
First soybeans are soaked properly to make them
Soften and then gets cooked partially. where it will become consolidate and enter into a cake form.
Nutrients of Tempeh
Calories
Protein
Vitamins
Fats
Carbohydrates
Water
Minerals
Benefits of Tempeh
Tempeh helps to improve heart health.
Regulate and lower the blood pressure & reduce the inflammation.
Makes bone healthier.
Tempeh is good for increasing resistance power of insulin.
Support for good cholesterol level.
9. Tofu
Tofu is similar type of Tempeh. It is also prepared by fermentation process on soybean.
It is the dried soybeans, that need to be soaked properly in water, then crushing and boiling steps are followed.
Tofu is somewhat more spongy as compared to Tempeh.
What are the Benefits of Tofu
Tofu can boost tissue repairing.
The compound names as Phyto-oestrogen, helps in menopause I.e hormone balancing .
It is great source for protein.
Tofu reduces bad cholesterol, that in terns give relief in cardiovascular diseases.
Tofu has good antioxidant properties.
Bone mineral density can be increased by consuming Tofu.