Truly cultured
Recently, a new trend in eating is gaining popularity — that of consuming cultured foods. Also known as fermented, lacto-fermented, soured and pickled, these foods have many benefits. We consume cultured foods on a regular basis: yogurt, cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, buttermilk, vinegar, beer, wine, sourdough bread, and sauerkraut are all cultured foods. Fish sauce, soy sauce, pickles and most condiments were historically cultured, but are more commercially prepared and are no longer the same. Some have existed for literally thousands of years.
Nearly every country has their cultured foods. Some culture them because culturing breaks down nutrients and some harmful properties such as phytates, especially in grains and some vegetables. Others culture foods because culturing enhances certain nutrients such as vitamin C, B vitamins, enzymes (cultured foods are alive with health-promoting enzymes) and other nutrients.
Some culture foods to help their gut. Fermenting foods results in foods high in probiotics. Today we take probiotics from a bottle. This was never necessary in the past because fermented foods were always a natural part of the diet. With the exception of yogurt (most are not great in this department), we rarely get truly live fermented foods in our diet. As a result of that and the probiotic-destroying properties of antibiotics, many medications and many foods, our digestive system is literally starving for beneficial bacteria: prebiotics and probiotics.
Another benefit/reason for culturing foods is to preserve them. Long before refrigerators and freezers, people used fermentation, drying and salting to preserve foods. But culturing foods preserves the nutritional value as well. Canning and heating ruin vital nutritional constituents necessary for our health. That is eliminated with culturing.
Most of the cultured foods on the market are ruined by pasteurization and high temperatures to can them (like canned sauerkraut). We also ruin them by adding sugar. Most yogurt today contains high amounts of sugar, which, while the probiotics in yogurt are beneficial, the sugar counteracts the good. If unsweetened yogurt isn’t to your liking, adding your own fruit, no-sugar added fruit preserves or honey is a better option.
Topping the list of cultured food trends is kombucha and kefir — both cultured drinks. Gaining in popularity, we even have a kombucha bar here in town where you can buy it on the tap. It is fizzy and full of probiotics. Making your own is fun with a bunch of variations (which we will be teaching how to make in tonight’s class).
Anyone desiring to improve their gut health, desiring a non-soda type of refreshing drink, wanting to increase their daily intake of probiotics — healthier than what can be found in a bottle or sugared yogurt should consider adding fresh, homemade cultured foods to their diet.
Tonight’s class will teach how to make yogurt, kim chee, sauerkraut, kvass (another cultured drink), cultured vegetables, kombucha, kefir, lacto-fermented pickles and discuss a variety of other cultured foods easy to create at home. Call (208) 765-1994 to RSVP for our upcoming health class, Lacto-Fermentation: What, Why and How, 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 11 at Vital Health in Coeur d’Alene. Fee: $10.
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Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with nearly four decades of experience. She is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d’Alene clinic. Visit www.vitalhealthcda.com to learn more about her, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.