Kimchi and kombucha have become trendy in mainstream health food culture around the world, but fermentation is nothing new. Traditional food dating back centuries from every continent includes these tangy, long-lasting delicacies.
Fermenting fresh food was a smart way to preserve it in the days before fridges. This process brings with it a range of health-boosting benefits including better digestion and a stronger immune system. It’s hard to say if our ancestors knew about these benefits or were just being thrifty, but there’s a reason the practice of fermentation has continued in many cultures! Click through the following gallery to learn more about the fermentation process and its many perks.
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What is it?
Fermentation occurs when bacteria or yeast get to work and change the starch or sugar found in fresh food into alcohol or acid.
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What is it?
Yeast fermentation is an essential part of many of our favorite products like bread and beer. Cheers!
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What is it?
Fermented foods are basically just old food. They are ‘spoiled’ to some degree, but there’s a key difference between fermented food and rotten food.
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Fermented vs rotten
When food goes rotten, it is essentially killed and broken down by bacteria. In comparison, fermented food gains beneficial bacteria and does not become dangerous.
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Movin’ on up
Raw food actually increases its nutritional value when fermented. It gains vitamins, minerals, friendly bacteria, and live enzymes.
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Bacteria
The human body is home to more than one trillion bacteria. They contribute to around 4 lbs (1.8 kg) of our total body weight!
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Bacteria
There are ‘good’ bacteria and ‘bad’ bacteria, which need to remain balanced. If there is too much bad bacteria in your gut, you can experience bloating, constipation, or diarrhoea.
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Bacteria
Eating fermented food provides ‘good’ bacteria for your body, also known as probiotics. They can help to restore the bacteria balance, which is why probiotics are amazing for digestive health.
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Kimchi
Kimchi is the national dish of South Korea and is a staple at most meals. It’s made by fermenting cabbage in a spicy red pepper sauce.
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Kimchi-mania
It’s so popular that every year thousands of Korean women volunteer to prepare kimchi for the poor! In 2012, they produced 140 tons (127,000 kg), which is equivalent to the weight of 45 elephants.
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Life expectancy
South Korea has one of the longest life expectancies in the world, at 82.6 years. It’s projected that by 2030 South Koreans may have a life expectancy of 90, or even longer!
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Life expectancy
This is partly attributed to their diet. The average South Korean diet includes a high amount of fermented foods and a low amount of sugar, when compared to the average American diet, for example.
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Human evolution
A recent study shows that we physically evolved to benefit from eating fermented foods!
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Human evolution
Around 10 million years ago, there was a period when humans and primates spent more time on the ground than in the trees. They ate more naturally fermented fruits that they found lying on the ground, and evolution favored those who tolerated it best.
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Inflammation
The same study suggests that the biological feature we developed to process fermented food also has some beneficial and anti-inflammatory effects in the body.
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Round of applause for China
It’s believed that the first ever alcoholic beverage may have been fermented in ancient China. Sealed clay pots from 7000-6600 BCE were found containing a fermented mixture of rice, grapes, and honey.
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Lactose intolerance
Fermentation breaks down the lactose in milk, so fermented cheese and yogurt can be more digestible for those who are lactose intolerant.
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Dosas
In Southern India, dosas are a popular snack similar to a pancake. They are made with a batter of fermented rice and lentils.
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Sourdough gold rush
It’s said that 19th-century gold miners during the California Gold Rush took great care of their sourdough bread mix.
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Sourdough gold rush
The miners would sleep cradling their bread mix on cold nights to ensure the live bacteria would survive.
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Yawn
Kefir helps you sleep! It contains tryptophan, the same amino acid that makes you tired after eating a big meat-heavy meal. It’s also a great healthy source of protein and calcium.
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Sauerkraut
It’s generally believed that sauerkraut is a German dish, but in fact it dates back to ancient China. Historians believe that Genghis Khan introduced fermented cabbage to Europe.
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Lassi
Lassi is a fermented milk drink of Indian origin. It’s commonly enjoyed as a pre-dinner drink and helps to smooth digestion.
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Miso
Miso is a savory paste made by fermenting soybeans. It’s a significant element in Japanese cuisine, but similar fermented soybean pastes can be found in several Asian countries.
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Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea that has become popular in health food circles. It dates back 2000 years in Chinese history.
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Kombucha
Kombucha is naturally fizzy! It can also be fermented a second time, which causes the sugars to release gas.
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Kombucha clothes
Dried kombucha is made of microbial cellulose. It has a leathery texture, which can actually be manipulated to create seamless clothes!
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See also
Fermented foods aren’t the only healthy products you should be including in your diet. Check out this list of superfoods and their healing benefits.
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