Everywhere you look these days, you can’t seem to avoid fermented foods – they’re all the rage in the world of nutrition and diet, and with good reason.
They contain live microbes that have a variety of benefits, from producing vitamins to training our immune systems to deactivating toxins.
The microbes also improve the taste, texture, and digestibility of foods (including the reduction of lactose, the milk sugar, in dairy products, for example). And they can increase vitamin concentrations.
While fermented foods are now a regular part of my diet, I know that for some people, products like kefir, kimchi, or sauerkraut can be an acquired taste.
And to get the full range of benefits, you need to eat the stuff you need to store in the fridge, which can taste strong (the jars on the shelves tend to have been pasteurized, killing the stuff you want: microbes).
You might be surprised to hear that any food or drink that relies on microbes to produce it technically counts as ‘fermented’. This includes chocolate, cheese, coffee, olives, soy sauce, vinegar, and even alcohol.
Everywhere you look these days, it seems you can’t avoid fermented foods: they’re all the rage in the world of nutrition and diet, and with good reason, writes Dr. Megan Rossi (pictured)
But just because it’s fermented doesn’t automatically mean it’s good for you.
Have yogurt. Not only is yogurt a tasty snack on its own, but studies have linked it to a variety of health benefits, including weight management and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
A study from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, involving more than 110,000 people, found that yogurt eaters were more likely to be at a healthy weight. Another study, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2016, found that those who ate 80g of yogurt a day had a 14% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate nothing.
These benefits are due to the combined actions of the protein, calcium, and bacteria in yogurt.
The bacteria help break down lactose into lactic acid (more on that later) and transform several of the proteins and fats in milk into compounds with anti-inflammatory properties, for example.
Some of these compounds work like blood pressure medications known as ACE inhibitors.
Other compounds in yogurt are thought to have an effect on appetite. This could explain, for example, the findings of a 2014 study by the University of Missouri in the US, in which people ate about 100 fewer calories at dinner when their snack was yogurt instead of a chocolate bar with the same calories.
In addition, the lactic acid in yogurt, which naturally helps prevent harmful microbes from spoiling it, can increase nutrient absorption and possess antioxidant powers of its own.
And because the bacteria it contains help ‘digest’ some of the lactose, people with sensitive intestines or lactose intolerance may tolerate yogurt better than non-fermented dairy products such as milk.
However, not all yogurts are created equal. Two types of bacteria are needed to make yogurt, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. However, some manufacturers heat treat yogurt to extend its shelf life, which kills bacteria.
For maximum health benefits, look for yogurts that not only state that they are “live,” but also list the number (you’ll want at least 100 million) and the names of the bacteria. This way you can be sure you have enough bacteria to survive your acidic stomach.
Many products in supermarket refrigerators have all kinds of additives, including thickeners and sweeteners. As I explained before, sweeteners can affect our gut microbes, leading to an elevated blood sugar response to food, liver inflammation, and weight gain.
Making it yourself means you can ferment it longer, for a more tart flavor. It will also provide a greater hit of lactic acid and less lactose, unlike traditional yogurts.
While this research has largely been done in animals, it has been supported more recently in human studies, including one published this month in the journal Cell.
This showed that having saccharin or sucralose every day for two weeks affected the balance of people’s gut microbiomes and their blood sugar responses (in other words, how well your body processes sugar, which can lead to increased blood sugar levels). weight and type 2 diabetes).
It amazes me how some yogurt brands that say “gut health” and list bacteria on the label also contain such sweeteners.
It’s worth checking out your usual brand, or making your own! My recipe (top right) shows that it has nothing to do with it.
Fermenting food reminds me of a slow cooker: once you’ve prepared it, you just leave it while the mixture (specifically the microbes) does the hard work.
Yogurt is cheap to make and only takes two minutes to prepare. Then you leave it overnight, and voila! — in the morning it is ready.
Making it yourself means you can ferment it longer, for a more tart flavor. It will also provide a greater hit of lactic acid and less lactose, unlike conventional yogurts.
And you can add extras, like powdered milk to make it thicker and creamier; or strain it through a muslin Greek-style yogurt cloth, which will increase the protein and reduce the lactose content. (Use the strained liquid, the whey, for an extra kick of calcium and microbes. I add it to smoothies.)
If you add your own fruit flavors while making it, this allows the microbes to ferment some of the fruit’s sugar as well, improving the final flavor and supporting the growth of beneficial microbes that are often added to yogurt, such as Lactobacillus types.
I use yogurt in sauces, dressings, and baking, to replace cream in baked cheesecake; I also substitute half the butter or oil in other cake and cookie recipes for equal amounts of thick yogurt.
Can you make yogurt with non-dairy milk? The microbes used to make traditional yogurt eat lactose, which is found in animal milk. If you try to add these microbes to a lactose-free milk, they starve to death and leave a watery mess. But yes, it can be made by using plant-based yogurt starters along with thickeners like cornmeal. You can find recipes on the Internet.
But one thing is for sure, once you’ve started making your own yogurt, you won’t look back!
Note: If you are taking antibiotics, I suggest you have some live yogurt every day for a month after finishing the course. It helps nourish the intestinal lining, which often becomes more sensitive afterward.
did you know
If you eat your daily 30g of fiber, you’ll be gassy 10 to 20 times a day. Don’t be alarmed: this is a sign of well-fed and functioning gut microbes.
Try This: Living Yogurt with Blueberry Jam
This yogurt will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or even longer, depending on how fresh the milk is.
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (check label for ‘live cultures’)
Topping: 140g blueberries or other berries; 1 Medjool date, chopped; 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Place the milk and milk powder in a saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer until it reaches about 45c. Put the yogurt in an ovenproof container and slowly add the hot milk mixture so that the yogurt is evenly dispersed.
Heat the oven to 50c, then turn it off. Turn on the oven light. Leave the open jar in the oven for eight to 12 hours; the longer you leave it, the thicker and more acidic the yogurt will be.
For the jam topping, put the berries, chopped dates, and half a cup of water in a saucepan: bring to a simmer, then mash the fruit with the back of a spatula and simmer again for ten minutes.
Add the chia seeds and simmer for two minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir a tablespoon of jam into each serving of yogurt and place in the refrigerator to set.
ask megan
I have been taking acid reflux medication for a number of years and generally eat a good, if bland, diet to avoid any ‘flaws’. But it’s pretty limiting and I’d love some advice on how to make it more interesting.
Selina Moore
Enjoyment of food is an important part of my approach, and I agree, we need you to get back to enjoying a wide variety of foods.
The first step is to talk to your GP about the underlying cause of your reflux. Has H. pylori been ruled out (this common bacterial infection can cause reflux)? Are you at your ideal weight (excess weight can put pressure on the valve between the stomach and the esophagus)? Medications like aspirin and ibuprofen can irritate the intestinal lining and could also be a factor.
Once these questions have been considered, it may be worth reviewing your current reflux medication and whether the type and dosage are right for you.
In a previous column, I delved into dietary strategies to control reflux, including smaller, more frequent meals; this simple step is enough in many cases to provide enough relief so that you can once again enjoy a more diverse and delicious variety of foods.
It’s also worth experimenting with herbs and spices, such as smoked paprika and rosemary, which offer incredible flavor without causing reflux.
Contact Dr. Megan Rossi
Email [email protected] or write to Good Health, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT; include contact information. Dr. Megan Rossi cannot enter personal correspondence. Answers should be taken in a general context; always see her GP if she has any health problems
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