BENEFITS OF TRADITIONAL FERMENTED FOODS

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by Jyoti Prakash Tamang on May 5, 2010

All around the world, fermented foods and beverages are part of the human diet. In some places they make up a minor 5% of daily intake, while in others their role can be as substantial as 40%.

Using native knowledge of locally available raw materials from plant or animal sources, people across the globe produce this type of food and drink either naturally or by adding starter cultures that contain micro-organisms. Micro-organisms transform these raw materials both biochemically (i.e., the nutrients) and organoleptically (i.e., the taste/texture/odour) into edible products that are culturally acceptable to the maker and consumer.

Fermented foods can be fried, boiled or candied, or consumed in curries, stews, side dishes, pickles, confectionery, salads, soups and desserts. They can be in the form of pastes, seasonings, condiments, masticators, and even colourants. Fermented drinks can be either alcoholic (such as beer and wine) or non-alcoholic, like butter milk, certain teas, or things that contain vinegar.

However, though most fermented foods have health-promoting benefits, their global consumption is declining as traditional food systems give way to the influence of a western diet and fast foods.

A world of therapeutic food

Many of the fermented products consumed by different ethnic groups have therapeutic values. Some of the most widely known are fermented milks (i.e., yoghurt, curds). Containing high concentrations of pro-biotic bacteria, these can lower your cholesterol level........Read More... http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/benefits-of-traditional-fermented-foods/