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Originally published October 15 2008

Grow Your Own Probiotics: Part 3 - Benefits of Cultured Vegetables
by Patty Donovan (see all articles by this author)


(NaturalNews) Lacto-fermented foods have been around for centuries.
They are commonly found in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and North and
Central European cuisine. Some examples are sauerkraut, kimchi and
miso but there are literally hundreds of foods worldwide. Different
cultures ferment everything from breads to fruit and vegetables to
fish and meat. Lacto-fermentation is used to preserve foods, enhance
the flavor and even create "new" foods. Instead of being preserved
with vinegar like most pickles and sauerkraut you buy in your local
grocery store, these foods are "pickled" through the action of live
bacteria and yeasts converting natural sugars into lactic acid. These
foods should be consumed raw and unpasteurized with the exception of
breads. The live organisms are naturally acid resistant and repopulate
your gut with beneficial organisms as you ingest these foods.

Besides providing probiotics, other benefits include:
•Approximately 70% of the body's immune system is in the gut. A
healthy gut leads to a healthy immune system and body.
•Fermentation destroys such plant inhibitors as goitrogens and
phytates.
•They are able to keep bad bacteria and yeasts in check. For example,
if your gut contains plenty of the beneficial organisms that should be
found there and you consume food contaminated with Salmonella, you are
much less likely to become ill than someone with poor gut health. If
you get sick at all, it will likely be a short, mild illness.
•The lactic acid-producing lactobacilli in these foods alter the
acidity of the intestine, which in turn, helps prevent the overgrowth
of the unfriendly bacteria, molds, and yeasts such as Candida
Albicans.
•These foods provide enzymes, organic acids, B vitamins, Vitamin C and
Vitamin K.
•Lacto-fermented foods are lower on the glycemic index than similar
foods unfermented EVEN when these foods are cooked. For example, lacto-
fermented bread is around 68 on the glycemic index while regular bread
is 100. Therefore, regular ingestion can help control blood sugar.
This is partly because some of the sugar has been converted into
lactic acid.
•These foods provide an energy boost because the nutrients are "pre-
digested" and more easily assimilated.

Making your own cultured vegetables is really simple. Cabbage already
has a plentiful supply of lactobacillus and can be fermented with
nothing but salt, water and time. Many other vegetables that have not
been "sterilized" through chlorine baths or irradiation also contain a
plentiful supply of beneficial bacteria. You can speed up the process
by adding whey from yogurt or preferably kefir to you veggies. Add 2
tablespoons whey to 4 cups vegetables. If you are using whey you can
decrease the amount of salt used. There are different recipes all over
the web. What I've found to be the most fun is experimenting. Your
nose will tell you if something is "off". I've been doing this for
over a year now and my only real disaster was pickles.

Patty's Sauerkraut
Ingredients:
1 small cabbage, grated
1 cup water with 2 teaspoonsful salt and 3 tablespoons of whey added
(this is your brine). It is very important to use water containing NO
chlorine such as spring, distilled or Reverse Osmosis
½ cup shredded carrots
½ cup shredded daikon radish
1 tablespoonful coriander seeds
1 large or 2 small Granny Smith apples
1 cup of chopped greens like kale or chard
a pinch of red pepper flakes
Several of the large outer cabbage leaves
This usually gives me about 6 cups of packed vegetables.
Instructions:
1.Grate the cabbage and place in large bowl. Pound until you have
quite a bit of liquid. I actually put my cabbage back in the food
processor with the plastic blade and "bruise" it this way.
2.Add all ingredients except cabbage leaves and brine and mix well.
3.Pack tightly into your chosen container leaving about 1 ½ inches of
space. This container needs to be glass with an airtight lid or a
special fermenting crock. Mason jars with plastic lids work fine.
4.Add your brine slowly, letting it work its way down to the bottom of
the veggies. If the liquid does not cover the vegetables, add more
water until they are covered. Cover the vegetables with the cabbage
leaves and make sure everything is submerged. Put lid on.
5.Place in dark cabinet and leave undisturbed 3 or 4 days at room
temp. If your house is very warm, 2 or 3 days is adequate, if very
cool, then 4 or 5 days may be necessary. Place your jars in a tray as
they may leak as the sauerkraut ferments.
6.Remove from cabinet and place in refrigerator. The sauerkraut can be
eaten immediately at this point but I've found it develops a richer
tangier flavor "aging" in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 more weeks.
Sources:
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig

http://www.articlesbase.com/health-arti...


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About the author
Patty Donovan was in a wheelchair and could only walk around her house
with a cane. She was on over 20 medications. When told to "take the
morphine, get in the wheelchair and learn to live with it" by a
neurosurgeon, she knew her life had to change. She is now almost a
fanatic when it comes to healing through the use of "whole foods" and
and natural remedies. Since that time, she has spent countless hours
researching nutrtion and alternative health. After spending 30 years
in the allopathic health care industry in both pharmacy and as an RN,
she brings a unique perspective to Natural News readers. Since
committing to this new life style, she no longer uses even a cane, has
gotten off over 20 medications, lost over 50lbs and returned to work.






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