Anyone Knows about Fermented Foods?

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Hi Guys,

I read in this article (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...interview.aspx) that fermented foods are really healthy. Anyone tried this fermented foods? I'm really curious because all i know about fermentation are beers.

Sounds like a bunch of boohockey to me.

When it comes to medicine, anything Mercola, try to avoid it like the plague.

Originally Posted by vengeful

Hi Guys,

I read in this article (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...interview.aspx) that fermented foods are really healthy. Anyone tried this fermented foods? I'm really curious because all i know about fermentation are beers.

Joseph Mercola is a notorious con artist. This is the same guy who claims sunscreen increases your risk of skin cancer.

Also, the science doesn't make sense. All fermentation does is convert sugar to alcohol + CO2.

Originally Posted by sanityonleave

Joseph Mercola is a notorious con artist. This is the same guy who claims sunscreen increases your risk of skin cancer.

Also, the science doesn't make sense. All fermentation does is convert sugar to alcohol + CO2.

Well, on the first point, he was actually on to something on two fronts. First, research has demonstrated that oxybenzones, parabens, etc... produce significant amounts of free radicals when exposed to UV radiation, so those free radicals could, theoretically, damage/pervert skin cells through direct interaction. Second, sunscreen significantly lowers the bodies ability to produce Vitamin D. If a person's Vit. D level dips below the optimal range current research shows there is a relationship between non-optimal circulating levels of D3 and an increased risk of certain cancers.

On the second point, bacteria, yeast, fungi, etc.. in the process of fermentation and subsequent growth, produce a large number of compounds other than just alcohol/acid and CO₂. However, I argue that there is no proven benefit to these compounds and that some of them may actually be harmful.

Umm...at the risk of sounding like some nouveau hippy, I make my own kefir. I've made tiramisu out of kefir made with heavy cream, kimchee out of the kefir whey, and some dips. I've also washed my hair in the kefir whey, like a protein treatment. I make smoothies out of the kefir. I have to say, I don't drink it every day, but when I do I feel nicely energized. Like drinking a green protein shake. I'm not so fanatical about the health benefits that I obsess over it, though.

I've always thought that part of the benefits of fermented foods was the probiotics that come along with them. That's pretty straightforward and devoid of...boohockey, was it??

I don't think I eat anything fermented. Doesn't sound very tasty.

Do you eat pepperoni pizza? Pepperoni is fermented.

Originally Posted by WhtsThFrequency

Do you eat pepperoni pizza? Pepperoni is fermented.

Nope. I'm a weirdo, never liked pepperoni.

Please define "really healthy".

Like raw meat, or unpasteurized milk?

Bunch of nutty ideas out there!