¿Qué son los alimentos fermentados?
Fermented foods are a type of food that are preserved with the help of microorganisms. The process involves using different ingredients to help change the chemical structure of the food whether it’s through the use of bacteria, sugar, alcohol, or yeast.
Los alimentos encurtidos o agrios también se consideran alimentos fermentados y se producen mediante el uso de un tipo de ácidocomo el vinagre o el jugo de limón. ¡Esta es una excelente manera de conservar los alimentos y hacerlos más nutritivos!
The real star is a bacteria called lactobacilli which converts starches and sugars in fermented food into lactic acid. This is what gives the food its distinct sour flavor. What’s more amazing is that fermented foods are available around the world.
Throughout history, different cultures have developed their own versions of fermented foods. For example in South Africa, they have a fermented milk that’s similar to yogurt which is called amasi. Philippines has the atchara, a side dish made from pickled papayaEn el sur de la India y en su vecino Sri Lanka, tienen una especie de panqueque hecho mezclando masa de arroz fermentada con leche de coco.
You don’t have to travel to the other side of the world to find fermented foods. There could already be a couple that’s in your fridge right now! Here’s a quick list of the more common fermented foods items that are available at your local grocery store:
- Yogur
- Vinagre de sidra de manzana
- Pepinillos
- Kimchi
- Queso
- Kéfir
- Kombucha
- Miso
- Tempeh
It’s important to note that not all fermented foods were made equal. Some are powerful in cultivating the bacteria in your gut since they have higher probiotic content in them. Most of the foods mentioned above are high probiotic foods that you can include in your diet.
Alimentos fermentados y probióticos
Fermented foods are not new. We’ve been having them for many centuries. It’s only the rising popularity of probiotics did we begin to bring back more fermented foods into our diets.
Se sabe que los alimentos fermentados son excelentes fuentes de probióticos, que pueden ayudar a aumentar las bacterias buenas en el intestino. The bacteria in your gut can help with your immune system’s response to bad and good bacteria.
Cuando consumes alimentos ricos en probióticos, mantienes un equilibrio saludable de bacterias buenas y malas en tu intestino. También ayudas a combatir las bacterias perjudiciales que causan ciertas enfermedades como la diarrea, el eczema, el síndrome del intestino irritable, las infecciones del tracto urinario, la enfermedad de Crohn, el cáncer de vejiga, la colitis ulcerosa y más.
gota y alimentos fermentados
There’s scientific evidence showing that fermented foods may help with gout. A estudio liderado por Chandan Prasad encontró que los probióticos tienen influencia en cómo el cuerpo absorbe la purina. Esto a su vez ayuda a reducir la inflamación. Esto hace que los probióticos presentes en los alimentos fermentados sean potencialmente útiles para controlar los niveles de ácido úrico en las personas con gota.
Los investigadores del estudio recomendaron encarecidamente el uso de probióticos encontrados en alimentos naturales en lugar de píldoras y cápsulas. Afortunadamente, los alimentos fermentados están disponibles en muchas formas, ya sea como postre (yogur), bebida (kombucha), acompañamiento (pepinillos) o como parte de una comida (sopa de miso).
There is only one problem though and that is product labeling. Because fermented foods are trendy, some companies market their products to the point of misleading the customer. A fruit yogurt claimed to have probiotic benefits may actually just be filled with artificial sugars. Then there’s probiotic supplements which don’t specify the genus or species of the bacteria, or don’t indicate the level of probiotic available in the product.
As a consumer, this can be frustrating. But you need not to be. For as long as there are conscious buyers like you, companies will listen and strive to produce quality products that meet their customer’s needs. A good place to start is the back of the product. Make it a practice to check labels and see if it matches with the claims made in the front. Research the company. Find out if they have a reputation for being transparent with their customers or if they have a history of dubious practices. The internet makes it easy to find out this information. Use it to your advantage,
There’s also some basic fermented food staples which might already be in your kitchen. Take raw apple cider vinegar for example. It’s a type of fermented food which you can use to make salad dressings. You can also consume it by itself. Vinagre de sidra de manzana is a known remedy for gout since it breaks up uric acid crystals and prevent build up in the joints. It also alkalizes in the body making it less acidic.
Los lácteos is another example. Milk on its own serves as a good base for good bacteria to multiply. It’s also worth noting that dairy has a uricosuric effect on gout, meaning it increases uric acid excretion in the body. Certain gout medications have the same mechanism helping to reduce uric acid concentration in the blood.
If you’d like more probiotic benefits, consider getting cultured dairy. This is dairy that’s been fermented with lactic acid bacteria. It’s been consumed for thousands of years and it doesn’t hurt to try it yourself. Fermented dairy tastes better and is easily digested by the body.
Recetas sencillas de alimentos fermentados
Hacer alimentos fermentados en casa es muy fácil. No se necesita equipo o ingredientes especiales. De hecho, ¡algunos de ellos podrían estar en tu despensa!
Chucrut
Ingredients: 1 medium sized green cabbage, 1 ½ tablespoons of salt
- Corta la col en tiras finas.
- Colócala en un recipiente y espolvoréala con sal.
- Masajea la sal sobre la col hasta que se vuelva acuosa y flexible.
- Place the cabbage into a canning jar making sure it’s packed to the bottom. You want to make sure it’s submerged in liquid. If there’s not enough, add a cup of water mixed with 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Store in a cool area, away from sunlight. Check in on your cabbage every few hours to make sure it’s still submerged in the liquid.
- Déjalo fermentar durante al menos 3 días o más.
- You may see bubbles form on top of your cabbage. Don’t fret, this is a good sign. If you see mold, simply scrape it off the top ensuring that the cabbage is still submerged in the liquid.
- ¡Disfruta de tu chucrut! Siempre y cuando tenga buen sabor y olor, ¡puedes seguir comiéndolo durante varios meses!
CONSEJO ADICIONAL: Puedes seguir el mismo proceso exacto con otros tipos de coles.
Yogur
Ingredientes: 8 tazas de leche y 1/2 taza de yogur comercial con cultivos activos
- Calienta la leche en una olla de hierro fundido y cocina a fuego medio, revolviendo suavemente.
- Transfer the milk to a jar, place a lid on top and let it cool. Stir occasionally, making sure it doesn’t form a layer of skin on top. You can also place the jar in cool water.
- Once it reaches 115°F, add the yogurt. It should be 2 tablespoons of yogurt for every quart of milk.
- Incubate your yogurt. This can be done several ways whether it’s on a thermos, a heat keeping jug, a microwave, slow cooker, oven, or simply by the window on a warm day. Leave it for 5 to 10 hours. The goal is to leave it sitting at a steady temperature 115°F for the good bacteria to flourish.
- Prueba tu yogur. Cuanto más tiempo y calor durante la incubación, más espeso y ácido será tu yogur. Almacénalo en el refrigerador y consúmelo en un plazo de 2 semanas.
Vinagre de durazno
Ingredientes: 4 a 6 duraznos maduros, 1/2 taza de azúcar, 2 litros de agua
- Corta los duraznos y colócalos en un frasco grande.
- Disuelve el azúcar en el agua y viértelo en el frasco.
- Toma una toalla de papel y asegúrala con una banda elástica.
- Déjalo reposar a temperatura ambiente durante una semana. Revuélvelo una vez al día para evitar la formación de moho. Si
- Retira los duraznos con un colador y guarda el líquido.
- Continúa fermentando el líquido durante 2 a 3 semanas más. En la primera semana, deberías ver la madre, una capa viscosa, formándose. Esta es una bacteria beneficiosa que es el resultado de un segundo proceso de fermentación.
- After fermentation and the liquid already smells like vinegar, it’s ready for storage. Simply put it in a tightly sealed jar. The older it gets, the better it will taste.
Notice any pattern here? Fermented foods are basically just vegetables placed in a brine and left to sit for long periods. It can be quite a long process but the end result is very satisfying. One thing to ensure when fermenting your foods is to submerge all solid ingredients in liquid. Bacteria doesn’t need oxygen and will thrive in the liquid brine you created.
En conclusión
We hope to have inspired you to consume more fermented foods and make some of your own at home. It’s great flavorful food that’s very easy to make and may be beneficial for your gout.
¿Cuál de las recetas anteriores probarás primero? Comparte tus pensamientos en los comentarios a continuación.