The joy of fermenting

This is the new addition to my kitchen equipment. For some reason, I always wanted to increase my intake of fermented foods but always found it difficult.
First, it is vital to use a fully sanitised area and utensils to prevent the wrong kind of bacteria to grow, and possibly get ill.
Second, starter kit are always expensive.
Yet, looking at the price of the final product it makes no sense to buy such overpriced foods. Plus, you cannot have some regularly, especially if you are on a budget.

For example, you can find a recipe for kimchi in this blog. It cost barely nothing to make using Organic ingredients. Yet, you will find a tiny container in a Organic/health store for quite a bit of money.
Looking at kefir drinks: a small bottle, made of a cow's milk or coconut base, will probably cost an average bottle of wine in a supermarket. 
when it comes to Kombucha, well, be prepared to pull your chequebook at the till, especially if you are looking at consuming a fair bit regularly. 

Having successfully managed to make Kimchi, and Raw Goat's Milk Kefir (the best alternative to any other form of kefir, especially because manufacturers usually use pasteurised/homogenised cow's milk, and then pasteurise the liquid, preventing or minimising the total of developing bacteria, if not killing them all), I have now decided to attempt making Kombucha.
Will post pictures and details about the process very shortly, including recipes that will be showcased in my coming newsletter (sent end of July -beginning of August). 


Why so much interest in fermented food?

You have all heard about probiotics, "good gut bacteria", bloating, intestinal discomfort, IBS, IBD, etc.
Keeping a healthy digestive tract and cultivating the right kind of bacteria (microbiota) require constant work. Many things can actually alter the very fragile world of bacteria living inside us. I have listened to a seminar this week and the speaker said that we have between 3-10 times more bacteria living in us than our own body cells. These Bacteria have a huge job to do, and it includes digesting our food, producing several vitamins (Vit. K, B vitamins), and also modulating energy and Cholesterol levels.

The bacteria  present inside of your body are as individualised as you are. They are your own, and will differ to most other people. What you eat and drink, your level of stress, and use of prescribed or recreational drugs, all influence the development of the bacteria present in your digestive tract.
Because, it is very fragile, it can take very little (e.g. excessive carbohydrates or sugar consumption) to promote the overgrowth of the wrong kind of bacteria (Kliebsella, or Candida, respectively). Overgrowth of one type of bacteria means that other bacteria will fight to remain in their spot or will be pushed aside, unable to develop and do the job they are meant to. This happens to good or bad gut bacteria. If the right kind of bacteria has taken hold of the place, bad bacteria will be kept at bay. If the wrong kind of bacteria develop, then they will multiply until the whole eco system is damaged, and taken over. They will release toxins that can lead to inflammation and to an immune response, and to a possible damage to the gut walk by damaging the tight junction between cells (due to inflammation) and spread into the blood stream, leading to generalised low-grade inflammation to very distinct symptoms (e.g. skin issues, asthma, thyroid dysfunction, etc.). First symptoms usually include bloating and intestinal discomfort. 


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