Many people think that fermented food is fermented by mold. When they think of mold, they are likely to associate it with unsanitary and unclean.
Most people's feeling about fermented food is probably that it is delicious, but they dare not eat more. Is fermented food harmful to people?
Fermented food is a kind of food with unique flavor, which is skillfully processed by beneficial microorganisms. It is mainly divided into cereals, beans and dairy fermented foods. Common fermented foods include yogurt, cheese, fermented grains, pickles, soy sauce, vinegar, fermented soybean, milk rot, yellow wine, beer, wine, and even stinky tofu and stinky wax gourd. Steamed bread and sweet noodle sauce are both fermented foods.
After food is moldy, mycotoxins may be produced, which is harmful to human health, especially aflatoxin, which is highly carcinogenic. So many people think that all food fermented by mold is inedible. In fact, there are tens of thousands of kinds of molds. Except for a few strains, most molds do not produce toxins. Fermented molds such as fermented bean curd, yellow wine and soy sauce are nontoxic molds, and aflatoxin is rarely produced in these foods.
Microorganisms in fermented food are used in the process of making food by fermentation. The most commonly used are yeast, Aspergillus, lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, Brevibacterium flavum, Corynebacterium and so on.
There are more than 1000 kinds of bacteria in human intestine, most of which can't be cultured in laboratory. There are dozens of probiotics on the market, and the rich flora in fermented food can greatly increase the richness of your intestinal flora.
Fermented food protein is rich in fermented food. Protein experiment proved that yeast is rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Every 1 kg of dry yeast contains protein, which is equivalent to 5 kg of rice, 2 kg of soybeans or 2.5 kg of pork. Eating fermented food can enhance immunity and prevent memory loss. Soybean that protects cardiovascular fermentation is rich in antithrombotic components, which can effectively dissolve thrombus in blood, prevent arteriosclerosis and lower blood pressure. In addition, the main components of vinegar are various amino acids and minerals, which can also lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Nutmeg and yogurt can effectively control the rise of blood pressure and cholesterol in blood, prevent arteriosclerosis, reduce the occurrence of myocardial infarction and protect the blood pressure circulation of the body. Promote intestinal peristalsis, ferment food with lactic acid bacteria, any of which can adjust the balance of flora in intestinal cavity, enhance the patency of stool and prevent the occurrence of colorectal cancer, and lactic acid bacteria can also enhance the body's resistance.
The fermented foods we often eat mainly include grain fermented products, bean fermented products and milk fermented products.
1, cereal fermented products include sweet noodle sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, wine, etc. These foods are rich in threonine and other ingredients, which can prevent memory loss. In addition, the main components of vinegar are various amino acids and minerals, which can lower blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. In addition, there are steamed bread, bread, steamed stuffed bun, bread and so on. Fermented steamed bread and bread are more nutritious than non-fermented foods such as cakes and noodles because yeast is used. Experiments show that yeast not only changes the dough structure, but also makes it softer and more delicious, which greatly increases the nutritional value of steamed bread and bread.
2. Bean products include soybean paste, soy sauce, fermented soybean, fermented bean curd, etc. Douchi is rich in antithrombotic components, which can prevent atherosclerosis and lower blood pressure. After fermentation, beans can participate in the synthesis of vitamin K and prevent osteoporosis.
3. Milk fermented products such as yogurt and cheese contain lactic acid bacteria, which can inhibit the growth of intestinal spoilage bacteria, stimulate the human immune system, mobilize the positive factors of the human body, and effectively prevent cancer.
Eating fermented food often has the following benefits:
1, detoxification
Conducive to the absorption of nutrients. Fermented yeast is also a strong antioxidant, which can protect the liver and has a certain detoxification effect. Selenium, chromium and other minerals in yeast have the functions of anti-aging, anti-tumor, preventing arteriosclerosis and improving human immunity. After fermentation, phytic acid which affects the absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron and other elements in flour can be decomposed, thus improving the absorption and utilization of these nutrients by human body.
2, it is beneficial to digestion and absorption
Fermentation is actually equivalent to letting bacteria help you pre-digest these foods, so that the nutrients in the food can be digested and absorbed by the human body more easily. At the same time, bacteria can produce a lot of enzymes during fermentation, which can make you digest and absorb food better. People with weak digestive function are suitable for eating. Therefore, people with weak digestive function, such as the physically weak, children and the elderly, are more suitable for eating this kind of food. Similarly, it is best to eat bread and other fermented pasta for breakfast, because the energy in it will be released soon, which will make people full of energy all morning.
3. Provide a large number of probiotics.
Fermented foods such as kimchi, black tea fungus and kefir are rich in many kinds of bacteria beneficial to human body. These bacteria can keep the balance of intestinal flora, improve your digestive and immune functions, thus preventing colorectal cancer, alleviating food allergies and reducing autoimmune and inflammatory reactions. Bacteria in fermented food can regulate people's appetite, thus reducing your desire for sugar and refined carbohydrates, which is conducive to weight loss.
4. Fermentation makes food more nutritious.
In the process of fermentation, bacteria can produce many vitamins beneficial to human body, such as vitamin B and vitamin K. An article published in the International Journal of Food Science &; Technical research shows that traditional fermented yogurt (not on the market) can provide more vitamins than ordinary pure milk and raw milk. Another report published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology shows that fermented fruits, vegetables, beans and grains can provide more amino acids and vitamins.
5. Fermented food can degrade harmful substances
People who are lactose intolerant can eat yogurt, because bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria will decompose lactose. In our common food, there are many substances that are not good for human body, such as phytic acid in whole grains, lectin in beans and gluten in wheat. Under normal circumstances, these substances will destroy our digestive tract, thus causing health effects. During fermentation, these substances can be decomposed.
Pay attention to the time when eating fermented food:
The best time to ferment food is to eat fermented food for breakfast. After a night's sleep, the human body has not been "activated" when it gets up in the morning. If you eat fried food or oily food, it is not easy to be digested and absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract. If breakfast food is not digested, it will affect the appetite and nutrient absorption throughout the day, causing stomach discomfort and inattention.
Modern people should remind themselves to eat one or two kinds of fermented foods every day, especially patients in convalescence or people with weak gastrointestinal function, who may choose more fermented foods, so as to keep healthy and promote longevity.