health benefits of fermentation

[Jhanananda]

Being a diabetic subsisting on a low-carb diet is essential. Knowing that fermentation converts carbs to protein and alcohol means that beer and wine are low-carb beverages.

Thus, I have come to understand that moderate use of fermented foods, such as beer and wine, could be used as medicine. Most days I try to have one beer for health.  Doing so, I find my health improved.  However, sometimes I either forget to have my daily beer, or I cannot afford it.

When I got that beer was a health food, in moderation was when I began to look at all beverages, as well as beer, in a new light.  Most beverages rely heavily upon sugar as a flavoring agent.

Becoming diabetic meant I could not drink most beverages, other than water, which is fine.  However, since beer is fermented, then the sugars and starches will have been consumed by the yeasts and converted into alcohol and protein.  This means beer is just a low-carb beverage, in moderation.

Additionally, when I first discovered that there was something in beer, that was not in most liquids, or other alcoholic beverages, that reduced the inflammation of my arthritis, it was then that I realized that beer was not just a low-carb, and low-sugar beverage, but that it was an anti-inflammatory, which is medicine.

Now, as someone with an auto-immune disorder, one has to find an anti-inflammatory. When I looked into anti-inflammatories, I realized that they all have some serious side effects, most of which is ulcers, because they are hard on the stomach lining. However, beer, in moderation, is not.  This meant I could treat my auto-immune disorder with moderate use of beer.

So, now we have to determine what is moderate use of beer?  I do not know if this is true or not, but somewhere along the line I learned that a full-grown, average sized, male could drink one 12oz beer every hour without having his blood-alcohol level ever go above the legal limit, because the rate of metabolism and evaporation through the skin and breath, etc, would keep the blood-alcohol level below the legal limit.  It seems reasonable.

Alcohol and type 2 diabetes. A review

Abstract
Aims

To describe a) the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and b) the impact of alcohol on the glycemic control with and without anti-diabetic drugs.

Data synthesis

We searched MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library data base with the key words “Diabetes Mellitus, type 2” and “Alcohol Drinking” in English-language studies in adults. For the first part of the review we selected meta-analyses, review articles and observational studies more recent than year 1990 including at least 1000 participants. For the second part of the review we included all articles more recent than year 1990. Most observational studies find a J-shaped association between alcohol intake and incidence of T2D. Interestingly, drinking pattern plays a role, i.e. binge drinking increases the risk of T2D. Opposing information exists about the influence of beverage type. In T2D the acute effects on plasma glucose, insulin, fatty acids and triglyceride vary, in part depending on concomitant intake of food. Acute alcohol intake does not induce hypoglycemia in diet treated T2D, but increases the risk of hypoglycemia in sulphonylurea treated patients. In most studies, long-term alcohol use is associated with improved glycemic control in T2D.

Conclusions

Alcohol consumption reduces the incidence of T2D, however, binge drinking seems to increase the incidence. Acute intake of alcohol does not increase risk of hypoglycemia in diet treated subjects with T2D, only when sulphonylurea is co-administered. Long-term alcohol use seems to be associated with improved glycemic control in T2D probably due to improved insulin sensitivity.

Alcoholic Drink Amounts and Cirrhosis

The number of alcoholic drinks it takes to cause liver damage resulting in cirrhosis varies greatly from person to person, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). Over several years, consuming as few as two to three drinks each day may cause liver damage and cirrhosis in women, reports the NDDIC; for men, having three to four drinks per day can lead to cirrhosis. Examples of one drink include 1.5 oz. of 80-proof liquor, 12 oz. of beer or 5 oz. of wine. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, women who choose to drink should have a maximum of one alcoholic drink per day to avoid adverse health consequences such as cirrhosis. Men shouldn't exceed two drinks per day.

This means for health:
Women should drink <3oz of 80-proof liquor, or 2 12oz cans of beer, or 2 5oz glasses of wine per day.
Men should drink <4.5oz of 80-proof liquor, or 3 12oz cans of beer, or 3 5oz glasses of wine per day.

Guidelines for moderate alcohol use

If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.

Examples of one drink include:

    Beer: 12 fluid ounces (355 milliliters)
    Wine: 5 fluid ounces (148 milliliters)
    Distilled spirits (80 proof): 1.5 fluid ounces (44 milliliters)

Additionally, research has shown that chromium supplementation is essential for the proper functioning of the pancreas, which is the organ that controls blood sugar level.
CHROMIUM CONTENT OF SOME FOODS

FOOD      CHROMIUM CONTENT FOOD   (micrograms per 100 grams of food) Egg yolk 183 Brewer's yeast 112 Beef 57 Cheese 56 Liver 55 Wine 45 Bread, wholemeal, wheat 42 Black pepper 35 Rye bread 30 Chilli, fresh 30 Apple peel 27 Potatoes, old 27 Oysters 26 Potatoes, new 21 Margarine 18 Spaghetti 15 Cornflakes 14 Spirits 14 Butter 13 Spinach 10 Egg white 8 Oranges 5 Beer 3-30 Apples, peeled 1

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nutritional value of grapes
Amount Per
1 cup (92 g)
Calories 62
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.3 g   0%
Saturated fat 0.1 g   0%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.1 g   
Monounsaturated fat 0 g   
Cholesterol 0 mg   0%
Sodium 2 mg   0%
Potassium 176 mg   5%
Total Carbohydrate 16 g   5%
Dietary fiber 0.8 g   3%
Sugar 15 g   
Protein 0.6 g   1%

nutritional value of wine
Amount Per
1 serving 5 fl oz (148 g)
Calories 123
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0 g   0%
Saturated fat 0 g   0%
Polyunsaturated fat 0 g   
Monounsaturated fat 0 g   
Cholesterol 0 mg   0%
Sodium 7 mg   0%
Potassium 147 mg   4%
Total Carbohydrate 4 g   1%
Dietary fiber 0 g   0%
Sugar 1.2 g   
Protein 0.1 g   0%

So, today it occurred to me that bread making depends upon the fermentation of the dough with yeast.  Therefore the yeasting of bread much reduce its carb content.  Searching for the nutritional value of wheat verses bread proved me correct.

Nutritional value of Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, enriched, bleached
Amount Per
100 grams
Calories 398
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5 g   7%
Saturated fat 0.9 g   4%
Polyunsaturated fat 2.5 g   
Monounsaturated fat 1.7 g   
Sodium 7 mg   0%
Potassium 393 mg   11%
Total Carbohydrate 77 g   25%
Dietary fiber 9 g   36%
Sugar 1.8 g   
Protein 10 g   20%

nutritional value of Bread, Whole-wheat, Commercially Prepared
Serving Size 1 slice (28 g)
Per Serving % Daily Value*
Calories 69
Calories from Fat 8
Total Fat 0.9g 1%
Saturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 132mg 6%
Potassium 69.44mg 2%
Carbohydrates 11.6g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1.9g 8%
Sugars 1.6g
Protein 3.6g

Conclusion:
The yeasting of bread prior to baking it reduces the carbohydrates from 25% to 4%.  The fermentation of beer, which is generally another use for wheat, does the same thing.  The fermentation of grapes into wine reduces the carbohydrates from 5% to 1%.  Additionally beer and wine tend to be fermented in stainless steel vats, which increases their chromium content, which helps diabetics with their necessary chromium supplementation. Thus, fermentation reduces the carbohydrates, and increases chromium intake.  Therefore, fermentation can be seen as a path away from diabetes.

[Jhanananda]

A few days ago I had a conversation with an obese Hopi woman here who reminded me that the Hopi, and other sedentary SW USA tribes have been eating a high grain and bean based diet for over a 1000 years without developing obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease.  In fact the early photographs of these tribal members shows them slim and trim.  Then after the 40s they get obese. So, we need to be asking what is different about the Native American lifestyle in the last 100 years.

I believe what is different for the sedentary SW USA tribes is their method of preparing food.  Archaeology and ethnology of the SW USA shows that fermentation was a key component to the lifestyle of the sedentary SW USA tribes.  What was it that they were fermenting?  Corn for sure, and some fruits.  I suspect that pre-industrial societies all over the world prepared their food, especially: grains, beans and fruit, in a processes that involved fermentation.

As you may know fermentation reduces the carbs and turns them into complete proteins.  It also provides friendly flora.  So, I believe what is behind the epidemic rise of: obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and heart disease is: food processing, refrigeration, and a shift in their food preparation methods.

It just so happens that my health has radically improved in the last year.  There are a number of things that I am doing differently:

1] I found out this year that my blood sugar actually rises as I get hungry.  So, I eat a low carb meal immediately upon the first sign of hunger.
2] I eat only a very low carb diet.
3] Eggs are a critical part of my daily diet because they are a super-food for chromium.
4] I started drinking a 6 pack of lox carb beer and/or wine every day.

The result is my blood sugar has been normalized.  [urlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_neuropathy]Neuropathy[/url] has gone, joint pain is almost nonexistent for me, and my over-all health is radically improved.

[jay.validus]

Soaking and fermenting beans and grains is critical.  If I look only at my own experience, If I boil dry kidney beans, I get an upset stomach for the day along with lots of gas.  If I were to soak the beans for 36 hours, switching the water at regular intervals, then any gastrointestinal issues disappear. 

The same can be said with all legumes and various grains, like oats.  The best way to consume oatmeal is to soak the grains overnight, then boil for a couple minutes on the stove.  I have also made sourdough cultures for breads, and find it to be very simple.

The best information I had found on healthy eating was an organization called 'Weston A Price Foundation".  It is based off the research of a dentist in the 30s or 40s.  He noticed his young patients were getting more cavities and teeth deformations then earlier in his career.  He decided to travel the world with his wife, finding indigenous cultures to compare their dental health with their diets.  He ended up discovering that modern diets that are processed and refined are the reasons for poor dental health.  This included refined flour, sugar, vegetable oils, and many canned items.

He discovered common threads on the optimal diets in his journeys.  All cultures varied to eating lots of meat to more grain/legume based, but he found all cultures ate some form of animal product, usually very high in micronutrients.  For example, offal (liver and other organ meats) and eggs.  Grains and legumes were prepared with soaking and fermenting.  Fruits and vegetables were consumed in season, many times being jarred and fermented for later consumption. 

They have a good summary of their position in a booklet called, 'Healthy 4 Life'.  Although I am not a convert of their organization, their beliefs naturally aligned with mine, and they made lots of sense.  I live by an old saying, "Meat for strength, plants to cleanse, grains for energy".  I also like to follow soaking and fermenting protocols.

[bodhimind]

Another example of good fermented food is fermented soybeans. This is what they eat traditionally in japan, and they owe their long lives to this food (natto). I previously recommended this, or nattokinase as a compound within it as a good natural and preventive treatment against heart attacks/strokes. I heard it also prevents agglutination of blood as a result of high sugar intake, so I am recommending it to my father who has type 2 diabetes. I've taken it for the past month and it seems to have helped a lot for me. One thing to note is that it is a strong anti-clotting agent, so it shouldn't be taken with any kind of anti-clot. But the great thing about it is that there are no side-effects as it is a rather 'natural' supplement.

[Jhanananda]

Soaking and fermenting beans and grains is critical.  If I look only at my own experience, If I boil dry kidney beans, I get an upset stomach for the day along with lots of gas.  If I were to soak the beans for 36 hours, switching the water at regular intervals, then any gastrointestinal issues disappear. 

The same can be said with all legumes and various grains, like oats.  The best way to consume oatmeal is to soak the grains overnight, then boil for a couple minutes on the stove.  I have also made sourdough cultures for breads, and find it to be very simple.

This is what I have done for 40 years, and I found the same results; however, just sprouting grains and beans only starts the fermentation process, and breaks down the cellulose coating around the seed, and converts the starches in the seed to sugar.  More complete fermentation is needed to convert the sugars, to protein and alcohol.

Another example of good fermented food is fermented soybeans. This is what they eat traditionally in japan, and they owe their long lives to this food (natto). I previously recommended this, or nattokinase as a compound within it as a good natural and preventive treatment against heart attacks/strokes. I heard it also prevents agglutination of blood as a result of high sugar intake, so I am recommending it to my father who has type 2 diabetes. I've taken it for the past month and it seems to have helped a lot for me. One thing to note is that it is a strong anti-clotting agent, so it shouldn't be taken with any kind of anti-clot. But the great thing about it is that there are no side-effects as it is a rather 'natural' supplement.

Another name for fermented soybeans is 'temphe.'  Its Total Carbohydrate of 16g 5% Per 1 cup (166 g) is right at the limit of total carbohydrates that I will consume.  If they fermented longer there would be fewer carbohydrates.

[Jhanananda]

Here are some more thoughts on fermentation and the causes of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol, hardening of the arteries, and kidney disease.

Expanding my reflections beyond the rise of the above diseases among the sedentary SW USA tribes to include Europeans, who are related to many Americans, then I asked the question, "Why Europeans, who are related to many Americans, do not develop the above diseases?

The answer that came to me is, while the European diet contains the daily consumption of fermented foods and beverages, the US American diet does not.  It therefore seems reasonable that consuming fermented foods and beverages with every meal might just be the critical lifestyle behavior that reduces the frequency of the above diseases.

Also, most US American water supplies are chlorinated, drinking which will kill friendly intestinal flora; whereas, Europeans tend to drink hot beverages, which will drive off chlorine in the water, or they drink bottled waters, or fermented beverages.  So, avoiding drinking chlorinated water is probably another skillful behavior that one who seeks health to adopt.

[Jhanananda]

Do-it-yourself CRISPR genome editing kits bring genetic engineering to your kitchen bench sounds really interesting, and could lead to some really interesting health aides.  On the other hand with back-yard DIY gene editors it could lead to some really horrible mistakes.

[Jhanananda]

Fermented Foods Gaining Popularity as Health Benefits Become More Widely Recognized

Your Body Is a Conglomerate of Microorganisms

In more recent years, scientists have discovered just how important your microbiome is for health.

Indeed, some have suggested your body can best be viewed as a "super organism" composed of a diverse array of symbiotic microorganisms that need to be kept in proper balance for optimal physical and psychological functioning.

You have approximately 1,000 different species of bacteria living in your body, and these bacteria actually outnumber your body's cells by 10 to 1. You also harbor viruses (bacteriophages), and they in turn outnumber bacteria 10 to 1.

They've even realized your microbiome is one of the environmental factors that drive genetic expression, turning genes on and off depending on which microbes are present.

Research suggests many are deficient in beneficial gut bacteria, making it a very important consideration if you're not feeling well, physically or psychologically.