Let’s make one thing clear: science hasn’t found any conclusive benefits to drinking kombucha. But this isn’t to say that there are no benefits. A quality kombucha has beneficial bacteria and should be quite healthy, in theory. Unfortunately, the studies to prove it just don’t exist.

But I still like it, for reasons I will explain. First, let’s go over some of the basics.

Kombucha 101

Kombucha is a drink that is made by fermenting tea. It makes sense that it would be so popular, given all the recent buzz about fermented foods and gut health. Usually black tea is used, although you can also use a blend of different teas. The tea is brewed hot, sugar is added, and a SCOBY is placed on top.

A SCOBY stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.” Basically, it is a jellyfish-looking mixture of bacteria and yeast that forms a cellulose layer to keep the culture protected. People often mistake a SCOBY for a mushroom or fungus. Really, it’s simply a sugar-eating machine.

This fungus-looking glob is the secret to making high-quality and delicious kombucha.

When the SCOBY is placed on top of the tea and sugar mixture, it is covered with a cloth and left to ferment. The bacteria eat up the sugar and forms an acid, much like a hard cider. Different brewing methods produce varying levels of carbonation. Flavors are often added, such as ginger, turmeric, fruit, and green algae.

You can make kombucha yourself or buy it in stores. One of the reasons that kombucha is popular is that these commercial brands are available. Once refrigerated, the “bucha” stops fermenting and can last quite a long time before consumption.

A Cure-All or Simply a Delicious Drink?

I’ve heard claims that kombucha is good for just about every ailment. However, since the scientific verdict is still out, I will tell you what I have noticed.

• Energy Levels: Kombucha gives me a good amount of energy. Perhaps this could be a caffeine effect, although when I drink equivalent amounts of caffeine in other beverages, I don’t feel as much energy.
• Water Weight: Another benefit I have noticed is that drinking kombucha makes me urinate more often. Strikingly more often, actually. It may be the acidity or something else, but it could help if you need to lose some water weight. Again, this isn’t anything scientific, just observations.
• Connection: Convenience has its benefits, but we’ve also lost touch with the food-making process. Brewing my own kombucha gives me an opportunity to feel connected to something. I can say brewed it myself by manipulating a bacteria culture. It’s pretty cool.
• Kick Your Soda Habit: Since kombucha is carbonated and strong, it can serve as a nice way to get off soda. Not only does kombucha have the strong flavor and caffeine you get from soda, but it is also a more nutritious option.

The drawbacks to kombucha are a few cases of reported illness. You have to be careful with fermented foods, since they are left out at room temperature to brew. Mold can easily grow in the same environment. So your SCOBY source certainly matters. Nevertheless, even with increasing popularity and more commercial brands, there have not been any widespread issues. Just make sure you know what to do and what to look for if you’re going to do a home brew.

As a precaution, I would advise anyone with a compromised immune system or who is pregnant to avoid kombucha or get medical permission. Kombucha is also an acidic beverage, so drinking with a straw would be helpful if your teeth are sensitive.

How to Make Your Own Kombucha

Making kombucha is quite simple once you get comfortable with the process. Here’s how to do it:

Supplies:

• A SCOBY. You can ask around locally, or shop for it online. Usually people who have been brewing a long time have extra ones on hand.
• A jar or barrel with a wide top. Narrow tops will limit the oxygen flow to the mixture.
• Something to cover the jar. Many people use cheesecloth, but it allows fruit flies to get in and ruin your batch. Use an old t-shirt to cover the jar.
• 15 cups water
• 3-5 Tablespoons of tea
• 1 cup vinegar

Method:

1. Bring 15 cups of filtered water close to a boil, and let about 3-5 tablespoons of tea brew for 5 minutes. You can use a mixture of teas, but start with a black tea to keep it simple.
2. Mix in 1 cup of sugar and stir.
3. Once the mixture cools to room temperature, you can use it. Rub your hands in vinegar to kill bacteria, then pour your tea and sugar mixture into the jar, not quite full.
4. Place the SCOBY on top, and cover.
5. Let it sit in a dark place. Ideally, the temperature in your house is in the low 70s. The speed at which the kombucha will brew is affected by the temperature. The cooler it is, the slower it goes.

Wait about a week before testing. If you like your kombucha stronger or more tart, give it more time.

Toast to Your Health

There are many different brewing methods, but I wanted to give you an overview of the basics. Making your own kombucha will save you quite a bit of money, and it’s also a lot of fun. And of course, it makes for a great conversation starter when people come over and see a huge barrel with a strong, fruity odor.

Kombucha isn’t a savior of health, but can be part of a healthy diet. But don’t drink it just because you think it will change your health. Experiment, try different flavors, and most of all – enjoy.

More Fermentation Facts:

• The Real Reason Your Gut Needs Fermented Foods
• DIY Fermented Foods: Easy Homemade Yogurt
• DIY Fermented Foods: Homemade Sauerkraut
• New on Breaking Muscle Right Now

Photo 1 courtesy of Marc Halpern.

Photo 2 courtesy of Lukas Chin.

The post Fun With Fermentation: Homebrewed Kombucha appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Last week I wrote about the benefits of yogurt and explained how easy it is to make at home. This week we’ll look at a fermented food that’s even easier to make and also fits in the guidelines of pretty much any diet: sauerkraut.

My dad’s side of the family is Czech, so I always associated sauerkraut with old guys in suspenders dancing the polka. Like most traditional foods, there’s a reason people have been eating sauerkraut for centuries.

When prepared properly, it actually has some amazing health benefits. In a passage from Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions, Annelies Shoneck describes how lacto-fermentation “ennobles” vegetables:

After two or three days of lacto-fermentation, vegetables begin to soften and certain substances in them begin to decompose. If the vegetables contain nitrates…they are broken down…If all goes well, the lactic acid producing bacteria take over and the process of acidification begins. New substances are formed, notably…choline and above all, lactic acid. This acidification ensures the conservation of the vegetables…but the fermentation of the aromas doesn’t come about until a later stage, during storage. Lacto-fermentation is not only a means of conserving foods, but also a procedure for ennobling them, as proved by their taste and aroma.

Lacto-fermentation, or “alchemy” as the ancient Greeks called it, is a fascinating process.

If you’ve ever done it you know it’s kind of like a fun science experiment. The basic idea behind lacto-fermentation is simple: we can preserve and enhance foods by providing a favorable environment for beneficial bacteria, or lactobacilli, to proliferate.

During this proliferation, which takes place in an anaerobic environment, lactic acid is produced as a by-product. As noted by Shoneck, lactic acid “…does not bring about in the body the over-acidifying action of certain other acids…

While other products of the fermentation process, like alcohol and acetic acid, must be decomposed and eliminated, lactic acid can in large part be used by the body.”

During the process of lacto-fermnation, the humble cabbage is enhanced with some qualities that are especially beneficial for people with an active lifestlye:

1. Sauerkraut increases iron absorption

According to Clinical Sports Nutrition, “Even a mild shortfall in tissue iron status appears not only to reduce maximum oxygen uptake and aerobic efficiency, but also reduce the body’s endurance capacity.

Any athlete involved in regular high intensity physical activity has a higher requirement and turnover of iron and can quickly deplete iron.” For this reason, sauerkraut is especially beneficial for women during menstruation and pregnancy, endurance athletes, and vegetarian and vegan athletes.

2. Sauerkraut has a high vitamin C content

This is the primary reason behind its activity as an iron enhancer. Fun fact: the innovative and legendary Captain Cook included 60 barrels of sauerkraut on his cargo list, which supposedly protected his entire crew from scurvy – an impressive feat back in the day of long sea voyages.

Although it’s unclear whether megadose of vitamin C have any benefit for athletes, suboptimal levels have been shown to decrease athletic performance.

3. Sauerkraut contains high choline concentrations

Choline is another byproduct of the lacto-fermentation process. Concentrations tend to be higher in the earlier stages of fermentation. Choline regulates blood composition and may even help prevent hypertension.

Acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, is also formed from choline. A 1992 study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine showed that running a 26km marathon decreased choline levels in trained athletes by as much as 40%, which also affected actetylcholine production.

And of course, like all fermented foods, sauerkraut is good for your gut health.

If you follow intermittent fasting, Jason Maxwell recommends eating raw, fermented sauerkraut before a big meal. In many traditional cultures, no meal is complete without a bit of sauerkraut or other fermented vegetable to aid digestion.

Sauerkraut is also one of the easiest foods to make. You pretty much just put a bunch of cabbage in a jar, add some salt or whey, close it up really tight, and wait for the alchemy to happen. Here are more detailed instructions from Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions:

What You’ll Need:

• 1 medium organic cabbage (use a good one – the healthier the cabbage, the healthier the sauerkraut)
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons whey (leftover from making yogurt or storebought) OR 1 tablespoon sea salt
• A quart-sized mason jar with a wide mouth and lids, sanitized
• Meat hammer or other object to pound the cabbage

What To Do:

1. Shred the cabbage, or use a food processor if you like a finer texture.

2. Mix the cabbage, caraway seeds, salt and whey (if you’re using it) in a bowl.

3. Beat the cabbage up with a meat pounder or other solid object until the juices release. You can also just knead it with your hands if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty.

3. At this point you should have a good amount of juice in the bowl. Put the cabbage in the mason jar and push it down until the juices come up to the top. Leave at least an inch of room.

4. Cover the jar tightly, put it in your pantry, and forget about it for three days. DO NOT OPEN IT (and make sure your children don’t either, if you have any.) The ideal temperature is around 72 degrees. If your home is cooler, you might want to keep it out for 4 or 5 days. If it’s hotter in your house, 2 days will probably do it.

5. Put the jar in the warmest part of your fridge – around 40 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for storage – or in a wine cellar, cave, or root cellar if you happen to have one (I’m jealous if you do).

You can eat the sauerkraut right away or give it more time. The flavor will increase the longer you wait. If you see any bubbles or foam rise to the top, just scrape it off. If the sauerkraut goes bad, your nose will tell you.

This is the most basic sauerkraut recipe I’ve made. We also enjoy cortido and kimchee, which have a few more ingredients. If you want to get started with lacto-fermented foods, here are some resources that have been helpful to me:

• Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home, by Klaus Kaufmann and Annelies Schoneck; 2002.
• Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig; 1999.
• Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Ellix Katz: 2003.

References:

1. “Iron Depletion in Athletes,” Vicki Deakin. In Clinical Sports Nutrition, 4rd ed, 2006: 263-312

2. “The Role of Vitamin C in Athletic Performance.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition 8(6): 636-643

3. “Exercise and neuromodulators: Choline and acetylcholine in marathon runners.” International Journal of Sports Medicine 13:141-142

The post DIY Fermented Foods, Part 2 – Homemade Sauerkraut appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Since that fateful day, yogurt, and Greek yogurt in particular, has come to the forefront as an indisputable health food, largely due to the yogurt company Chobani’s sponsorship of the Olympics in 2012. With that move, Chobani surpassed Yoplait as the leading yogurt company in America and also opened up a new target audience for the yogurt industry: athletes. So is yogurt all it’s cracked up to be for athletes, or is it just a craze fueled by Chobani’s success at the Olympics? Studies seem to suggest there’s more going on than lots of money and advertising. Yogurt – Greek yogurt in particular – is an excellent source of protein and calcium, and also has a lower lactose content, which makes it a tolerable dairy source for many people who can’t drink milk. Perhaps even more importantly, it’s a great source of probiotics, which are commonly lacking in the modern diet. Probiotics have benefits for everyone, including a few that are especially important for athletes:

1. Immunity: Probiotic yogurt has been shown to boost immunity and decrease incidence of allergies and colds. A 1999 study compared non-yogurt eaters, conventional (i.e. heat-treated) yogurt eaters, and probiotic yogurt eaters with astonishing results. “What was most striking was the decreased incidence of allergies in the live-active yogurt group compared with the other two diet groups in both the young and senior adults.” If you train hard on a regular basis, a little immunity boost certainly can’t hurt.

2. Calcium Bioavailability: Milk is often touted for its high calcium content, but some studies suggest the calcium in yogurt may have a greater effect on bone mineralization than that found in milk or in heat-processed yogurt due to the acidic pH, which allows for calcium uptake in the intestines while also canceling out the effects of phytic acid. Of course, optimal bone mineralization is a plus when it comes to performance, particularly later in life.

3. Effects on Recovery: Yogurt’s high protein content makes it a great option for fueling your workout. Beyond the gym, yogurt is an excellent food to eat if you want to accelerate recovery from illness. In our family, yogurt is one of the first foods we eat after a bout of stomach flu or other digestive issues. If you have to take antibiotics, supplement with a good probiotic yogurt to keep your gut flora healthy.

That being said, not all yogurt is created equal. Yogurt is already high in sugar, so we steer clear of any products with added sweeteners or flavorings. Although labels will tell you whether a yogurt contains alive and active cultures, I’ve found the best way to find a good yogurt is to judge based on taste. A yogurt with lots of live, active cultures will have a tangy, almost sour taste, which stems from the presence of lactic acid producing bacteria.

My biggest gripe with the yogurt craze is that the Greek yogurt out there on shelves is ridiculously expensive. I didn’t realize this until I started making yogurt myself. For the price of just one gallon of high-quality milk, I can make enough yogurt to feed our family for about a week. If you were to buy the individual packages of Greek yogurt it would cost about $12 per day for us to have the same amount daily. That’s the real secret of fermented foods: they are some of the easiest and cheapest foods to prepare – after all, people have been doing it for centuries.

How easy is yogurt to make? It’s almost embarrassing how simple the process is. I’ve made it several ways, but here is the simplest and most foolproof method I’ve found for making delicious and healthy yogurt:

Easy Homemade Yogurt Recipe

What You’ll Need:

• Crockpot
• 8 cups milk (preferable grass-fed or organic; NOT ultrapasteurized)
• ½ cup yogurt with live active cultures
• Strainer
• Cheesecloth or coffee filters
• Clean storage containers

What To Do:

1. Clean the crock pot well and make sure there aren’t any odors clinging to the inside. Nobody likes curry-flavored yogurt – or at least I don’t.

2. Put 8 cups of milk in the crock pot. Use high quality, organic and grass-fed milk if possible. We actually use local grass-fed raw milk in our family as it sours naturally and has an unbeatable creamy texture. I like mine full-fat. I’ve noticed that some recipes also add dry milk at this point, but I’ve never tried it.

3. Turn the crock pot on low and let it sit for about 2 ½ to 3 hours. Check it every so often to see if it’s sticking to the sides or if a crust is forming on top, and give it a stir if it is. You want it to be hot and steamy but not boiling – between 180 and 185 degrees if you use a thermometer.

4. Turn the crock pot off, cover it, and let the milk sit for 1 hour.

5. Stir in ½ cup of cultured yogurt. I use organic full fat Greek or Bulgarian yogurt if I don’t have a starter already prepared. You can also use a powdered yogurt starter, but I’ve always had great luck with yogurt. Cover the crockpot and wrap it up in a warm blanket or a few towels to keep it warm and cozy for the next 8 to 12 hours.

6. Once the yogurt has reached the consistency you want, pour it into a container (I use mason jars) and let it cool for a few hours.

7. At this point, you can either eat it or strain the yogurt to make Greek yogurt. This batch came out a bit runnier than usual. I usually prefer not to drain all of the whey because it goes a bit further, but I did strain this batch. Straining the yogurt will also remove most of the lactose, so if you’re sensitive to lactose it’s probably best to strain it.

To strain the yogurt, line a strainer with cheesecloth or coffee filters and gently pour the yogurt into the strainer. Allow it to sit for about 30 minutes to an hour until it reaches the desired consistency. This is also great entertainment for young children.

Don’t throw out that whey – we’ll use it next week for our next fermentation project. And there you have it! You can also add fruit or other flavoring to the yogurt, but I never have.

A final word for readers who follow the paleo diet. Despite the fact that it is technically a dairy product, there seems to be some controversy as to whether yogurt should be ‘allowed’ in a paleo diet. For example, here’s some advice from Mark’s Daily Apple: “If you want the real benefits of probiotics, make fermented foods a regular part of your daily diet. Eat sauerkraut, kimchee, full fat Greek yogurt (Fage is a good one, or look for a local Greek market), or kefir (if you tolerate dairy).” Many people with conditions like inflammatory bowel syndrome report dramatic improvements in their symptoms after eating yogurt. If you follow a paleo diet, tolerate dairy, and feel that you could use a probiotic boost, it’s certainly worth a shot.

References:

1. “The Influence of Chronic Yogurt Consumption on Immunity”. The Journal of Nutrition 129 (7): 1492s-1495s

2. “Yogurt and Gut Function”. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 80 (2): 245-256

Photo #1 courtesy of Shutterstock </p

The post DIY Fermented Foods, Part 1 – Easy Homemade Yogurt appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

1. The Real Reasons Your Guts Need Fermented Foods (Heidi George)

Kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi – what do these have in common? They are fermented foods and provide health benefits for your body. Read on to find out why fermented foods are good for you.

2. The Female Guide to Getting Lean (Tami Bellon)

Women often ask me, “How can I lose this?” while they’re pinching something. While no one is the same, there are a few general tips for getting lean, whether your goals are aesthetic or athletic.

3. Being a Stupid Athlete Made Me a Better Coach (Becca Borawski)

I’m a better coach because I was a stupid athlete. I developed knowledge, empathy, and awareness from my missteps. And I can spot the stupidity in my athletes a mile away.

4. Thinking Outside the Box: Strongman Training For Swimming (Hannah Caldas)

Maybe you’ve heard about U.S. swimming superstar Ryan Lochte using strongman training to become a better swimmer. I’ve used them, too, and here are my recommendations for the best exercises.

5. Breaking the Glass Hurdle: Women’s Firsts in the 2012 Olympics (Danette “Dizzle” Rivera)

Women could not compete in weightlifting in the Olympics until 2000 and in boxing until 2012. Some women are literally risking their lives to be in the Olympics and represent their countries.

6. Getting Started in Parkour: Interview With Traceur Tim Koren, Part 1 (Valerie Worthington)

To continue my exploration into the sport of parkour, I decided to talk with Tim Koren, a relatively new traceur who was able to help me understand the moves and how it is trained.

7. The Fitness Industry is Dead (Logan Gelbrich)

The fitness industry is dead. In my opinion, it’s dead as a doornail. What’s the origin of this problem? And how do we fix it? There is one thing we can focus on to save the fitness industry.

The post Sunday Seven: The Week’s 7 Most Popular Articles, Vol. 19 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

But, I will be honest: I have not consciously given fermented foods any credit until the past couple of months when I began to learn more about fermentation through my school, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I am studying to become a Certified Health Coach. During my classes, I have been learning about many diets that have evolved over the course of human existence. I became intrigued by the the Weston Price Foundation and their explanation of the history and importance of incorporating fermented foods in our diets.

Here is a brief history of fermentation from the Weston Price Foundation website:

It may seem strange to us that, in earlier times, people knew how to preserve vegetables for long periods without the use of freezers or canning machines through the process of lacto-fermentation. Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying bacteria. Starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted into lactic acid by the many species of lactic-acid-producing bacteria…The ancient Greeks understood that important chemical changes took place during this type of fermentation. Their name for this change was “alchemy.” Like the fermentation of dairy products, preservation of vegetables and fruits by the process of lacto-fermentation has numerous advantages beyond those of simple preservation. The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.¹

Basically, you are converting carbohydrates, such as sugar, to an acid or an alcohol. When fermenting food, bacteria is used to create lactic acid, which is an important source of energy in food and not just the burning sensation you get after completing a workout.

Some of the important health benefits of fermentation:²

• Fermentation is the only type of preparation of foods that cannot destroy certain nutrients, will creates more nutrients and enhances others.
• It removes toxins and harmful bacteria found in many foods.
• It will improve your digestion, especially when consumed before your meal and also allows for your nutrients to be absorbed properly.
• It aids in the preservation and creation of important enzymes.
• Fermentation is a huge supporter to your immune function. It increases your B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, digestive enzymes, lactase and lactic acid that fight off harmful bacteria.

The most popular foods you can easily find in your local, organic, natural food store or farmer’s market include: raw sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir (from cow, goat, or coconut milk), cheeses, pickles, olives, beer, wine, and raw cacao. As always, I encourage you to buy organic and support local supplies as much as possible.

After learning about the incredible health benefits from adding fermented foods to one’s diet, I decided to give it a try. I do drink a kombucha almost every day, but be warned some of those include added sugars that kill a lot of the bacteria that was originally created. I believe we can get many of our vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from foods, so, instead of purchasing probiotic supplements, I bought a huge head of cabbage and spent some time in the kitchen preparing a batch of my own organic, raw sauerkraut. I began to add a small serving of sauerkraut to my lunch each day.

Since adding fermented foods to my diet, I have noticed a positive experience relating to my digestion of food. I can finally eat cruciferous vegetables again and I no longer have indigestion after eating melon and other fruits. My digestive track is very happy with all of the healthy bacteria dancing around on a daily basis. I highly encourage you to read more about fermentation and to give it a try. Your gut will thank you.

Have you tried fermented foods? What was your experience? Post to comments below.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post The Real Reasons Your Guts Need Fermented Foods appeared first on Breaking Muscle.