Fermented Foods | For health…. and for taste

20 years ago, Pedro Perez returned from a trip to India with memories in his head… and troubles in his stomach. To calm a recurring infection, he is prescribed antibiotics regularly, which causes him other health problems. Exhausted, he ends up following the advice of a Ukrainian colleague who suggests he eat… sauerkraut! Surprise: his digestion improves and so does his energy level.

This discovery will be the beginning of a personal quest which continues today through the lactofermentation company Tout cru! “Of course it’s good for your health, but I developed a passion for the tangy taste of fermented foods. » He shares this taste affinity with more and more fans attracted by the virtues of these foods, then won over by their flavors.

Nourish your microbiota

When Pedro Perez first became interested in fermentation, the word “microbiota” was not part of the popular vocabulary. We now know more about this flora which is considered an organ in itself and which is made up of billions of bacteria which protect against infections and participate in digestion.

When the microbiota is compromised by poor lifestyle habits, stress or antibiotics, the intestines become a breeding ground for the development of unwanted bacteria. To repopulate and maintain a healthy and vigorous microbial community, you have to sow.

“We do not yet know the perfect bacterial signature, but we know that people who live a long, healthy life are those whose intestinal flora is rich in good bacteria. And the element that has the most impact on the diversity of the microbiota, even before a varied diet, is the consumption of fermented foods,” points out Andréanne Martin, graduate in nutrition and specialist in digestive health.

The fermentation process actually leads to the multiplication of good bacteria which come to lend a hand to those already present in the digestive tract. It also promotes better absorption of nutrients present in foods which will also be more digestible, because they are partly broken down by micro-organisms, explains Andréanne Martin. “Most fermented foods are probiotics which contain a wide diversity of good bacteria. It doesn’t replace a diversified diet, but it’s a nice bonus. »

Multiply tastes and the infinitely small

Fresh cheese, sourdough bread, kimchi, miso, kombucha, kefir, tempeh, vinegar, artisanal sausage… The list of fermentation products is long, but is based on the same mechanism: the transformation and decomposition of food by tiny living organisms – bacteria, molds and yeasts – which transform tastes and textures.

Under appropriate conditions, these fermentation agents feed on carbohydrates to create an acidic environment, favorable to their proliferation, to the detriment of less friendly competitors. “Originally, fermentation was used to ensure food was preserved. All cultures that have become sedentary have developed their fermentation recipes which often result from an accident, like a cup of sweet tea left on the edge of a window and which turns into kombucha,” explains Jean-Luc Henry. , general director of Révolution fermentation, a company co-founded with David Côté and Sébastien Bureau, also creators of Rise Kombucha.

We have since developed preservation agents and methods which guarantee the preservation and safety of food, but deprive us of the virtues of fermentation.

The heat used to sterilize or pasteurize kills pathogens, but also good bacteria at the same time.

A cheese made from pasteurized milk is therefore deprived of a large part of its probiotics.

Fermentation is an artisanal process that does not essentially involve any cooking or preservatives. A jar of fermented pickles is not a marinade. To find your way around, you have to look at the labels. “One tip: lacto-fermented vegetables do not survive on shelves and are therefore placed in the refrigerated sections,” indicates Jean-Luc Henry.

A way of cooking

The health benefits of fermented foods tend to overshadow their indulgent side. Ranked the best restaurant in the world four times, Noma in Copenhagen launched its own fermentation guide in 2018. Its chef, René Redzepi, affirms that the real pillars of his cuisine are not wild foods and foraging, which are associates it, but the fermentations which are often “the ideal cross between glutamate, lemon juice, sugar and salt”. They are flavor enhancers, which is why he introduces them into each of his dishes, from starter to dessert.

In Montreal, Poincaré Chinatown is one of the establishments that generously includes them on the menu. “Lactofermented vegetables have a more subtle tangy side than marinades. They enhance any salads, soups or sandwiches and balance a rich or fatty dish, but we should not underestimate the pleasure they provide as a simple snack, straight out of the jar,” emphasizes Francis Melançon, co-owner of this restaurant which offers, among other things, fermented potato fries for their unique character. Beyond fermented vegetables, there is miso which can be used in a vinaigrette or as a broth base, kefir, tasty in a smoothie, tempeh prepared in a stir-fry… You have to experiment.

Whether taken from an Epicurean or rational perspective, the arguments in favor of fermented foods lead to one conclusion: why do without them? “In these small bacteria, there is a parallel life which reconnects us to nature,” believes Jean-Luc Henry. There is something fascinating about the fact that micro-organisms can cook fabulous foods that taste good and are good for us. »