Fermented Foods: Are They Really Healthy?
Amanda and I have thrown out our fermented foods. We used to eat sauerkraut, miso, and even fermented olives, believing they would improve our gut health. However, our pioneer health publications did not warrant their use, nor that of sour-tasting bread (confirmed by Sister White). These foods have aldehydes, alcohols, histamines, and acids that are all harmful to health. We must not follow the latest health crazes but instead practice what God has taught us in our past. Research shows that most people will not benefit from probiotic foods. However, a supplement might have its place in treating acute illness or when taking antibiotics. In fact, probiotics may actually do more harm than good since our bodies have hundreds of different kinds of bacteria and probiotics may hinder a proper balance by overpopulating only a few species.
A Far Better Way than Fermented Foods
So, what is the best way to have a proper balance of gut flora, which is associated with both good brain and immune health? There are two simple steps.
- Eat God’s diet, namely vegetables, grains, fruits, legumes and nuts.
- Limit all kinds of stress.
The first two food categories listed are the most important for various reasons, most especially because they contain the most inulin fiber, a prebiotic (which is far more influential than a probiotic). It is no wonder why paleo people think they need probiotics – their diet stinks! Apples, bananas, and blueberries seem to be especially good fruits. And notice that mushrooms are not in these categories of food; they are not part of the diet that God gave us, even after He introduced meat. God gave us the “herb bearing seed” and added the “herb of the field”/”green herb” after sin. Mushrooms come in just about every color other than green and, being fungi and not plants, do not produce seeds. They would likely lead to more harmful bacterial growth.
Stress, naturally, has a negative impact on all aspects of health. Of course, it is impossible to completely avoid stress, as that is a part of everyday life. In some situations, it can actually be beneficial to your health. The most important thing is how we deal with stress. Ever heard someone tell you to just “let it go”? Well, they were right. More precisely, we need to give all our stress and worry to God. He is able to take care of it, whatever it is, and we can rest easy in His care. When we truly believe that all things work together for our good and trust God with everything, stress will no longer be able to break down our health.
The Takeaway
Our conclusion is that fermented foods belong where all rotten things belong: in the trash. And while you’re at it, toss your mushrooms in with them. They love rotten things, anyway.
Have you ever eaten anything you believed was good for your health because of the health fads that go around, only to find out it was actually harmful? Or are there any health fads you would like us to write about? If so, share with us in the comments below!
Oh My! What an article. I do not eat fermented foods per se but I do eat lots of mushrooms. Lately, that is! I stopped eating all processed vegan meat products, I call them Satan’s foods. So I started eating mushroom burgers and lots of them in my soups.
I just made my first batch of vinegar from scratch. That is fermented. I use it for my fruit flies and coleslaw. I am really working hard on diet reform. It seems to be the last thing God is working on with me before leaving for Tennessee. I will definitely give this article lots of thought.
Yes, there is a lot more to diet reform than most realize, isn’t there? We’ve learned a lot over the past year and have had to make a lot of changes. And here we thought we had a really healthy diet! Ricky gets considerably less acid reflux now than he used to, so there’s some good evidence for the truth of these matters. I hope I will be able to add some of our old posts on some of the other things we’ve researched soon. I need to deal with some other things first before I can take the time.
PS: Sorry for taking so long to respond to your comments. For some reason, WordPress hasn’t been notifying me of new comments lately, so I didn’t even notice we had any. 🙁 But I really appreciate all your feedback, sister! Thank you for your encouragement!
Thanks for the article! I’ve always suspected fermented food should be avoided, and continued eating but i felt it was negatively affecting my digestion. So no more. What are your thoughts on Apple cider vinegar and also spices. (which are good or bad?)
Thanks,
Troy.
Hello, Troy! Thanks for your comment.
We are firmly against the use of any kind of vinegar in food. We do use ACV as a hair rinse, so it’s not useless, but we definitely recommend against ingesting it. Aside from the fact that it is the product of fermentation, just like alcohol and aldehydes, it is also hard on the digestion.
Regarding spices, mild spices (such as ginger or paprika) in moderation is fine. Strong spices, such as black pepper and cayenne, have serious negative effects on the body. Maybe at some point we will have a proper post on spices, as there are a lot of misunderstandings about their effects. In brief, aside from being hard on the digestion, there’s also a negative effect on the very character of the person (e.g. they are known to reduce self-control and inflame sexual passion and tempers).
Hi from NZ!
I was hoping to get an update on how the removal of all biogenic amines was going?
I have read how high level Buddhists, Taoists and Hindu’s eschew all fermented foods, as well as high level Rastafari and people who have taken a Nazarite vow.
My reasonings have concluded that once someone is highly advanced in dietary practices and no longer damages their digestive tract and body with things like animal products, alcohol and coffee etc, the benefits of probiotic foods are zero and will actually harm. But for those still actively consuming bad choices, probiotic foods may offer some benefit.
I was a homemade kombucha fan, but now my diet is approaching near ideal, I feel I cant justify consuming stimulating foods like fermented drinks and foods anymore.
How have the last 2 years been? Were there times when you considered adding probiotics for short term medicinal purposes?
Praise Jah!