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I do not have any expertise specifically in fermented food and brain health however I always found it super interesting that pretty much every culture (both ind

I do not have any expertise specifically in fermented food and brain health however I always found it super interesting that pretty much every culture (both independent of one another and sharing with cultures close by) came up with their own unique sets of fermented foods. Unfortunately most of these are now forgotten (mainly with the advent of refrigeration and mass farming). Everyone knows about standard types of yogurt and pickles and whatnot - there is a whole world of legume ferments (mainly beans) that use much more 'advanced' types of microorganisms. Examples would be things like Natto from Japan mentioned in the article (using Bacillus Subtilis). Unlike the simple yeasts that break down milk sugars in yogurt and produce various organic acids (like acetic acid for example) the bacteria in Natto can consume the resistant starch in beans and produce short chain fatty acids like Butyrate (very beneficial for health) AND can break down the complete protein in soybeans into their constituent amino acids. I believe Natto originally came about because cooked and cooled soybeans were then wrapped in rice leaves for transport and Bacillus Subtilis happens to naturally live on those leaves. It is also really unfortunate that in the west we miss out on tons of fungi based foods (not talking about anything psychedelic here) as many mushrooms contain tons of prebiotic fiber like substances that feed the probiotics already found in our gut.

wil421 3y ago
They came up with fermentation because they needed a way to keep foods from spoiling. Same with salting, smoking, or dying out. The interesting part to me is the first person who tried the fermented food or the animal meat that fell into the ocean and brined.
- andrewflnr 3y ago
  They were probably really, really hungry. That expands your horizons for what's edible.
  - someuser2345 3y ago
    They might also have just been bored.
    - andrewflnr 3y ago
      Eh, maybe their rowdy teens, but being bored enough to eat something that may actively harm you is a luxury that I don't think a lot of early hominids had. Living off the land with primitive tools is a lot of work even when it's going well.
      - moi2388 3y ago
        Not in winter. That was sitting in the cold and dark for 12 hours a day
        andrewflnr 3y ago
        That depends on where you live, and doesn't include many (any?) of the places in Africa where humans were evolving in the relevant time period for starting to eat fermented food. And I bet there was plenty of work to do anyway, even in winter in places where it is cold and dark, enough that hunger is still a more likely motivator than boredom. I'd be interested to see hard facts on this, though.
- buovjaga 3y ago
  It's not only about avoiding spoiling, but making some plants edible in the first place [1] or making them more digestible [2]. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava#Preparation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava#Preparation 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization
  - excitom 3y ago
    Another example: Olives
pyrale 3y ago
> It is also really unfortunate that in the west we miss out on tons of fungi based foods Speaking of what I know, there are plenty of fungi-based dishes in Europe. Mushrooms are a staple of many traditional recipes. Mushrooms that can't be conveniently farmed are rare in cities, but they are certainly not rare "in the west".
- piva00 3y ago
  Yeah, I go pick mushrooms every year in Sweden, have even found my own little secret spot to get prized Chanterelle every season.
pradn 3y ago
> It is also really unfortunate that in the west we miss out on tons of fungi based foods (not talking about anything psychedelic here) as many mushrooms contain tons of prebiotic fiber like substances that feed the probiotics already found in our gut. You're right that we get far fewer varieties of fermented foods. It's notable how certain cultures go very far in some directions, like how many types of lentils/legumes are used commonly in India, and how many types of chilis are used in single dishes in Mexico. Japan's in that direction for fermentation, perhaps. French cuisine deeply relies on mushrooms for umami and richness. There's a rich mushroom culture in France - a bunch of varietals are used. I think we're going to eventually come to a point where we consider fermentation a sort of "food group". Many cultures had cheese, yogurt, kimchi pretty much every day - the probiotic benefits are great. At the very least, being able to eat a variety of (fermented) foods in winter must have reduced the monotonous dreariness of the season - and helped improve nutrition, too.
RamblingCTO 3y ago
Did we really forget fermented food though? I'm skeptical. I still have a lot of fermented food in my diet.

wil421 3y ago

They came up with fermentation because they needed a way to keep foods from spoiling. Same with salting, smoking, or dying out. The interesting part to me is the first person who tried the fermented food or the animal meat that fell into the ocean and brined.

andrewflnr 3y ago
They were probably really, really hungry. That expands your horizons for what's edible.
- someuser2345 3y ago
  They might also have just been bored.
  - andrewflnr 3y ago
    Eh, maybe their rowdy teens, but being bored enough to eat something that may actively harm you is a luxury that I don't think a lot of early hominids had. Living off the land with primitive tools is a lot of work even when it's going well.
    - moi2388 3y ago
      Not in winter. That was sitting in the cold and dark for 12 hours a day
      - andrewflnr 3y ago
        That depends on where you live, and doesn't include many (any?) of the places in Africa where humans were evolving in the relevant time period for starting to eat fermented food. And I bet there was plenty of work to do anyway, even in winter in places where it is cold and dark, enough that hunger is still a more likely motivator than boredom. I'd be interested to see hard facts on this, though.
buovjaga 3y ago
It's not only about avoiding spoiling, but making some plants edible in the first place [1] or making them more digestible [2]. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava#Preparation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava#Preparation 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization
- excitom 3y ago
  Another example: Olives

pyrale 3y ago

> It is also really unfortunate that in the west we miss out on tons of fungi based foods Speaking of what I know, there are plenty of fungi-based dishes in Europe. Mushrooms are a staple of many traditional recipes. Mushrooms that can't be conveniently farmed are rare in cities, but they are certainly not rare "in the west".

piva00 3y ago
Yeah, I go pick mushrooms every year in Sweden, have even found my own little secret spot to get prized Chanterelle every season.

pradn 3y ago

> It is also really unfortunate that in the west we miss out on tons of fungi based foods (not talking about anything psychedelic here) as many mushrooms contain tons of prebiotic fiber like substances that feed the probiotics already found in our gut. You're right that we get far fewer varieties of fermented foods. It's notable how certain cultures go very far in some directions, like how many types of lentils/legumes are used commonly in India, and how many types of chilis are used in single dishes in Mexico. Japan's in that direction for fermentation, perhaps. French cuisine deeply relies on mushrooms for umami and richness. There's a rich mushroom culture in France - a bunch of varietals are used. I think we're going to eventually come to a point where we consider fermentation a sort of "food group". Many cultures had cheese, yogurt, kimchi pretty much every day - the probiotic benefits are great. At the very least, being able to eat a variety of (fermented) foods in winter must have reduced the monotonous dreariness of the season - and helped improve nutrition, too.

RamblingCTO 3y ago

Did we really forget fermented food though? I'm skeptical. I still have a lot of fermented food in my diet.