3 Reasons to Choose Lacto-Fermentation Over Canning

3 Reasons to Choose Lacto-Fermentation Over Canning post image

I will admit it. I am easily intimidated when it comes to learning new cooking techniques. Don’t get me wrong — I love to learn new procedures and I taught myself, through trial and error, lots of new cooking skills when my family went grain free. Probably the most difficult new skills for me to learn involve preserving food, sigh. It is not because the process is hard — it is actually quite easy for most foods — it’s feeling comfortable and confident about fermenting foods.

I have found that once you make something a time or two, you get to know how it should look, taste and smell. After you eat it (and you don’t get sick, lol) you realize that you were successful in your fermentation. This gives you some confidence.

The fermentation process adds value to the food by supplying vitamins and enzymes manufactured by the bacteria

Beneficial bacteria protect food from degradation by culturing. For example, the bacteria inherent in cabbage may be used to ferment and produce a “value added” food such as sauerkraut. The same may be said of cultured dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir although with these, a culture needs to be added.

It is best to learn how to make these things at home. Homemade fermented foods are cost effective and actually take very little time to put together — they just need time to culture.

Canning as a way to preserve food

In 1809, a French confectioner and brewer, Nicolas Appert, observed that food cooked inside a jar did not spoil unless the seals leaked.  He developed a method of sealing food in glass jars as a cheap and effective method of preserving large amounts of food.

Because glass containers were too delicate for transporting food, around 1910 they were largely replaced in commercial canneries with cylindrical tin or wrought-iron canisters. Cans were cheaper and quicker to make, and much less fragile than glass jars.

The rest is history

Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container. The method prevents microorganisms from entering and proliferating inside.

To prevent the food from being spoiled before and during containment, a number of methods are used: pasteurization, boiling (and other applications of high temperature over a period of time), refrigeration, freezing, drying, vacuum treatment, a sufficient dose of ionizing radiation, submersion in a strong saline solution, acid, base, or sugar solutions.

3 Reasons to choose lacto-fermentation over canning

I — Lacto-fermentation adds value to the food by supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria. The beneficial bacteria have a big job.

1 – Beneficial bacteria provide enzymes which aid in digestion. Fermented foods are rich in enzymes that assist us in assimilating our food. As we age, the number of enzymes decrease, contributing to poor absorption of nutrients. Eating cultured foods rich in enzymes will contribute to longevity and are part of any anti-aging program.

2- Beneficial bacteria provide a protective barrier along the entire length of the digestive tract much like a thick layer of turf protecting top soil.

3- Beneficial bacteria provide antibiotic and antiviral substances for protection. Lactic acid bacteria enhance GI and systemic immunity in humans by:

  • Increasing B cells which recognize foreign substance.
  • Increasing phagocytic activity which works to destroy foreign matter.
  • Increasing IgA, IgG, IgM and Secretory IgA which boast antibody activity.
  • Increasing gamma interferon which supports white blood cells to fight infections and disease.

4- Lactic acid bacteria produce SCFA (short chain fatty acids) such as butyric acid and proprionic acid. Importantly, these organic acids lower the ph in the GI tract, making it more acidic which reduces the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

5- Beneficial bacteria nourish the enterocytes (cells of the lining the digestive tract) and are the primary source of energy for these cells. It is estimated that the gut cells receive 60-70% of their energy from bacterial activity.

6- Beneficial bacteria manufacture vitamins thus increasing vitamin content of the cultured foods.

II – Lacto-fermentation is a cost effective way to provide beneficial bacteria.

Eating foods that have been preserved through fermentation on a daily basis will provide a constant stream of beneficial bacteria through the digestive tract that will protect against pathogens. You will not need an expensive probiotic supplement if you consume a diverse array of foods and beverages that have been cultured.

III – Canning requires high heat and high pressure which kills the beneficial bacteria as well as the pathogens.

Why choose a method of food preservation that kills the nutritive and protective elements in the food? Canning produces vegetable cadavers. Fermentation produces food that is alive and teaming with nutrients. Are you ready to take the plunge and learn new skills?

Get Cultured!

Register for Get Cultured! How to Ferment Anything

The best way to reinoculate ourselves with beneficial bacteria is to eat cultured foods. The best way to learn is by watching someone do it and then by doing it yourself. You wil lnever feel unsure again!

Jenny, from Nourished Kitchen is slashing the price of her fabulous class, Get Cultured! This promotion is on now through May 22nd.

What you’ll get in this class:

  • 14 Comprehensive, Multimedia Online Lessons
  • Exclusive Interview with Donna Gates, founder and author of the Body Ecology Diet.
  • 52 Online Video Tutorials Teaching you how to ferment anything from yogurt to ketchup, salad dressings, sauerkraut and more.
  • Over 100 Recipes for Naturally Fermented Foods so that you’re always prepared to serve your family natural, enzyme- and vitamin-rich foods.
  • Over 60 Print Tutorials that you can go back to time and time again.
  • Get Cultured! A 36-page e-book detailing some of my favorite vegetable ferments.
  • Recorded Conference Calls so you can get your questions answered over the phone with Jenny.
  • Premium Instructor Support
  • Downloadable Print Materials to Take Notes & Organize Your Recipes
  • Sample Shopping Lists and Equipment Recommendations.
  • Discounts from companies I know, use and trust.

This is an amazing learning experience and an amazing sale! The retail price is $197. That has been slashed by $50.00 to $147.00.

But wait! If you use coupon code WEBINAR you will save an additional $50.00 for a final price of $97.00!!

That’s a steal folks. Don’t miss this extraordinary savings. You will have 24/7 access to these learning materials for life! You can go back anytime and review the materials. Jenny also gives phone support. You just can’t go wrong here.

You will never have to wonder if the ferment went “right”. You will never have to throw out food again because you are not sure it is good.

Register for Get Cultured! How to Ferment Anything

Jenny is offering a  $50.00 off coupon code that is good through May 22.

  • Original price: $197.00
  • Sale price: $147.00
  • Price with coupon: $97.00 — less than $7.50 per class!

Use code WEBINAR at check out for the $50.00 discount.

Act now! — If you order today you will also receive the e-book Get Cultured! Probiotic Recipes from Nourished Kitchen.

Click here to find out more about the class and to register

Join Jenny in a free Webinar about this class!

Click here to Register for the free Webinar for this class

The Webinar will be held Friday May 18 at 1:00 – 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Join traditional foods and fermentation educator Jenny McGruther of NourishedKitchen.com for an in-depth webinar covering safe, effective and practical tips for fermentation.  Participants will learn how to choose fermentation equipment for all budgets, how to ensure ferments are safe, how to minimize contamination from stray microbes, as well as learn how ferments can be integrated into daily meals.

The Webinar has limited spots so don’t wait to register for that. You will get a good idea about what the class is like from the webinar.

Register here for the free Webinar.

This post is shared at: Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday, Country Homemaker Hop, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Seasonal Celebration, Sugar Free Sunday, Monday Mania, Barnyard Hop, Meatless Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Real Food 101, Tasty Tuesday Naptime, Traditional Tuesday, Hearth & Soul Hop, Tasty Tuesday 33, Whole Foods Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Whole Food Wednesday, Mommy Club, Real Food Wednesday, Sustainable Ways, Healthy 2Day, Tastastic, Creative Juice Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter

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Leave a Comment

  • shar May 18, 2012, 8:30 am

    I was anxious to hear how you can refrigerate that many jars over the winter seasons, for instance, but it did not get into the article.
    Do you have an answer for long term storage, or even storage, if we ferment everything?
    Is there a way to seal the jars without heating or destroying the cultures?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Jill May 18, 2012, 2:37 pm

      Hi Shar,
      There is no need to use heat with fermentation. Jars may be stored anywhere it is cold in order to halt the fermentation. That could be a refrigerator, a cold garage, a root cellar, etc.

      Reply
      • shar May 19, 2012, 10:35 am

        Can you give a bit more information on this? What temperature? Very cumbersome to daily be monitoring for freezing or being too warm. What is the best way to achieve this? Right now, I only have enough information to wonder. Maybe there is a reference, a book? I have not come across guidance on this issue that would make me confident enough to produce and store in this manner….yet.

        Reply
        • Jill May 19, 2012, 1:54 pm

          Shar,
          SInce I only store my ferments in the refrigerator, I do not know what exact temperature is required to keep them. Perhaps you could ask Jenny at Nourishedkitchen.com as she is an expert and may have a suggestion for you.

          Reply
          • shar May 20, 2012, 2:43 pm

            thanks

          • Kara May 23, 2012, 7:57 pm

            Keeping your ferments cold will slow the bacteria and further fermentation down. The colder it is kept, the less active the bacteria are. You can keep your ferments at room temperature and never refrigerate or cool them during storage, but your ferments will continue to ferment. This is harmless, but your food will get more and more sour, and you may find the taste too sour for your palate. So all this means you can keep your ferments at any temp in a cool garage or basement, not worry too much about storage temp, but be mindful that you may not be able to store it as long as you would in the fridge. (it will be safe to consume, you just may not appreciate the level of sourness.)

  • Sherry May 18, 2012, 2:51 pm

    Do you know what the maximum storage temperature for storing fermented products? I do have a 2nd refrigerator, but it doesn’t hold all that I prepare. Since I live in Montana, I have resorted to putting some jars in large coolers and keeping them outside once the weather cools off in November. In fact, I hold off on making a lot of beet kvass until the first part of Nov. so that I can store the jars in coolers outside. This does become a problem when it gets really cold here in the winter, and I have had to bring in the cooler at night, but usually by then I have room to move them into the spare refrigerator. I keep thinking about a root cellar someday…..

    Reply
  • France @ Beyond The Peel May 21, 2012, 12:37 pm

    Thanks for all the info Jill. It’s like a little science lesson every time I come here. I love all the research that yo do.

    Reply
  • Barb @ A Life in Balance May 22, 2012, 12:23 pm

    I was also wondering about storage. We don’t have room for another fridge right now, and our basement may be too warm for storage. I saw someone post elsewhere about storing their kombucha outside the fridge. Having had one bottle explode outside the fridge last summer, and one inside the fridge over the winter, I’m a bit leery about trying to store fermented foods unless I have clear information.

    Reply
    • Jill May 22, 2012, 1:40 pm

      Hi Barb,
      I’ve sent some of these questions to Jenny and I will be posting her answers in the next day or two.

      Reply
  • Justine @ The Lone Home Ranger May 23, 2012, 7:58 am

    Thanks Jill. I’ve been needing that extra push to try making sauerkraut, and now I think I must just try it.

    Reply
  • Dona Landrum May 24, 2012, 8:11 pm

    I want to put up tomatoes this summer instead of opening store bought cans of diced tomatoes this winter. Is there a way to ferment them instead. I don’t mean a salsa. I just want diced plain tomatoes.

    Reply
  • Rebecca @ Natural Mothers Network May 25, 2012, 7:29 am

    You teach me so much-thank you! Rebecca @ Natural Mother’s “Seasonal Celebration Sunday.” x

    Reply
  • Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings June 1, 2012, 3:13 pm

    Inviting you the Carnival of Home Preserving on my blog today and every Friday. Hope to see you there. Laura Williams’ Musings http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com

    Reply
  • Glo @ Off The Grid At -30 July 17, 2012, 12:06 pm

    Loved reading your post! I really need to start fermenting. Would you consider sharing on my first blog hop? http://offthegridat-30.blogspot.ca/2012/07/frugal-i-made-it-tuesday-1.html

    Reply
  • Jane January 21, 2013, 8:29 pm

    Hi Jill,

    Do you have any problems with your jars exploding? I was curious if I should purchase a special fermentation cap to keep that from happening.

    This is the fermentation lid I was thinking about getting.
    http://www.amazon.com/Kraut-Kaps/dp/B009RT4W9U

    What do you recommend?

    Reply
    • Jill January 21, 2013, 8:41 pm

      Hi Jane,
      I have not had a jar explode but they certainly might! That cap is good for when you are fermenting — I use something similar and I would recommend it as it also keeps it airtight. When you are done fermenting, just put a regular lid on and refrigerate.

      Reply
  • Michelle S. Hawkins April 14, 2014, 4:42 pm

    I live in the desert. So its as hot as 116 degrees here. There is only so much room in my refrigarator. What can any fermented products be stored on the shelf. I really don’t want to use a pressure cooker for canning.

    Reply
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