While now widely available in supplement form sans food, probiotic and enzyme-rich foods are one of the most traditional foods available. Fermented foods contain beneficial enzymes and bacteria mostly missing from the modern diet due to sterile food processing and pasteurization.
Enzymes and Bacteria in Traditional Cultures
Weston A. Price, a 20th century dentist, observed cultures without access to processed foods, and he determined that, as a consequence, these peoples had far superior health in comparison to modern Westerners. He traveled the globe and studied primitive cultures in an effort to restore knowledge lost in industrialized societies.
The Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) is dedicated to educating people today about how to use traditional foods and therapies to heal from the diseases of modernity, using the diet of our pre-industrialized ancestors.
The WAPF has digested Price’s work and synthesized 11 principles to help guide our dietary choices. This article is the fifth in a series to address and add context to each of the principles. The fifth principle of the Weston A. Price Foundation’s “Principles of Traditional Diets” states:
“Primitive and traditional diets have a high content of food enzymes and beneficial bacteria from lactofermented vegetables, fruits, beverages, dairy products, meats and condiments.”
Why did traditional cultures have so many more enzymes and bacteria present in their diets? (Keep in mind this was every traditional culture Dr. Price documented, spanning many continents across the globe).
One of the primary reasons may be because of a lack of reliable refrigeration. Fermentation as a way to preserve foods was a practice that had a huge benefit for people – a more regular, reliable source of energy. Instead of chilling the dairy, turning it into yogurt, butter, and cheese made it a lasting food source.
Fermenting vegetables (think sauerkraut or kimchi) made the nutrients in cooked meats more easily digested and the fermented vegetables lasted through the winter.
Additionally, pasteurization of dairy wasn’t a common processing tool in the United States until the 1890s during the Industrial Revolution, when there was a migration of people from rural living to the city centers for work. This means that, prior to 1890, the benefits of raw dairy were more accessible, namely the good bacteria and enzymes present in raw milk.
Where to Get Usable Enzymes & Bacteria
Whole-food, naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes are the most bioavailable sources, meaning they are the sources most easily used by our bodies. While a probiotic tablet may benefit your health by introducing some strains of bacteria, many of these bacteria are dead on arrival and unable to help our microbiomes.
Additionally, food sources of bacteria like yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables have many enzymes that help our bodies assimilate the probiotics and help us to better digest and utilize proteins.
Yogurt typically has 2-3 strains of bacteria cultured into it while raw milk kefir contains 30-50 strains! For those seeking to improve gut health, raw milk kefir is king. Raw, grass fed milk kefir also has fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, and is a great source of protein, making it a very nutrient-dense food.
Kefir is similar to yogurt, but is generally thinner and more “drinkable” in comparison. However, kefir can be strained to your desired consistency.
Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi also contain gut-supporting bacteria and enzymes. They make a delicious condiment, are widely available in grocery stores, or easy to make yourself!
A Simple Recipe for Fermenting Raw Milk
To make clabber, traditional raw milk yogurt used for bread leavening, leave fresh raw milk in a clean glass jar, lightly covered with a tea towel or cheesecloth, at room temperature for 1-5 days until pleasantly soured. Enjoy with honey or fruits.