Project: About the healthy properties of fermented foods. 7 recipes for fermented drinks.
During fermentation, many biological processes occur, but those that result in long chains of molecules splitting into components are of great importance for taste. The microbes responsible for the fermentation process turn complex food into simple, therefore, it is easier to digest the body and becomes more nutritious and tastier.
Professionally fermented foods retain their sweetness or flavor.
(1) – Eating foods such as yogurt, kefir, fermented cottage cheese, kimchi and other fermented vegetables, vegetable brine drinks, and kombucha tea led to an increase in overall microbial diversity, with stronger effects from larger servings. “This is a stunning finding,” said Justin Sonnenburg, PhD, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology. “It provides one of the first examples of how a simple change in diet can reproducibly remodel the microbiota across a cohort of healthy adults.
#1.Homemade fermented berries and fruit lemonade. 7 recipes for fermented drinks.
Many people know about the benefits of fermented beverages. And today I propose to cook such a delicious, refreshing, carbonated, and healthy lemonade with berries and fruits. It’s not difficult at all!
Ingredients:
Any fruit/berries to taste
Water (filtered or bottled, not boiled!) 8 glasses
Sugar 8.82oz
Lemon (juice) 1/2 pc.
Instructions:
We put any chopped fruits and berries in the jar. For example, peach, raspberry, currant, cherry, and raisins. The raisins are not pre-washed.
Add sugar and lemon juice. Fill with water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. The water must be filtered or bottled, not boiled!
Cover tightly with a lid and put away in a warm place for about 2 days. You can mix it periodically. The higher the temperature, the less time it will take. Avoid direct sunlight.
Pour the lemonade into bottles with tight lids, and add fruits or berries for secondary fermentation (3-4 pieces or berries per bottle). And under the same conditions, we stand for another 8 hours to a day, depending on the temperature.
In the process, we open the plugs several times to remove excessive gassing.
Next, we store the lemonade in the refrigerator. You should start drinking fermented drinks with 1/2 cup per day.
#2.Beetroot fermented drink
This type of kvass does not contain carbon dioxide, that is, it is not carbonated. But it contains a lot of lactobacilli – microorganisms useful for our intestines.
In addition, the drink has a beneficial effect on the liver and the hematopoietic function of the body. To prepare it, we will need:
Ingredients:
Beetroot (½ of the volume of the jar)
Garlic 2 cloves
Drinking water 8 glasses
Salt 1 tablespoon
Instructions:
By the way, it is better to use unbleached and non-iodized salt for the preparation of beet kvass. So, my raw beets, were cleaned and cut into small cubes. We put them in a jar so that they fill at least a quarter, and at most a third of the total volume.
Add garlic and salt to the same place. Now add water to fill the entire container, and mix, dissolving the salt. After 5-7 days, the kvass will be ready. During this time, the drink acquires a rich beetroot taste and color. The finished drink can be filtered and stored in the refrigerator. If you notice that the workpiece is stratified, it is better to mix it.
This will help prevent the formation of mold. Do not be alarmed if in the first two or three days you notice a film or foam on the surface of the water – this is completely normal.
#3.Pineapple drink recipe. 7 recipes for fermented drinks.
This is a syrupy drink obtained as a result of the fermentation of fruits or berries. Over time, they began to be consumed as a separate product.
Ingredients:
Pineapple juice 2 cups
Apple cider vinegar 4 tablespoons
Sugar 3.53oz
Instructions:
Squeeze pineapple juice and mix it with apple cider vinegar and sugar.
When the sugar is completely dissolved, pour it into a vacuum bag.
We put it in the refrigerator overnight or leave it at room temperature. During the night, a small fermentation process takes place, which suspends the vinegar. The drink is ready!
#4.Tepache recipe
Tepache is a drink obtained as a result of the fermentation of pineapple crusts. We also call it pineapple kvass. You can prepare both drinks at home
Ingredients:
Pineapple crusts from 35.24oz pineapples
Sugar 21.16oz
Water 8 glasses
Cinnamon (to taste) 2 sticks
Cloves (to taste) 5 pcs.
Instructions:
Fill the crusts with water. In no case do not wash the crusts beforehand, the bacteria we need are on their surface.
Fill with sugar and spices to taste, and leave for 6 days. Stir it every day.
As soon as the carbonation appears, we filter and pour it into the bagel bottles (they preserve the taste of the drink well). The refreshing tepache is ready!
#5. Fermented smoothie with oatmeal and dried apricots. 7 recipes for fermented drinks.
A light and delicious smoothie with oatmeal and dried fruits is a godsend for breakfast and snacks in a hurry. The drink turns out to be nutritious, and thick, with appetizing notes of dried apricots and honey in the aftertaste. This milkshake will appeal even to those who do not like oatmeal. Try it!
Ingredients:
Oatmeal 5 teaspoons
Live probiotic (open 1 capsule) or 1 bag of Narine (can be replaced with starter cultures for kefir or yogurt)
Honey 2 teaspoons
Dried apricots 6 pcs
Instructions:
Dried apricots are thoroughly washed and soaked in a small amount of water for a couple of hours. Separately mix the oatmeal and 2 teaspoons of honey per 1 cup of water.
The resulting composition is crushed in a blender together with dried apricots and left in a warm place overnight for fermentation (8-12 hours). A bright breakfast is ready!
#6.Honey fermented drink
This drink is very common. It is usually recommended for digestive problems. In principle, it can be prepared on the basis of any herbs, berries, or fruits.
Or rather, their decoctions. But it is grape leaves and parchment that are necessarily present in the recipe since only they are able to start fermentation. The most difficult thing in making honey kvass is to get the first starter. But then you can use it repeatedly. So, to prepare honey kvass, we will need:
Ingredients:
Drinking water 16 glasses
Grape leaves to taste
Honey 2 tablespoons
Instructions:
In addition, you can also use your favorite herbs, berries, and fruits. And both fresh and frozen. Our goal is to cook compote, which we will ferment. To do this, we put berries and herbs in the water. Bring to a boil and let it brew well. The drink needs to be cooled.
After that, add honey to the compote. Since it is necessary for fermentation, do not be afraid that it will be too sweet. It is better to add even more than you think is optimal. Last, of all, we send fresh grape leaves to the harvest.
Pour everything into a bowl with a wide throat, cover with gauze, and leave in a warm but dark place. The mixture must be stirred several times a day so that bacteria from the air get into the drink.
For better fermentation, you can throw a handful of unwashed wild berries or little raisins into kvass. All this should lead to air bubbles appearing on the surface within three days. From this moment on, kvass can be left for another day.
We pour the finished drink and put it in the refrigerator. After a couple of days, its taste will become as saturated as possible. And do not forget to save the resulting starter, now it can be used to prepare new portions of a life-giving drink.
#7. Lemonade on whey. 7 recipes for fermented drinks.
This lemonade is lactofermented. In addition, it contains enzymes, vitamins, and amino acids. It is very tasty and most of all looks like a real soda. To prepare it, we will need:
Ingredients:
Lemons 10 pcs
Drinking water 16 glasses
Fresh whey 1 cup
Sugar 7.0oz
Instructions:
Squeeze the juice out of the lemons and pour it into a jar. Now we add sugar-friendly bacteria from the serum will feed on it. By the way, it is best to choose kefir. Pour the water, leaving a little volume for the serum. Top up the serum and stir the resulting mixture.
We close the lid tightly and put it in a dark and warm place for 3-5 days. After that, we bottle a smaller volume and put it in the refrigerator for another day. Ready-made lemonade can be served with ice and fresh mint leaves.
By fermentation, you can prepare excellent probiotic drinks that saturate the intestines with beneficial bacteria, activate digestion and strengthen the immune system. All the presented drinks are pleasant to the taste, easy to prepare, and most importantly, very healthy for the body. Enjoy your meal!
(1) – Fermented-food diet increases microbiome diversity, and decreases inflammatory proteins, study finds. Stanford School of Medicine. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/07/fermented-food-diet-increases-microbiome-diversity-lowers-inflammation
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