Good Bacteria in your Fermented foods like 'IDLIS'.

                  Time for breakfast or an evening snack? Help yourself to a plate of hot steaming Idlis, dosas or uttappams and dahi. These are not only nutritious but are safe, highly acceptable and packed with health benefits that are both protect ive and therapeutic against a wide range of disorders. They are all fermented foods i.e. they are subjected to the action of micro-organisms for a few hours causing desirable alterations in food quality. The process also preserves and predigests the food.

The bacteria that cause these changes are called “Probiotic bacteria”. They are not destroyed by the acid in the stomach or by the enzymes in the intestinal tract.

What are Probiotics?
Normally bacteria are considered harmful, but probiotic are good ones responsible for a variety of health benefits. Probiotics and probiotic foods have been used both as therapeutic and preventive supplements for many ailments including GI disturbances and cancers.

Nutritional benefits:

Fermenting the foods produces certain nutrients like an increase in the Bcomplex (folic acid and vitamin B12) and vitamin K. Probiotics also produce short-chain fatty acids, an important energy source for the colon. Some amino acids, growth factors, antioxidants and antimicrobial factors are also produced. Fermentation also destroys certain anti-nutrients like phytates and oxalates that interfere with the absorption of minerals like iron and calcium.

India probably has the most diverse variety of fermented foods — Idli, Dosa, Dhokla, Khaman, Batura, Kulcha and the traditional dahi.  So EAT SMART & ENJOY....


Credit: http://www.hindu.com/mag/2007/12/09/stories/2007120950170600.htm