KACHEN #21 (Winter 2019) English edition

MOOD
Mood booster
When we consider the connection
between the brain and the gut, it’s
important to know that 90% of serotonin
receptors are located in the gut.
Much research is currently done to
understand how gut health and diet
can positively or negatively affect
our mood.
A few studies have linked the probiotic
strains Lactobacillus helveticus
and Bifidobacterium longum to a
reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression. Both probiotics are
found in fermented foods. Fermented food can be helpful in the treatment
of mild and moderate forms of depression and anxiety, and for Seasonal
Affective Disorder. Another reason to consume more fermented
foods in winter, to keep our mood high.
Fermenting your own food
Not all store-bought fermented foods are the same. Canned and jarred
sauerkraut for example does not offer the same nutritional benefits of
probiotics. And oftentimes we don’t really know what exactly is in the
fermented foods we buy or the fermentation process they have gone
through. Fermenting your own food can not only solve this issue, but it
also offers an excellent way to store food for longer, without losing quality
and good taste. Of course, the benefits are to be enjoyed only when
fermentation is done properly.
The place of fermentation in the busy, modern world
– the innovative method of Microjungle
Stefania and Björn from Microjungle will lead you through a discovery
of the fermentation process. Indeed, fermentation is a process which is
influenced by multiple factors.
Even if a recipe is followed to a T, it is not a guarantee the result will
be what we expected. Some of the factors that influence not only the
success of the fermentation process, but also the pleasant flavour of the
fermented product are:
› The terroir of your home. Bacteria come in touch with each other and
the bacteria present in your home will influence the result of your fermentation.
Temperature and humidity also play a role in the final result.
› The utensils and containers used to ferment food, can either favour
healthy bacteria to grow, or propel the building of mould and pathogenic
bacteria.
Fermenting food is a balancing act, one that requires knowledge, and
most importantly – time.
The idea of Microjungle is simple – to standardize the world of bacteria
and modernize the traditional fermentation methods by putting together
practice and research.
The Starter Kit of MICROJUNGLE
consists of a specially designed
container that allows optimal
fermentation. It comes with recipes
and four activators, containing the
exact amounts of salt, sugar, yeast
and certified organic spices, to
guarantee a successful fermentation
and an end product that tastes good.
This way Microjungle reduces the
margins of error and frustration but
still leaves room for creativity in the
fermentation process. It is a great way
to include these health-promoting
foods in our daily life, without the
traditional time-consuming process.
Stefania and Björn founded the
Microtarians Academy where they
regularly hold workshops to teach the
process of fermentation. Once you
learn how the process works, a door
opens for creativity in fermentation.
Microjungle pays a lot of attention to
the materials used in their Starter Kit
to avoid contamination and toxic exposure.
The activators are stored in recycled
and compostable paper. They
work with the foundation APEMH
to prepare the recipes and fill the activator
containers.
microjungle.lu
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KACHEN No.21 | WINTER 19