Loss Weight: 7 Unbelievable ginger benefits

Ginger comes on the top of the list of effective natural home remedies. Ginger is one of the foods that can give you a health punch, because it is so full of healthy benefits for your body and mind.

Ginger helps regulate Cholesterol

Consuming ginger can have a profound effect on high cholesterol levels that are often attributed to obesity among women and men. High cholesterol levels in a person can indicate higher than normal BMI and can thus, lead to obesity-related illnesses like heart disease and certain cancers. Ginger helps lower cholesterol by significantly reducing serum and hepatic cholesterol levels. Ginger also acts as a blood thinner and reduces blood pressure.

Immune Boosting Action

Ginger helps improve the immune system. Ginger is one of the oldest cures for cold, nausea and flu as it has anti-viral and anti fungal properties. It cures cold and provides instant relief and also kills the bacteria that causes cold and ensures that it doesn’t return. Drinking ginger as a tea will ease sore throat, non-stop coughing and even congestion. Ginger contains chromium, magnesium and zinc which can help prevent chills, fever, and excessive sweat. Plus, it acts as an antihistamine and hence is useful in dealing with allergies. Ginger tea is used for weight loss as it increases metabolism, stimulates circulation and excretion of toxins from the body.

Gastrointestinal Relief

Ginger is very effective in preventing the symptoms of motion sickness, especially sea sickness. Ginger reduces all symptoms associated with motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating. Millions suffering from heartburn and indigestion might be saving a pretty penny if they gave ginger tea a try. The herb facilitates colon cleansing as well. Cleansing the colon also helps in good digestion, therefore more digestion, more weight loss.

Anti-Inflammatory

One of the most effective uses of ginger is that it acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce joint inflammations. The anti-inflammatory compounds responsible for significantly reducing inflammation are called gingerols. Best for arthritis patients. The root of ginger is best known for this purpose. It does not allow blood vessels to get inflamed and thus it helps increase the flow of blood to the body and cures the pain. Ginger helps in expanding the blood vessels which increases your body heat. This makes your body burn more fat.

Food Satiety

In addition to increasing fat loss, ginger may also help a person to feel satiated, which in turn reduces food consumption. Also, it’s been proved that ginger works as a natural appetite suppressant which is the best way to lose weight. Natural appetite suppressants are safe and cause no rebound. Ginger is nearly calorie-free, and when used in cooking or brewed in tea, it can give you a slight advantage in meeting your weight loss goals. Ginger and weight loss go together well partly because ginger is known to be a thermogenic food. It raises the temperature of the body and helps boost metabolism, so you burn more fat than you would simply by dieting alone.

Cortisol Production

Ginger suppresses cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone necessary for energy regulation and mobilization. But chronic stress can cause cortisol levels to rise too high. Adipose fat moves to the visceral area where it receives an increased blood supply that encourages tissues to produce an excess amount of cortisol. High cortisol levels may increase excess belly fat and weight gain.

Good for Digestion

Ginger has a beneficial effect on your overall digestive system, helping to regulate and aid the movement of food through your stomach, and small and large intestines. When everything moves more smoothly, you benefit by losing weight more easily.
Note that ginger should not be used by pregnant or nursing mothers except under physician supervision. Because ginger also has high fiber content, it increases gastrointestinal motility. By increasing the rate of metabolism, ginger can help burn off some of the fat stored up in the body.

HOW TO ENJOY GINGER

- Make ginger lemonade. Simply combine freshly grated ginger, lemon juice, cane juice or honey and water.

- Ginger for weight loss, it can be used not only in the form of tea, but also in handling salads. Since ginger tea invigorates, it is not advisable to drink in the evening.

- Add extra to your rice side dishes by sprinkling grated ginger.

- Combine ginger, soy sauce, olive oil and garlic to make a wonderful salad dressing.

- Spice up your healthy sautéed vegetables by adding freshly minced ginger.

- You can always brew with tea (black, green). If ginger tea drinks with honey, it is necessary to slow or has been diluted in warm tea.

Avoid The New Year’s Headache: Drinks Party

Introduction

I love this topic. In fact, I’ve written about it a few times before. If you’re interested in learning if and how alcohol affects muscle building, strength, and fat loss – stay tuned for more tips.
Let’s start by getting two things out of the way:
1. I think it’s safe to say that most people will over-indulge in drinks on new year’s eve and proper nutrition is the way to go in reducing your new year’s day hangover.
2. I’m sorry to say that there in no actual hangover cure, but there are many ways to reduce a hangover, or help you recover quickly from one.

Enjoy the New Year – I have the hangover covered

One of the main reasons why I love this topic is because I love to let loose and party for new years and the holidays.
The average alcohol consumption goes up during these times of the year. So much so, that some hospitals report many ER visits from people who have “holiday heart arrhythmia”.
An alcohol induced version of arrhythmia that usually goes away, and isn’t too concerning, but it is a warning sign.
I’ve listed a few of the top hangover “cures” below:

1. Hydration (water + electrolytes)

Hydration is key to reducing the effects of a hangover.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that having a glass of water before bed helps a bit the next morning. Re-filling that glass and keeping it bedside for the morning is also important.

However, your electrolyte balance plays a HUGE roll in how you feel and how well you re-hydrate.
Electrolytes are crucial not only to hydration but to regular functions of life as well. They are essential minerals that your body can’t make, meaning you need to get them through the diet.

In terms of hydration, they help direct certain amounts of water into parts of the body that need it.
They are also crucial to the function of the nervous system and they are used to contract and relax your muscles.

When you drink alcohol, it not only dehydrates you, but it also depletes many vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function optimally. The decrease in electrolytes is one reason why you feel so crappy and lethargic the next morning.
Solution: Try a sports drink that has electrolytes in it either before bed, or in the morning when you wake up. You’ll be glad you did.

2. Eating fatty foods

As much as I hate to admit it, eating a big dirty meal before drinking can help cure your hangover (if you can stomach it).

Some of the fatty acids can help act as a lining of the stomach and because they take longer to digest.
It also slows the process of alcohol digestion. This is also a common strategy to do the morning after drinking.

The mixture of a high calorie breakfast with a mixed ratio of carbs, fat and protein can be beneficial in balancing blood glucose levels, providing vitamins and minerals that have been depleted and again, coating the stomach for some relief.
Solution: If you choose to eat a big breakfast after, certain ingredients will help more than others.

3. Eggs

Eggs are great, especially if you care about fitness.
They’re a quality protein source so you preserve your muscles AND they are rich in an amino acid called “cysteine” which helps break down toxins such as alcohol.

4. Greek Yogurt + Fruit

Greek yogurt is another phenomenal protein source with a creamy texture that can also sooth the stomach lining.
When couples with fruits (especially berries), your body will use its antioxidants to fight off the free radicals that alcohol produces in the body.

Those are just a few proven remedies

My favourite is always the sports drink, half before bed, half when I wake up, then an hour or so later, going for a nice breakfast.
Common folklore speaks of many crazy (and gross) sounding remedies and most are some form of fermented food that may not seem appealing.
However, some research has proven fermented foods like pickles to be soothing for the stomach during a hangover and they do carry electrolytes as well.

What about exercise?

I know… that’s why I saved it for last.
IF you SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY get your butt out of bed, going for a light aerobic workout will help you rid your body of toxins, and any left over alcohol itself.
The body does so in two ways.

1. Sweats out toxins and increases your metabolism
2. Increases your HR which in turn increases your breathing volume.
Yes, you can actually breathe out alcohol from your body. Although not a whole lot in the grand scheme, you may be releasing 2-3 or more times the amount you would if you weren’t exercising.

This does NOT apply to strength training.
Your nervous system is for the bin the day after heavy drinking. You won’t be as strong, or have as much work capacity so unless you’re doing a “de-load” workout, or aerobic exercise, you’re better of skipping the gym that day.

So if you happen to drink a bit too much new year’s eve, don’t forget to give these remedies a try, in order from first to last.

7 healthiest teas and their health benefits

Tea is fabulous- and so are all of its benefits. Drink your way to good health by trying a variety of the healthiest teas. For those of you that have not embraced the tea drinking habit, maybe you’ll consider brewing a batch after reading this! Drink it hot, drink it cold…whichever way you like!

What are the healthiest teas?

1)     One of the healthiest teas is Green tea: It’s good for your eyes AND your heart! Just like any part of the body, your eyes and heart can suffer from oxidative stress. Green tea improves endothelial function which is related to cardiovascular health. Drink Green tea and not only will you see better but your heart will love it too!



2)     White Tea: This tea is anti-aging! Who doesn’t want to look younger? It has a high polyphenol count which makes you gorgeous! The extracts in white tea inhibit wrinkle production by strengthening elastin and collagen in your skin. Did you know the fountain of youth is inside one of your daily mug of healthiest teas?


3)     Black Tea: Black tea is good for you in so many ways! It is good for relieving stress as well as reducing blood pressure. As stress goes up, so does your blood pressure (which puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke). Hold the stress and grab a cup of black tea. You’ll also lower your blood pressure while you’re at it! In addition, black tea will also freshen your breath at the same time! Black tea is one of the healthiest teas around. It is full of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that inhibit plaque and bacterial growth in the mouth. In addition to this, it has glucose-inhibiting properties, meaning that it may also help to prevent diabetes! Drink black tea to have low blood pressure, a slim waist line, fresh breath, and to be stress free!



4)     Peppermint Tea: Sip on this delicious, yet potent tea to relieve constipation or GI irregularity. Whenever you experience an uncomfortable bout of constipation, peppermint tea is sure to improve motility in the GI tract and get you going.


5)     Ginger Tea: This anti-inflammatory tea is another on our list of healthiest teas. It will relieve any migraine because it blocks prostaglandins- the chemical messengers that cause swelling in the brain. It works just as fast, or faster than aspirin would, so why not go nautral! It will also help to relive sore muscles and joints. If that’s not enough it will also help to improve any gastrointestinal inflammation you may have.



6)     Kombucha Tea: What’s that? It’s a fizzy, fermented tea drink that is actually full of beneficial bacteria and yeast. Consumption of Kombucha tea promotes the growth of healthy flora and gut health. It is essentially a liquid probiotic supplement. You’re giving your body what it needs to function efficiently, keeping digestion working properly and your immune system working at its potential.



7)     Passionflower Tea: Passionflower has the flavone chrysin, which has anti-anxiety benefits. It works best for people with anxiety or OCD. Restless at night because you cannot shut your brain off? Try a cup of passionflower tea before bed to calm your mind.



You can use tea bags or go loose, drink it hot or cold, but either way, tea is fabulous! So why not try some of the healthiest teas as a refreshing alternative to other drinks.

Out of ordinary beauty hacks

This usually happens when you let nail polish stay on your nails for very long and when you’ve used cheap nail polish. Whiten them all up by rubbing toothpaste to remove the stains. You can also add a few drops of lemon for extra whitening, it’s a natural bleaching agent. Use suntan oil to treat damaged hair.
Here’s another use for that coconut suntan oil you love so much. If your tresses have been damaged from over styling or coloring, you can use this oil to treat it. Rinse your hair with warm water and then with a dollop of suntan oil, rub this on your hair. Wrap it in plastic cling wrap and secure with a towel. Sleep with this on overnight. The next day, wash your hair with baby shampoo (or anything moisturizing) to get the greasiness out.Protect skin from the pool and the beach.
Don’t you hate the chlorine smell after swimming in the pool and the sticky feel of sea salt on your hair and skin after a dip in the beach? You can help minimize these effects by showering first with non-chlorinated water, which fills your pores and hair follicles. By doing this your hair won’t soak up much more water and then the residues will be easy to shower off. Treat burns with milk.
This tip is from Katie Wright (thanks Katie!) If you’re burnt badly, first aid treatment could be standing under the shower and pouring canned milk over the burns. It will help pull the heat from the burn until you can get medical treatment.Hydrate before travelling.
Since when you’re in a plane, you’re much closer to the sun, the proximity lets you be exposed more to the solar rays. Avoid drinking alcohol and salty foods because they are dehydrating. Drink lots of water instead, this will help your skin a lot. Powder Your Roots 
If by any chance you have no chance to jump into the shower and you need to look your best. Say for example you’ve spend the whole night preparing for an important presentation. Get a fluffy makeup brush and dab it onto loose powder and then brush it on the roots of your hair. Shake off the excess. The powder will soak off the grease in your locks. Cure Calluses with Vaseline or petroleum jelly
It’s very unsightly to see hard calluses on your feet especially when you’ve been wearing closed shoes for a long time. I’ve seen a friend do this. To soften these tough calluses, she puts on petroleum jelly on them and puts on socks before going to bed. Spot-Treat Smudges
I find cotton tips very usual for this. You can use it on your eyelids if you’ve made a mistake with your eyeliner and for your nails to correct a stray nail polish line.Soften Your Body with an Avocado
Since avocadoes are natural moisturizers. Mash one up and slather this on your body just before taking a shower. The body mask will do wonders for your skin. Super-Glue a Nail
Yikes! Accidents sometimes happen and when one of your nails break, you can choose to Super Glue it for the meantime. Add an opaque nail polish to cover the crack. Then when you get the chance to, better to cut it off.Use Makeup Remover on Stubborn Lipstick
Instead of rubbing vigorously on your lips to remove red or dark lipstick, just dab on a cotton ball with makeup remover instead. This will help your lips from getting chapped and bruised.Tame Brows with Eye Cream
Don’t you just hate it when there appears unsightly white specks on your brows that look like dandruff?  This means they’re a bit dry, keep them hydrated with rich eye cream. Use brown sugar to treat dandruff
If you’ve tried all the dandruff shampoos that you can buy and still your dandruff persists, try out this homemade treatment instead. Mix two parts of brown sugar with one part conditioner and then use this on your scalp. Leave on for about 3 minutes and then rinse it off.
Buff with Baking Soda
I’ve laughed at that episode in Friends when Ross went to a self-tanning sauna and got disastrous results. If you find yourself streaking (not glowing) after applying self-tanner (not all of us become experts at the first try), scrub away the unsightly spots with a loofah doused with baking soda. Brush on Hair Spray
What I hate about hair sprays is that your hair becomes so stiff and the overall look doesn't look natural anymore. For a neat hair trick, spray the hair spray on your hair brush after blow drying it. This way, you’ll still get the effects of the hair spray without making your hair look very stiff.Boost Body Lotion with Baby Oil
For that shiny leg effect but don’t have any bronzing lotion with you, mix in a little baby oil into your everyday lotion to get the same effect.Dab Body Oil on a Hangnail
Put on apricot oil, the kind found in health-food stores, to protect cuticles from turning rough and raggedy. For younger hands, rub lemon and salt
There was one picture I saw before that was posted on Twitter, it was the hands of a celebrity. I was shocked because when I learned who it belonged to, she was only my age. I looked at my hands and they don’t look that old. So ladies, take care of those lovely hands, yes? This homemade concoction will help. Remove dead skin cells by rubbing lemon juice and sea salt on your hands with the aid of a toothbrush.Freeze Your Eyeliner
I love eyeliners because they perk your eyes right back up. However sometimes they get too soft to be applied. A quick remedy for this will be to stick this into a freezer for 15 minutes. Use Toothpaste on a Zit
Use just a pea-size amount. Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb the oil so the pimple won't get more clogged, then wash off.  Additional tip from Heyhaie: Don’t use any toothpaste that whitens, the bleach will cause the zit to redden. Heat Up Your Curler
If you have stick-straight lashes, try blasting your metal eyelash curler with a hair dryer for a couple seconds to heat it up so your lashes bend more easily. And use a waterproof mascara. The formula dries faster than other mascaras, so it sets the curl more effectively. Use Soap Without Water
You know those fancy bars that are actually too pretty to use? Toss them in your underwear or tee-shirt drawers to make your skin smell delicious. You may also use fabric softener in packets. (Tip from Taysialouise)Lubricate Your Lashes
An easy way to draw attention to your eyes without putting on a pile of makeup is to comb petroleum jelly lightly through the tips of eyelashes to get a sexy, subtle sparkle. It might feel icky if you put on a lot, so watch how much you’ll rub in.Steamroll Flyaways
Spray on hair spray, then roll the can over your strands. The round bottle fits the curved shape of your head, locks in the spray, and flattens out frizz.  You can also use a bit of lotion to further tame the flyaway.Air-Dry Your Curls
Let your hair dry indoors before going out in the cold. Sometimes my curls look best when dried naturally instead of using a blow drier. It’s friendlier to your tresses too. Press a Tea Bag on Splotches
If your skin is sensitive or just looking irritated and puffy for some reason, steep a bag of green tea for a minute or two, let it cool down, and dab it over your face. The antioxidants in the tea take down inflammation. Shave with Conditioner
If you’ve ran out of shaving cream, you can use conditioner instead. Yep don’t use that body wash, the moisturizer in the conditioner will help prevent razor burns and will keep your skin smooth.Amp Shine with Vinegar
Mix one part vinegar with four parts carbonated water, and soak dry hair. Leave on for 15 minutes before you shampoo to lock in shine and combat dullness. Exfoliate Your Pits
If your underarms start to look dry and flaky, an easy trick is to exfoliate them with a gentle face scrub to keep that skin pretty when going sleeveless. Customize Your Body Lotion
Instead of shelling out for an expensive perfumed body product, you can make your own by pouring a few drops of fragrance into any scent-free lotion. Rub it on-the scent will last for hours. "Brush" with Mouthwash
If you're too wiped out after a late night of partying to clean your teeth, rinse with water and mouthwash, then use a dry toothbrush on the area where your teeth hit your gums. Use egg-whites for eyebags
Dab a bit of egg white on his eye bags. The egg whites will tighten the skin right up. Let the egg whites dry before putting on make-up.Make an Egg-White Mask
To revive tired, dull skin without hitting the spa table, try this: Crack open an egg in a bowl, separate the yolk, and use the egg whites to make a face mask. The proteins help to heal and restore skin's moisture. Leave it on for five minutes, and rinse off.  A note though, since egg whites tighten the skin and egg yolks moisturize, best not to use the egg white mask on a dry skin.
[SOURCES: Cosmopolitan, Real Simple, Redbook, Total Beauty]

Twenty-five Things to Know on Becoming a Teenager

A family I know has a tradition of making a book when their children hit 13. Everyone writes a memory, or a piece of advice. I set down to write a list of 25 things that are *actually* true. Is there anything wrong here? Is there anything I'm missing?

1. You are somewhat better looking that you think you are.

2. You are somewhat more popular that you think you are.

3. Your parents are somewhat more cool than you think they are. They are somewhat less cool than they think they are.

4. Your parents are sometimes wrong. You are wrong more often.

5. For any given "grown up" activity, somewhat fewer people are doing it than you think.

6. For any given "grown up" activity, somewhat fewer people are doing it than say they are doing it.

7. People are not thinking about you. They are thinking about what you're thinking about them.

8. You are entering a period of chronic, low-level insanity. You will look back on your teen age years and realize this. All teenage girls are insane.

9. Teenage boys are worse. They are stark, raving, often droolingly insane, and generally remain so well into their twenties.

10. There is nothing wrong with your breath.

11. Your body smells just fine.

12. Noses never hit. Braces do not lock. Teeth sometimes hit. Lips chap, but it take a long, long time. You now know absolutely everything about the dangers of kissing.

13. Oh, I forgot. It's much easier than you think to get a hickie. If you get one, you will try hard to hide it. Your parents and teachers will try equally hard to pretend they don't see it, or don't know what it is.

14. The coolest kids in my class are failures now. This is a simple fact. If I had known it at the time I would have thought it a very fun fact. Now I realize it's kind of sad.

15. The nerdiest kid in my mother's class went on to win a Nobel Prize in Physics. (He is, however, still a major nerd.)

16. No teacher ever hates you. They just don't think that way. The good ones will love you a little or a lot. The bad ones will have the same emotion toward you that a factory worker has toward objects flying past on an assembly line.

17. Your parents don't hate you. Your parents love you more than you can even understand now.

18. If something is illegal, there is probably a good reason.

19. The things that you think will get you into trouble probably won't get you into as much trouble as you think, but will still get you into trouble.

20. The things you think might be dangerous are probably more dangerous than you think.

21. Tattoos last an extremely long time. Studies have shown that only 1% of teenagers who get a tattoo like them ten years later.

22. Nose rings and tongue studs last only as long as you want them, but bother parents just as much.

23. You're not stuck. It will end. But it's going to take a long, long time.

24. When you enter a room and everyone is laughing, it isn't about you.

25. When you enter a room and everyone is laughing, and you recently blew your nose, and they're all pointing at you, and there's something green swinging in the corner of your vision, considering revising rule 24

This is a guest post by
Fahim Ahsan
Founder of AimToLive
Originally Shared on his blog!

5 Reasons You Should Be Eating Fermented Foods

 
Before you turn up your nose at fermented food, just remember this: If you’ve ever had pickles with your sandwich, or sauerkraut on your hot dog, or kefir, or yogurt, or kimchi, or miso, or beer, or wine, then you too have indulged with pleasure. What’s more, while savouring their distinctive flavors, you probably weren’t focused on their actual health benefits. The fact is that these foods have been shown to boost our immune and digestive systems by increasing the number of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
The word fermentation comes from the Latin term to boil, probably because early attempts at fermenting beverages resulted in bubbling and foaming that looked a lot like boiling. In the process of fermentation, organic substances are turned into simpler compounds by enzymes. Among the microorganisms that produce these enzymes are molds, yeasts, and bacteria.

Molds and yeasts belong to the fungus kingdom, and are distinct from both plants and animals.
Microorganisms, however, unlike molds and yeasts, need more than carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to feed and grow on. The fermentation that occurs along the way is incidental to their growth. Whatever the agents of fermentation, the healthy bacteria they provide to the gut increases the body’s defenses against harmful contamination, viruses, worms, parasites, and yes, unhealthy fungi and bacteria.

Almost all indigenous cultures around the world include some form of fermented food in their diet, and have been doing so since Neolithic times. The earliest in the West were yeast-based beer, wine, and bread, and cheeses made by bacteria and molds.
In East Asia, these were followed not long after with yogurt and other fermented milk products, pickles, vinegar, butter, and other alcoholic beverages. Fermentation has been an essential feature of Asian cuisines ever since. Japanese natto (soybeans), Chinese douchi (black beans), Korean kimchi (cabbage, radish, and other root vegetables), Vietnamese nuoc mam (fish sauce), Burmese ngachauk (dried fish), are all staples of each country’s daily diets. In addition, many fermented foods in Eastern cultures are valued for their medicinal properties as well.

Sad, then, that we seem to be seeing a decrease in traditional food fermentation in developing countries of the East – a decline partly due to the influence of Western supermarkets and fast-food culture. All the more reason for keeping alive this age-old culture of preservation, by introducing some fermented foods into our diet.
Here are five excellent reasons to do so:

Absorption of nutrients. The digestive enzyme in fermented foods increases absorption of nutrients by rendering them “partially digested,” thus helping the breakdown of food in our body before it's even ingested.

Lactose intolerance is a common allergic reaction to milk. Fermented cultures in yogurt may help alleviate this intolerance. For vegans, coconut kefirs are a great substitute.
Weight loss. Numerous studies demonstrate the effects that healthy bacteria  can have on weight loss.

A study on obesity published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that by simply drinking a probiotic-rich fermented drink for 12 weeks, subjects reduced their abdominal fat by nearly 5 percent.

Another study on infants aged 6 months and 12 months identified those with high counts of bifidobacteria as being far less prone to obesity than those with lower counts, perhaps explaining why breastfed babies are similarly less prone to obesity (since bifidobacteria are more prevalent in mother’s milk.)

Additionally, two separate studies detected 90% more of a healthy bacteria called bacteroidetes in lean people than in obese people.

Immune system boosts. Intestinal flora is often overlooked by conventional medicine in fighting disease. Perhaps knowing that 85% of our body's immune system lives in our intestines and carries approximately 100 trillion bacteria (both good and bad), should be sufficient reason to “go with our gut” in treating various ailments. It’s worth remembering too that fermented foods contain probiotics that colonize the gastrointestinal tract with beneficial microorganisms for a healthy immune system.

Studies published in Clinical Microbiology Reviews and The Journal of Nutrition show not only how probiotics may reduce diarrhea and other intestinal problems, but how they may even protect the body against colon cancer. In keeping with such findings, according to the United Nations University, kefir has been used in the treatment of tuberculosis, cancer, and pulmonary tuberculosis. Other maladies widely believed to benefit from probiotics therapy are diarrhea, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Vitamin content. The process of fermentation greatly increases the vitamin content in foods containing B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Choline, Thiamine, and Biotin.
According to The International Journal of Food Science & Technology, “Fermented dairy products show an increased level of folic acid which is critical to producing healthy babies as well as pyroxidine, B vitamins, riboflavin and biotin depending on the strains of bacteria present.”

Longer food shelf life. If you’re ready and willing to try out food fermentation at home – whether for health, culinary, or experimental purposes – the good news is that one of the easiest and most common methods of food preservation.

It is thought that in early societies, before the process was understood, fermentation was seen as a miracle of transformation. The Egyptians praised Osiris for the brewing of beer; the Greeks worshipped Bacchus as the god of wine; in Japan, few miso and shoyu breweries were without a small shrine to the Gods.

Maybe the time has come now to recapture the sense of wonder inherent in this ancient practice of preserving our food and satisfying our taste buds at the same time. And to think that all it takes is the nearest vegetable to hand—carrots, cucumbers, onions, garlic, radishes, cauliflower, you name it; a bit of salt, and a nice clean jar … and a miracle is born!

The Increasingly Transcendent Spirit of Rice Beer

 
Consider the following from the Beverage Tasting Institute:
Clear with a nickel cast. Bright honeyed Asian pear, ripe pineapple husk, and delicate lemongrass and anise aromas follow through on a soft, silky entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium with excellent depth and glassy smoothness. Finishes with a long, refreshing fade with a hint of coconut milk. Excellent vibrancy and acidity for the table.
No, it’s not Meursault or Alsatian Riesling. It’s a sake: the ultra-premium Tears of Dawn by Konseki. Yes, sake, but now, with much the same aplomb seen in the current craft-brewed beer explosion, Japanese sake brewers like Konseki are experimenting with exciting new styles, as well as revisiting some of the island country’s most revered rice-brew methods dating from as long ago as 2,000 years. (By the way, “rice wine” is one of alcohol’s most pervasive misnomers.) Unmistakably Japan’s national beverage, the oldest active sake brewer was founded in AD 1141.

Rice “Beer” History
Humanity’s first brewmaster likely chewed on mouthfuls of grain, allowing enzymes in saliva to break down the starches so wild yeast could turn the gob into a form of beer. Likewise, the earliest winemakers crushed grapes into simple hollowed-out depressions in boulders and left them for wind-borne yeasts to find and feast on the sugars; in effect, emitting alcohol (wine) as waste. As inebriants, these crude beverages were coveted as divine gifts. Time passed, techniques improved, and the craft of making alcohol from grains and grapes developed most promisingly in the religious orders. From the abbeys and monasteries of Flanders and Burgundy and Kyoto, early ascetics found that their brewing and winemaking skills earned them special protections and favors from local rulers. Thus, wine and beer and devotion came of age together.

Sake’s four ingredients are rice, koji (a natural mold added to moistened rice to break down the starches), yeast, and water. Nearly 60 varieties of sake rice — much starchier than eating-rice — are cultivated around Japan, each with its own nuance and compatibility with the available water. Quality sake is dependent on the painstaking process of milling or polishing off the outer layers of each grain of rice to reach the high-starch interior (sake is graded by what percentage of the exterior has been removed in a process that can take more than 70 hours).

From the mills, the rice emerges hot and dry. It is allowed at least two weeks for cooling, helped along by a dose of humidity; then it is washed to remove impurities and soaked in fresh water to help with the starch-to-sugar conversion. Water quality is crucial: rice reacts very favorably to trace amounts of potassium, magnesium, and phosphoric acid, while a high-iron content doesn’t work at all. Next, it is steamed and then cooled again until the expanded rice is perfectly ripe for the koji mold to further break down the starches. Koji’s influence also enhances the body and character of the final product and works compatibly with yeast, the next step in sake’s exacting preparation. In a four-day process, massive vats are filled sequentially with a conglomeration of steamed rice, koji rice, and the yeast starter. Fermentation takes 15 to 18 days. By adjusting the dosages of the three elements, brewers manipulate the final style of their sake in terms of sweet or dry, lighter bodied or rich, etc. The fully fermented liquid is then pressed off and filtered through charcoal (or sometimes not). As is the case with unfiltered wine, certain brewers believe filtering robs the sake of unique flavors and authenticity. Finally, the sake is heated to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit for pasteurization (or sometimes not). Brewers can also add a bit of water at this time to reduce the alcohol to around 15 percent. Certain styles of sake call for distilled alcohol to be added during fermentation. On average, sake’s alcohol content is around 15 to 16 percent. Indeed, sake is anything but simple and straightforward.

Types and Serving Tips
Premium sake is made in three categories: Junmai — 30 percent or more of the rice is milled away. (The Junmai category also includes Honjozo sake, wherein a small amount of distilled alcohol is added during fermentation.) Junmai Ginjo — 40 percent or more of the rice is milled away. Junmai Daiginjo — 50 percent or more is milled away. (Less than 10 percent of all the sake on the market is made to the standards of Ginjo and Daiginjo.)
If alcohol was added during fermentation, producers will not use the term “Junmai.” Nigori refers to unfiltered sake; the bottles retain lees (dead yeast cells and rice polishings) and appear cloudy in the bottle. Otherwise, look for Genshu if you’d like undiluted sake, and Nama if you like your sake unpasteurized.

Contemporary sake drinkers are experimenting wildly with sake cocktails, Western food and sake pairings, wine glasses and other unconventional drinking vessels, and so on. The most significant and freeing new practice is to drink sake at room temperature or chilled. Nevertheless, the extraordinary nuance found in premium sake is best experienced at temperatures well above human body temperature.

Historically, the Japanese drink sake with food — either choose a sake to pair with a dish that has complementary flavors, or play up the contrast in flavors between the two. Sake is especially well suited to raw fish, fermented and pickled foods, dishes featuring miso and soy sauce, and even cheese, due to the koji flavors inherent in sake. Professionals point to the high amino acid content of sake as the reason it pairs so well with so many foods, but you may be more comforted by an ancient Japanese proverb, which simply translates to “doesn’t get into fights with food,” in the words of Philip Harper in his The Book of Sake.