Whole Health Source says:
Healthy grain-based African cultures typically soaked, ground and fermented their grains before cooking, creating a sour porridge that’s nutritionally superior to unfermented grains. . . .These traditional food processing techniques [soaking and fermentation] have a very important effect on grains and legumes that brings them closer in line with the “paleolithic” foods our bodies are designed to digest. They reduce or eliminate toxins such as lectins and tannins, greatly reduce anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and protease inhibitors, and improve vitamin content and amino acid profile. Fermentation is particularly effective in this regard.
For me the key word is sour (“sour porridge”) — another example of how our enjoyment of umami- sour- and complex-flavored foods drew us toward fermented food.
A paper showing that some types of fermentation increase iron and zinc digestion.
Thanks to Justin Owings and Tom.
Seth, I am very interested in this fermented food thing and the theories behind it. One thing I wish you would address though is the relationship of botulism to fermented food. I know nothing about it other than what’s written in the wikipedia page on fermented food:
Alaska, despite its small population, has witnessed a steady increase of cases of botulism since 1985. It has more cases of botulism than anywhere else in the United States of America.[9] This is caused by the traditional Eskimo practice of allowing animal products such as whole fish, fish heads, walrus, sea lion and whale flippers, beaver tails, seal oil, birds, etc., to ferment for an extended period of time before being consumed. The risk is exacerbated when a plastic container is used for this purpose instead of the old-fashioned method, a grass-lined hole, as the botulinum bacteria thrive in the anaerobic conditions created by the plastic.
The increase in cases of botulism is obviously not due to an increase in Eskimo population or the same number of Eskimos eating more fermented food — it is an ancient practice, not a new one. It sounds like it is due to a change in how the food is fermented — old way versus new way.