FERMENTATION FRIDAYS #1: Sugar is a Fermentation Tool, NOT a Seasoning

Sugar! Once a staple in every household, more and more conscious spirits are gravitating away from this substance, in all of its forms.  Linked to ailments from diabetes to candida, from obesity to even parasitic overgrowth, sugar is being viewed within a negative lens.  Remove sugar from your diet, and you'll be o.k.

Not exactly.  Now many of you may be wondering why my first- ever post concerning fermented foods would have to do with sugar.  Well, two reasons: first, there are a few common misconceptions about sugar that need to be debunked, and I am here to set the record straight on a few of them.  Secondly, sugar is the basic foundation for food fermentation; under anaerobic conditions, sugar is broken down and converted to alcohol, CO2, or acids.  So in this sense, sugar is vital to producing something of a higher good.  Therefore, it is important to recognize sugar for what it should be used as: a means (fermentation agent) to an end (a biologically- active, healthy, vibrant living fermented food), and not an end in and of itself (an additive to flavor food).  Do not use sugar as you would a spice, adding it to foods for flavor; instead use sugar only as an ingredient in your fermenting.  This paradigm shift will help realign your thinking when it comes to sugar. 

First misconception: "All sugar is bad." Not necessarily true.  Bad, is a loaded word; it lumps all types of sugar into one category, when the word 'bad' isn't even a category.  It's a relative term.  'Bad', just like the term 'healthy', 'wealthy', and 'natural' represent an infinite spectrum.  In my view, honey is 'bad', whereas many find it to be natural.  I find honey to exploiting towards bees, and I feel all life should be respected; but many prefer honey over lab-produced sweeteners and sugars, and feel agave (a honey alternative), is too processed for their tastes.  "How can something so processed, so broken down from its original state, be healthy?" Many wonder this about agave, and as a resort, stick to honey.  The truth is, honey, as can sugar, as can stevia, as can agave, can all be 'bad' when used in excess proportions. 

Second misconception: "If I eat too much fruit, I may get candida."  There seems to be a lot of fear concerning candida, as American society presses toward a healthier, more conscious nutritional disposition.  One of the popular buzz words in many circles is Candida Albicans, or the bug responsible for yeast imbalances in our bodies.  Yes, it is true Candida is a diploid fungus that can overgrow when the environment is right, spreading havoc to its host, just like a parasite.  However, be wary to turn automatically to eating fruit as the culprit.  Sure, fruits are loaded in sugars--- sugars that are easily broken down by our bodies-- but let's divert the focus to the sugars you are eating that you DON'T realize.  Adding sugar to your grapefruit? Honey to your tea? Still eating heavily processed complex carb- laden food?  Try taking a total assessment of your diet before diagnosing fruit as your culprit.  What I've found is that-- and I speak for myself based on my personal experiences-- when I eat more wholesome fruit, not fruit in fruit cups, not fruit-flavored juices and drinks, but raw unaltered fruit in moderate quantities, with low levels of natural good for you fats (ie avocados, coconut oil, etc), I don't crave artificial sugar and my body is happy.  My digestion is optimal, my energy levels are optimal, and my yeasts are kept in check. Add fermented foods regularly into that mix, and I'm an unstoppable force of RAW goodness.

So...where am I going with this?

I wanted to delve into sugar, to debunk those fears, reiterate its importance, and help adjust my readers' thinking; sugar should be used as a fermenting agent, and not as a seasoning.  This discussion segues into my Fermentation Fridays series here on Humbly, Peax & Love.  Now that we've gotten over the taboo sugar hump, we are ready to tackle the wide world of food fermentation.  We will get into everything from water kefir to kombucha, from sauerkraut to uncooking with your delicious fermented food products.  As always, feel free to ask any questions via the comments below, and I will respond! Peax.