The Health Benefits of Fermented (probiotic) Oats: The Ultimate Guide to an easy Sourdough Bread Starter, Vegan Yogurt, & Cheese!!

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  Discover the incredible health benefits of fermented oats & use them to make delicious sourdough bread, vegan yogurt, & cheese. Loaded with probiotics, complete protein & essential nutrients, to detox our body, boost our immune system, enhance our diet, improve overall health & well-being. Recipe, Properties & Tips.

Let's start with the beneficial components and healthy properties of fermented oats.

- Probiotics (beneficial bacteria that cleanse & protect the digestive system & boost immunity).

- Beta-Glucan (soluble fibre - reduces cholesterol levels, improves cardiovascular health).

- Vitamins:

B Vitamins: Increased bioavailability of B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), and B9 (Folate).

Vitamin K: Produced by certain fermenting bacteria, important for blood clotting and bone health. 

-Amino-acids, Peptides: Fermentation’s bacteria break down oats’ proteins into easier to digest small peptides & amino-acids, synthesize new amino-acids, and enhance the ones that are present in small quantities. This makes the fermented oats a “complete protein”.

*Our body uses the 9 essential amino-acids to create protein where it’s needed! No, protein is not meat!!

- Minerals:

Iron (enhanced absorption due to the breakdown of phytic acid).

Magnesium (muscle and nerve function).

Zinc: (boosts immunity & enzyme activity).

Phosphorus (bone health, energy production).

- Antioxidants: Phenolic Compounds (increased by the Fermentation, to combat oxidative stress).

-  Anti-inflammatory Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) (produced by the fermentation’s probiotic bacteria, they increase gut health and fight inflammation).

-Enzymes (produced by the fermentation’s bacteria, they help digestion and essential nutrient’s absorption).

- Prebiotics: (prebiotic fibres in oats feed our beneficial gut bacteria, for a healthy gut microbiome and immune system).

- Lactic Acid (produced by the fermentation, it aids in digestion, acts as a preservative by inhibiting harmful bacteria, boost our immune system).

- Reduced Anti-Nutrients: Fermentation reduces compounds like phytic acid and lectins, which prevent essential nutrients’ absorption, such as iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc.

*This one of the reasons why we should always soak our seeds, nuts & legumes for 24 hours, as I explain here.

- Reduced or Eliminated Carbs: Fermentation's bacteria feed on sugars and carbs, breaking down complex carbs (starches) and sugars into simple sugars, and then metabolizing them. This process results in a low-carb (Keto friendly) product.

- Probiotics: These beneficial bacteria are the ultimate protectors of our gut health and immune system.

- Reduced or Eliminated Gluten: During fermentation, probiotic bacteria break down proteins, including gluten. This makes sourdough bread safer for gluten-intolerant individuals, like me. Oats are naturally gluten-free or contain very tiny amounts of gluten. People with celiac disease should determine which flour works best for them.

  Now we can understand the importance of turning to (fermented) sourdough bread and rejecting other options. It's crucial to choose flour carefully, avoiding wheat flour or “all-purpose flour” as promoted by industries. I'll explain the health damages caused by modern wheat in a specific article. Stay connected.

Before starting with the recipe, I need to clarify something. The term “fermentation” is widely used for several processes, as I have done here. The most appropriate term for producing probiotic bacteria is “cultured.” Do not confuse this beneficial process with the “bad” fermentation that occurs in the gut when colonized by harmful bacteria, yeast, or mould (mycotoxins). The probiotic culture we are creating here, as in my probiotic tomato sauce, probiotic mustard, Sauerkraut etc., are absolutely safe and beneficial.

Straight to the recipe.

What we will need:

-A clean table or counter top to work on.

-A very clean jar with a lid that can cover it but not seal it airtight.

-A very clean spoon.

-Filtered water (if you do not have access to filtered water, boil some tap water and let it cool down to room temperature).

-Oat flour (if you don’t have oat flour, buy organic oat flakes, and finely powder them with your blender, as I did here).

Put 2–3 tablespoons of oat flour in your jar

Mine is 700ml. You can use a larger one, or a slightly smaller, but I don’t recommend it, as we’ll be using this starter a lot! 😊

Add 4–5 tablespoons of filtered water. You can add it gradually, stirring, to create a smooth, runny dough.

Put the lid on the jar, but do not seal it, as the bacteria that will soon develop need oxygen to survive and feed on the flour.

Depending on the temperature and the existing bacteria in the room, the starter will star forming bubbles. This is the carbon dioxide that is produced by the metabolization process, and indicates that everything is going well. Try not to disturb it until it almost doubles in size, but smell it occasionally, it should remind you of the scent of yogurt.

If your room temperature is too low, the rising will be slower. To speed up the process, you can place the jar in your oven with the light on. Let it bubble for 3–4 hours.

At this stage I put my jar in the refrigerator for a few hours. This helps the probiotic bacteria that develop in cool conditions. It’s not necessary, but I like its taste. After a few hours, bring the jar back to room temperature, and let it continue to bubble and raise.

After it’s almost doubled in size, it’s time to feed it. We really don’t need to be precise here! I typically don’t count, but the safest rule is to add as much flour and water as you did initially.

Stir well with a clean spoon until you achieve the consistency of a soft dough. Let it rest again until it doubles in size.

Repeat the feeding process, adding a little more flour and water this time since the starter should be strong by now.

When it bubbles again, and rises well, it’s ready to use! And that’s all 😊

TIPS

Storing the starter

-Storing your starter in the refrigerator will last for weeks, or months, depending on the developed probiotic bacteria.

-Freezing it will preserve it for ages.

-Dehydrating it (drying), and storing in airtight containers will also make it last “forever”.

These methods simply put the bacteria into dormancy; they do not kill them. You can revive your starter anytime by feeding it, letting it bubble, and it will be ready to use.

Speed up the culture

To kick-start your fermentation process you can use 1 tablespoon of the water we kept in the fridge from the probiotic tomato sauce or from the Sauerkraut we prepared. Especially beneficial if you live in colder climates.

No waste process

We never discard the excess starter when it grows in our first container, as some bakers suggest!! We can always reduce it, storing the excess as mentioned before, start a new batch in another container, or use it straight away. I give you options bellow.

Uses

-Bake long fermented sourdough bread as I show here

-Bake the easiest fast bread in the oven or toaster!! (coming soon).

-Use it as delicious, probiotic, vegan yogurt, an excellent source of protein for a healthy breakfast!! (coming soon).

-Create various types of delicious, aged, probiotic, artisan, vegan cheeses!!! (coming soon, stay connected).

-Create delicious vegan, probiotic cheese sauces & dips!!! They are fantastic, with healing spices & herbs!! (coming soon).

  Excellent ways to enjoy the taste of cheese and yogurt if you choose to not consume dairy products, you have allergies, gut problems, skin problems, or if you are vegan. That way you’ll also avoid the toxic chemicals the artificial, processed, vegan food industry uses… and they’re really worse than the animal products themselves!

I explain more in this research of mine on the autoimmune diseases, and the hormonal imbalances caused by foods and chemicals! (Probably my most important publication)

Feeding

If you are only using your starter for baking, after the first feeding and rise, you can feed it with any flour you prefer. I've successfully used rye and buckwheat flour myself.

Improvise

Feel free to experiment in your kitchen, and even involve your children in this kind of creativity. Explain to them the beneficial properties of the ingredients you use, so that they will develop the mind-set to make wise choices regarding their health in daily life. You’ll have fun together spending some quality time with them, away from “toxic” distractions.

Always create with love

Everything is energy, and love is the greater healer 😊

So, that’s it for today.

For any questions, or health issues you might need help with, please, feel free to contact me directly.

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Loads of love,

Thomais

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