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LESSON 5 · Your Gut: The Hidden Brain

Ancient Preservation, Modern Medicine

Fermentation is one of humanity's oldest food technologies: bacteria and yeast make food last longer, taste richer, and sometimes support health in the process.

The process is simple: microorganisms consume sugars in food and produce lactic acid, alcohol, or acetic acid as byproducts. These byproducts preserve the food, create complex flavors, and generate beneficial compounds that raw food does not contain.