Newby question

[symeonsam]

Is Pickling or fermented food, considered raw?

[iamacranberry]

As long as you don't cook it somewhere along the way.

[sport]

Fermented food is considered healthy and most cultures have some as a staple. I do not think that pickling would be as healthy.

[Soose]

I've wondered the same thing. I want to make sauerkraut. (But just read that the non-organic cabbage I bought should not be eaten.)

What is the difference between fermented and pickled? And how does one keep the fermentation from going wrong?
Thanks, Soose

[sport]

I would think that pickled is a means of preserving using vinegar where as fermenting is allowing it to decay and so generate enzymes and good bacteria.

[iamacranberry]

There are all kinds of things about the benefits of raw saurkraut. I can personally recommend raw kimchi :)

[spicyfull]

Ditto with "as long as its not cooked somewhere along the way" I also think its RAW.

[iamacranberry]

I've wondered the same thing. I want to make sauerkraut. (But just read that the non-organic cabbage I bought should not be eaten.)

What is the difference between fermented and pickled? And how does one keep the fermentation from going wrong?
Thanks, Soose

Keep the air 100% out of it.

[RawTruth]

Is Pickling or fermented food, considered raw?

You've unwittingly opened a can of worms here (a doubly-disgusting image!) as far as terminology goes. The terms raw and live or living are frequently used interchangeably and just as frequently misunderstood. So, since I'm not sure which you're actually asking about, I'll probably answer in waaaay too much detail! But, here goes ...

Fermented foods are raw as long as they haven't been pasteurized or preserved - raw sauerkraut, raw kimchi, yogurt, etc. However, these are not live in the way that fruits, seeds, and roots are in that those foods have life force energy that allow them to reproduce. More will grow from them; thus, they're live. Live bacteria turns cabbage into sauerkraut, but it doesn't grow a cabbage, so it's not considered live in the same way.

And, as mentioned, they can be highly beneficial. In case you're adventuresome, they're very easy to make, by the way.

[miles2go]

Hi Symeonsam,

You might want to take a look at the site www.wildfermentation.com. Sander Ellix Katz is the go-to guru on live culture fermentation as far as I am concerned. :)

I have noticed that across the raw foods world there are varying opinions on fermentation...something each person has to work out with their body!

Deb