Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özbek: “Although sourdough bread and tarhana do not directly contain probiotics, they are very beneficial for health”
Altınbaş University Faculty of Medicine, Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özbek emphasized that products such as sourdough bread and tarhana are unique options in terms of both taste and health.
It is a known fact that fermented foods are rich in probiotics. Experts state that with the spread of processed foods in modern nutrition, the importance of products such as bread and tarhana based on traditional fermentation methods is increasing day by day in terms of health.
Sourdough Bread and Tarhana: Natural support for health
Altınbaş University Faculty of Medicine, Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özbek emphasized that these products are unique options in terms of both taste and health.
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özbek shared important information about fermented foods and probiotics and emphasized the importance of traditional foods such as sourdough bread and tarhana in a healthy diet.
Prof. Dr. Özbek drew attention to the common misconception that these products contain probiotics and made the following statements:
“The idea that products such as sourdough bread and tarhana contain probiotics is not true. Because during the preparation of these products, the cooking process is applied and microorganisms with probiotic properties die during this process. Therefore, there is no direct probiotic intake into our body by consuming these foods.”
Stating that this does not mean that these traditional foods are unimportant, Prof. Dr. Özbek gave the following statements:
“Products obtained by fermentation, such as sourdough bread and tarhana, become very valuable in terms of health thanks to the biological compounds formed during fermentation, even if they lose probiotic bacteria during the cooking process. This process produces substances that are both directly beneficial for our body and support our gut bacteria. Therefore, such products indirectly benefit the digestive system in particular and overall health.”
The contribution of traditional foods to health
Prof. Dr. Özbek stated that sourdough bread and tarhana are not only delicious but also important for a healthy diet when prepared with traditional methods. “These foods have a structure friendly to the digestive system and provide support to the immune system thanks to the beneficial compounds that naturally occur through the fermentation process. For this reason, sourdough bread and tarhana prepared by sticking to traditional recipes should definitely be included in the daily diet.”
Beware of pickles!
“High salt content can cause the development of stomach cancer”
Probiotics are especially abundant in fermented foods. Milk and dairy products (such as kefir, yogurt, ayran) are in this group. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özbek reminded that the microorganisms in pickles are not in the probiotic group and shared the following information: “These microorganisms are microorganisms that support the development of probiotic bacteria and in a sense have prebiotic properties. This underlines that pickles are a really useful condiment. However, it is important not to overdo it when consuming pickles. Because the restrictive feature of pickles is the high salt content. High salt content is a factor that contributes to the development of stomach cancer.”
Prof. Dr. Özbek finally emphasized the importance of conscious consumption of fermented foods for a healthy life and stated that the beneficial effects of these products can be benefited from.