The importance of yeast and leavened bread was presented in this feature last month. Yeast is used in the Bible as a symbol of the gospel and the kingdom of Christ, and it is used in this way in the writings of Ellen White too: “As leaven, or yeast, though hidden in the flour, and deposited only in one place, brings all surrounding it under its leavening process, so the working of truth continues secretly, silently, steadily, pervading all the faculties of the soul and all the kingdoms of the world.” The Home Missionary, July 1, 1897.
In addition to common bread, other foods that are commonly eaten which have been through a process of fermentation include cottage cheese or soured or clabbered milk. This is what Abraham fed to the angels, and even to the Lord (Genesis 18:2–8), and is also what Isaiah predicts that the Messiah will eat. (See Isaiah 7:15.) Also in this category of foods are sauerkraut, soy sauce, yogurt, buttermilk (these last two products can be made with soy milk for those who do not use cow’s milk or goat’s milk), and a few others.
There are some Adventists who believe that no one should eat fermented foods, but the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy do not uphold this view. In fact, many people who have a weak digestion have received benefit by ingesting cultures of helpful microorganisms either through the use of yogurt or buttermilk or, in the United States, cultured acidophilus, which is available in capsule or in a free powder form that may be mixed with various drinks. It is impossible for proper digestion to take place without some of these helpful microorganisms being present in the small intestine. Incidentally, this is one of the reasons why infants should be breastfed, because the mother’s milk, in addition to providing immune functions for the infant, helps the baby to develop a healthy flora (culture of microorganisms) in the small intestine.
Yeast is not the only kind of fungi. Mushrooms are another kind of fungi. There are over 800 varieties of mushrooms known. The domestically cultivated varieties are free of any toxic substance, as far as we know today, but because they are often grown commercially in horse manure, it is best to eat them only after they are cooked. However, there are poisonous species of mushrooms that should never be eaten. Some of the poisonous varieties so much resemble the safe varieties of wild mushrooms that, unless you are an expert in identifying mushrooms, it is not safe to collect wild mushrooms and eat them. Some of these wild mushrooms are poisonous enough to cause death, which is often preceded by convulsions and coma. There is no effective antidote for these poisonous mushrooms.
Dr. John J. Grosboll, Director of Steps to Life, is also trained in the field of nutrition, having earned a Doctor’s Degree in Health Science and a Master of Public Health degree in Public Health Nutrition from Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.