Fermentation Support Forum

I eat oatmeal daily for breakfast and heard about phytic acid and fermenting so decided to give fermentation a try. I use McCann's (5 min) oatmeal, add a teaspoon of cheap plain yogurt, and let it sit covered for about 24 hours before reheating. I love the sour taste and usually just add some stevia.

Anyways, after eating for 2 weeks I mysteriously got a fever and missed 5 days of work. My doctor suspected the fermented oatmeal due to the timing but also admitted this was an age old practice that wouldn't likely give these sorts of symptoms (fatigue & mild fever). His advice was to stop the fermenting for a month and try again if I felt compelled, so I did. After 2 weeks of eating it again, I again got sick with similar symptoms but this time accompanied by sore throat and headache -another guy at work had a similar illness (no sneezing/coughing, don't see how it could have spread...). Now I'm healthy again and have switched my recipe from yogurt to an 1/8 tsp of apple cider vinegar.

Anyone else ever encounter any sickness like this or have any suggestions/theories as to what I might be doing wrong if anything?

Never been sick from any of my ferments. I'm not a doctor and don't really know much about infections, but the doctor's comment about the symptoms not quite fitting seems right (even though he/she still attributed it to the oatmeal.) Seems to me a reaction to bad food would usually entail vomiting and/or diarrhea, etc. within 24 hours.

I'm inclined to think it was just coincidence, but again, I'm not an expert. When you're new to fermenting there's often some trepidation, and at the first sign illness it's easy to assume it's the food.

Are you adding the yogurt after cooking the oatmeal, while the oatmeal is still hot? You should let the oatmeal cool to at least 110f before adding the yogurt. Otherwise you've killed the culture.

Tim Hall wrote:Are you adding the yogurt after cooking the oatmeal, while the oatmeal is still hot? You should let the oatmeal cool to at least 110f before adding the yogurt. Otherwise you've killed the culture.

Yes, I let it cool off 10-15 minutes before adding the yogurt. I wonder if 1tsp was too much; I start with 1/4 cup of dry oatmeal. Also, I wonder how important the quality of the yogurt is; I was using the cheapest plain low-fat variety.

tonedefiant wrote: I wonder if 1tsp was too much; I start with 1/4 cup of dry oatmeal. Also, I wonder how important the quality of the yogurt is; I was using the cheapest plain low-fat variety.

As long as it has live culture in it, it should work. I don't know what 1/4 cup translates to cooked, but it doesn't sound like it'd be terribly overdosed (if at all). But I tend to eyeball quantities like this, so it's hard to say. I really doubt there's anything wrong with your method.

You could try a reverse method here, kinda like making idli. I don't know how it'd affect the cooked result, but instead of culturing after cooking, do it before. If these are cut (not rolled/flaked) oats they should hold up to soaking pretty well, and will probably cook faster.

You won't have a live-culture oatmeal afterwards, but it should still reduce phytates.

The fever and fatigue are symptoms of food issus....there are lots and lots of them...different folks develop different issues. I develop fatigue and a mild fever and pain if I eat foods that don't agree with me.
It sounds as if maybe you might need to change to a better culture medium....what about making milk kefir and using that for your culture....then you could be sure it is a live culture and it would be prolly cheaper than what you are doing now. Most cultured dairy and non dairy products may have been live to start with...but are usually dead by the time the consumer gets them.
If you are dairy intolerant you can make it with soymilk or coconut milk...these both make great kefirs, altho I prefer the coconut one.

Also this could be a form on die off from candidia and it is systemic instead of just gut. I can do this from kefir like what you are describing if I drink too much.

You may consider requesting food intolerance testing the next time you visit your doctor. This simple blood test can detect foods your body may react negatively to, and how severely the reaction can be.

Intolerances can not be tested, only allergies...and if you decide to do that....do delayed and immediate. Some allergens take up 72 hrs to show their reactions....so delayed allergy testing can make a lot of difference.

As someone suggested on one of the posts, why not using Kefir indeed to soak your porridge in? What I do is the night before, put a few tablespoons of oats in some kefir, add a few chopped dates and chia seeds and wheat germ, and I let it soaks and works in the night.
I then have that for my breakfast with a bit of juice or a hot drink - no need to cook the oats (well, it tastes great just fermented and soft) and you get all the nutrients without them being adultered by the cooking.
I have had it several times and it is always frothy in the morning (I put cling film over it as the kefir don't mind being anaerobic) and never felt unwell.
Are you sure your cheap yogurt is live?