Why you should eat fermented foods

Five reasons why you should ear fermented foods.

You’ve probably noticed the buzz around fermented foods. From kimchi to kombucha, sauerkraut to kefir, fermented foods are all the rage in health circles. Their health benefits are thanks to the lacto-fermentation process that they go through, which transforms them into the ultimate probiotic superfoods. Bacteria create lactic acid by feeding on the sugar and starch in the foods. This process helps to manufacture a range of goodies such as health-boosting enzymes, fatty acids and B vitamins and also inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. Can you believe that these health-giving foods have been around for centuries, yet scientists are only just starting to clock on to the benefits. Here are five amazing reasons to factor fermented foods into your life.

Beat digestive problems

Fermented foods are thought to improve digestive health by balancing out the ratio of good and bad gut microflora. They also help to regulate the production of stomach acid to help problems such as indigestion.

Improve your mood

Good bacteria is thought to produce molecules that travel up the gut brain axis – the pathway that connects the intestinal tract and the brain – and it’s thought that by altering gut bacteria you can handle stress better, experience a mood boost and even get improved sleep.

Kick-start wellbeing

Bacteria and gut enzymes help to break down food to make nutrients readily available for our bodies to use. Fermented foods are thought to be enzyme promoters, which maximise this process and increase the level of nutrients our bodies absorb.

Bolster immunity

A study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, found that New Zealand athletes who took a probiotic pill experienced around 40 per cent fewer colds and digestive infections compared to when they took a placebo pill. It’s thought that probiotics help to calm down inflammation and reduces the risk of illness – and the benefits can be experienced through  both supplements and fermented foods.

Lose weight

Probiotic foods have super powers that help to keep your weight in check. Experts think it’s due to the digestive effects of fermented foods helping to make your intestinal walls less permeable. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that women who took probiotic pills in conjunction with dieting lost 9.7lbs over a 12-week period. They also lost further weight following the diet. The other group in the study, who took a placebo pill, experienced less weight loss and only managed to maintain their weight loss rather than drop any further weight.