Why Are Fermented Foods & Drinks Important In Your Diet?

Bloating, gut ache, and sluggish bowels? Could fermented foods be the answer?

Sauerkraut is a traditional fermented cabbage dish that benefits gut health

Origins of Fermented Foods & Drinks

People have made various foods and drinks across centuries by a means to enjoy these foods in different forms and to preserve them for when they were not plentiful, or when not in season. The health benefits of fermented foods was not well known then, as it is now, however people would be aware of some of their benefits as these foods have made it through centuries.

Owing to an increase in microbiome research and the benefits in gut health brought these traditional fermented foods to the for front. By researching some of their properties these fermented foods have demonstrated that have health benefits when consumed.

Most of the fermented foods and drinks that we produce now are traditional foods that evolved over centuries and have been part of different cultures all over the world. We have Kimchi from Korea with its spicy and pungent properties, Sauerkraut from Eastern Europe with white cabbage and some times with spices such as caraway seeds. There is yoghurt that is probably the most well known fermented food thought to originate 5000-10000BC in the Middle East.

Non alcoholic Fermented drinks not well know in the modern world have also become popular with a movement towards fermentation for health. Previously fermented drinks became popular as alcoholic drinks such as beers, cider, and wine are all products of fermentation that contain significant amounts of alcohol. Other fermented drinks that have stood the test of time that do not contain or contain a very small amount of alcohol are drinks such as milk kefir, water kefir, kombucha AMAZING FACTS ABOUT KOMBUCHA AND KOMBUCHA HEALTH BENEFITS!, kvass's, and şalgam suyu that are associated with health benefits.

Fermentation is a process that foods go through with little or no help from us. As long as the conditions are right with temperature and food to thrive on the fermentation will go ahead. The fermentation process involves the action of microorganisms; yeast and bacteria where they feed on starch or sugars and convert these into alcohol or acid.

Fermented foods that are made at home and not pasteurised are a source of healthy bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial to health, in particular digestive health. Yoghurt, kefir, cider, vinegar, wine, kombucha, cheese, sourdough bread, sauerkraut, kimchi, beer are all products of fermentation.

I am only concentrating on the health benefits of non alcoholic fermented foods and drinks here.

Health Benefits Of Fermented Foods and Drinks

• Fermented foods with their beneficial bacteria and yeasts support a healthy gut microbiome. This means they top up your gut with healthy bugs and in return, you may experience improved gut function. This may involve less bloating, flatulence or more regular and satisfactory bowel movements.

• They are packed with nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C, pre-digested proteins, pre-digested sugars in the case of lactose in milk making them more bioavailable and tolerable for the body.

• The fermentation process makes some nutrients more bioavailable such as sulforaphane, and indole-3 carbinol in cruciferous vegetables, more vitamin C in sauerkraut. In addition phytates are broken down in grains making minerals more bioavailable to the body.

• The fermentation process makes foods easier to digest increasing their bioavailability.

• Fermented foods supports a healthy immune system. Most of your immune system is located in the gut. Having a healthy gut microbiome enhances your immune system.

• The LAB species probiotics in fermented foods such as yoghurt improves lactose intolerance by increasing your ability to digest lactose (a milk sugar).

• Incorporating fermented foods in to your diet also help to increase fibre in your diet. Having adequate amounts of fibre in your diet is important for many aspects of health not limited to gut health. Fibre feeds your microbiome that produce various metabolites that act as messengers in the body that impact hormones, metabolism, our food choices and mental health.

• By adding in a variety of different fermented food in to your diet you benefit from increasing the diversity of your diet and your microbiome loves diversity. Eating differently coloured foods has many health benefits as the different colours in the foods have different antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body. This is a good way to keep the body in balance with food only! Not only that but your microbiome loves to feed on different types of polyphenols. And this also has a benefit on the balance of your microbiome as the polyphenols feed the good bacteria it's metabolites also inhibit the bad bacteria.

These are just a few good reasons to incorporate fermented foods into your diet to benefit your health. There are massive amounts of beneficial organisms in fermented foods and drinks if they are done properly and as they are eaten or drunk in food form the body is more likely to allow these organisms to travel to the gut to allow them to do their good deeds there.

Fermenting at Home For Health

As a gut health nutritionist I have researched and made my own fermented foods and drinks for may years. I found that incorporating home made fermented foods and drink in to daily eating has benefits to health.

What is important while making your own ferments at home is to follow simple guidelines so you encourage the growth of beneficial lactobacillus bacteria and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. If your fermented is based on mainly yeast as is in kvass and kombucha observing any growth that may be visible and identifying if it is safe to eat or needs to be discarding.

The finished ferment needs to smell pleasant and not musty or offensive. Some ferments my produce kahm yeast on the surface and this can be removed from the top. This usually happens when the vegetables are not fully submerged in the brine. If you notice a mold growth that is in strange colours and is fury then you need to discard the ferment. This may occur if the salt is not enough or you have left the ferment un attended for along time as in kombucha that needs feeding regularly and another reason may be that the conditions were not hygienic or there was contamination.

Recipes For Fermented Foods & Drinks

Here on my blog you can find some great fermented food and drink recipes. Sauerkraut How To Make Fermented Sauerkraut For Optimal Gut Health, Kimchi KIMCHI RECIPE, Beetroot and berry kvass's, Milk Kefir just to name a few.

Fermenting different vegetables for health benefits

Would you like to learn how to ferment your own foods and drinks? I love teaching fermentation workshops and sharing the benefits of fermentation!

The best way to hear about my fermentation workshops is to subscribe to my newsletter so you can hear when my next workshop is.