A Fermented Food a Day…
If I had my way, I would replace the old saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” with “a fermented food a day keeps the doctor away”. I don’t have anything against apples and do eat them frequently. However, it’s evident that fermented foods have a strong impact on our health.
Many cultures have relied on fermentation as a way to preserve foods. When foods are altered by the bacteria or yeast that engage in fermentation they are less vulnerable to rotting. This was especially important prior to modern refrigeration.
Some common fermented foods include:
Yogurt Miso Kefir Kimchi
Kombucha Tempeh Sour dough bread
Apple cider vinegar Sour kraut
Beer and wine*
Research indicates that when we ingest fermented foods with these microbes in them it is beneficial to our gut health, and in turn supports our overall health. This is even true for those foods that have been processed in a way that kills the cultures like those in sourdough bread because it is baked at high temperatures.
The microbiota composition in our guts is improved when we eat these foods.
There are increases in certain beneficial bacteria species like bifidobacteria and lactobacillus. Bacteria like these improve the environment within the gut walls and also reduce whole-body inflammation by the production and release of short-chain fatty acids into the bloodstream.
Chronic diseases, including many mental health conditions, are related to chronic inflammation. Improvement of the health of the gut is an important aspect of healing these.
Note that small quantities of beer and wine may provide these benefits but the alcohol content, especially in moderate or greater amounts, negate this. Check out my article, I've Gut a Feeling: The Effects of Drinking on GI Health on Some Good Clean Fun.
References: