health Matters
Fermented Foods for Health & Healthy Gut
by Dr. Thomas K. Lo, Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center
Fermentation is a process that is used to produce some of the world’s favorite foods and beverages.
One of the most popular fermented foods globally is yogurt, which has been consumed in certain parts of the world for thousands of years, along with closely related kefir.
Throughout history, fermenting foods gave our ancestors the option of prolonging the freshness of grains, vegetables, and milk that were available to them during different seasons.
Eating fermented (or “cultured”) foods is the most convenient way to obtain a daily dose of probiotic bacteria that support gut health and more.
Ways Fermented Foods Support Overall Health
Studies suggest that some of the ways cultured foods support overall health include:
Improving digestion and cognitive function;
Boosting immunity;
Helping treat irritable bowel disease;
Providing minerals that build bone density;
Helping fight allergies; and
Killing harmful yeast and microbes
What is Fermentation?
When a food is fermented, it’s left to sit and steep until the sugars and carbs that the food naturally contains interact with bacteria, yeast and microbes to change the chemical structure of the food.
The definition of fermentation is “the chemical breakdown of a substance by bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms, typically involving effervescence and the giving off of heat.”
The process of fermentation converts compounds, such as a carbohydrates, including vegetables and sugar, to carbon dioxide and alcohol to an organic acid.
According to recent studies, most fermented products have been found to contain at least 1 million microbial cells per gram.
The fermentation of foods such as milk and vegetables are also a great way to preserve them for a longer period of time and to make their nutrients more bioavailable.
Some of the Best Fermented Foods to Include in Your Diet Are:
1. Kefir
Kefir is a fermented milk product that tastes like drinkable yogurt. Kefir benefits include providing high levels of vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K2, biotin, folate, enzymes and probiotics.
2. Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented drink made of black tea and sugar. It contains a colony of bacteria and yeast that is responsible for initiating the fermentation process once combined with sugar.
Kombucha has trace amounts of alcohol but too little to cause intoxication or even to be noticeable.
3. Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is one of the oldest traditional foods. It is made from fermented green or red cabbage, and is high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and B vitamins. It’s also a great source of iron, copper, calcium, sodium, manganese and magnesium.
Store-bought sauerkraut is not always fermented; especially the canned/processed kind.
Real, traditional, fermented sauerkraut needs to be refrigerated and is usually stored in glass jars and will say it is fermented on the package/label.
4. Pickles
Fermented pickles contain a ton of vitamins and minerals, plus antioxidants and gut-friendly probiotic bacteria.
Store-bought pickles are usually not fermented. Most are made with vinegar and cucumbers, and although this makes the pickles taste sour, this doesn’t lead to natural fermentation. Look at the package and make sure it states the pickles have been fermented.
5. Miso
Miso is created by fermenting soybeans, barley or brown rice with koji, a type of fungus. It’s a traditional Japanese ingredient in recipes including miso soup.
It’s been a staple in Chinese and Japanese diets for approximately 2,500 years.
6. Tempeh
Another beneficial fermented food made with soybeans is tempeh, a product that is created by combining soybeans with a tempeh starter (which is a mix of live mold). When it sits for a day or two, this results in it becoming a dense, cake-like product that contains both probiotics and a hefty dose of protein too.
Tempeh is like tofu but not as spongy and more “grainy.”
7. Natto
Natto is a popular food in Japan consisting of fermented soybeans. It is sometimes even eaten for breakfast in Japan and commonly combined with soy sauce, karashi mustard and Japanese bunching onion.
After fermentation it develops a strong smell, deep flavor and sticky, slimy texture that not everyone who is new to natto appreciates.
8. Kimchi
Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean dish that is made from vegetables, including cabbage, plus spices like ginger, garlic, pepper and other seasonings. It’s often added to Korean recipes like rice bowls, ramen or bibimbap.
It’s considered a Korean delicacy that dates to the seventh century.
9. Raw Cheese
Raw milk cheeses are made with milk that hasn’t been pasteurized. Goat milk, sheep milk and A2 cows soft cheeses are particularly high in probiotics, including thermophillus, bifidus, bulgaricus and acidophilus.
To find fermented/aged cheeses, read the ingredient label and look for cheese that has not been pasteurized.
The label should indicate that the cheese is raw and has been aged for six months or more.
10. Yogurt
Yogurt is fermented milk. Yogurt and kefir are unique dairy products because they are highly available and some of the top probiotic foods that many people eat regularly.
It’s recommended when buying yogurt to look for three things: (1) It comes from goat or sheep milk if you have trouble digesting cow’s milk; (2) It’s made from the milk of animals that have been grass-fed; and (3) It’s organic.
11. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar that is raw and contains “the mother” is fermented and does contain some probiotics. It also contains certain types of acids like acetic acid, which supports the function of probiotics and prebiotics in your gut.
However, most vinegars available in the supermarket do not contain probiotics.
12. Kvass
Kvass is a traditional fermented beverage that has a similar taste to beer. Much like kombucha, it goes through a fermentation process and contains probiotics.
It’s made from stale, sourdough rye bread and is considered a non-alcoholic beverage because it contains only around 0.5 percent to 1 percent alcohol. The longer it ferments, the more susceptible it is to become more alcoholic.
13. Sourdough Bread
Certain traditionally made breads, such as real sourdough bread, are fermented, but they don’t contain probiotics.
Fermentation helps make nutrients found in the grains more available for absorption and reduces antinutrient content that may make digestion difficult.
14. Coconut Kefir
For those who can’t tolerate dairy, coconut kefir is a great alternative.
This probiotic-rich drink is made with creamy coconut milk and kefir grains, but unlike regular kefir or yogurt it’s dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
The Benefits of Eating Fermented Food
The consumption of fermented, probiotic foods has many positive effects on not only the digestive system, but the whole body.
For example, a 2017 review explains that compounds within these foods have “anti-microbial effects, anti-carcinogenic and anti-microbial properties, and bioactive peptides that exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, opioid antagonist, anti-allergenic, and blood pressure lowering effects.”
The microbes that we obtain from eating probiotic foods help create a protective lining in the intestines and shield against pathogenic factors, such as salmonella and E.coli. They may also represent a potential avenue to counter the pro-inflammatory effects of gut dysbiosis.
Fermented foods nutrition is also important for increasing antibodies and building a stronger immune system. Plus, these foods regulate the appetite and reduce sugar and refined carb cravings.
Another benefit is that lacto-fermentation enhances the nutrient content of foods and makes the minerals in cultured foods more readily available.
Bacteria in fermented foods also produce vitamins and enzymes that are beneficial for digestion/gut health.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology states, “Recent scientific investigation has supported the important role of probiotics as a part of a healthy diet for human as well as for animals and may be an avenue to provide a safe, cost effective, and ‘natural’ approach that adds a barrier against microbial infection.”
There is also now evidence that fermented foods reduce social anxiety. Recent research spearheaded by the University of Maryland School of Social Work found a link between social anxiety disorder and gut health.
A big part of our emotions seem to be influenced by the nerves in our guts (the enteric nervous system). It appears that microbiota influence the gut-brain communication, mood control and behaviors, hence the term “gut-brain connection.”
In animal studies, depression has been found to be linked to the interplay of the brain and gut health, and people with chronic fatigue syndrome have also been found to benefit from probiotic consumption.
How Often to Eat Fermented Foods?
If you’re new to fermented foods, start by having about a quarter of a cup per day, and build up gradually from there. This gives your gut time to adjust to the presence of new bacteria.
It’s best to eat a variety of different fermented foods, since each one offers different beneficial bacteria.
You can buy fermented foods at the supermarket or farmer’s market and health food stores.
It’s also wise to eat plenty of prebiotic foods and high-fiber foods daily (such as artichokes, bananas, onions, and other plants), to help “feed” probiotics in the gut.
Here are ideas for adding fermented foods to your diet:
Add sauerkraut and pickles to your favorite burger recipe.
Try adding yogurt or kefir to smoothies.
Make a salad with fermented veggies like radish, sauerkraut, etc.
Make a meatless dinner by subbing tempeh for meat in a Buddha bowl recipe.
Try miso soup with mushrooms.
Add kimchi to a veggie stir-fry or homemade ramen bowl.
Sip on kombucha, combined with some seltzer if you’d like, instead of soda.
Risks and Side Effects
While they certainly have lots of benefits to offer, one disadvantage of fermented foods is that when you consume too much, especially too quickly, you may deal with some digestive issues. These can include bloating or diarrhea.
Start slowly and experiment with different kinds to find your favorites.
If you have a sensitive digestive system, you may want to start off with a smaller amount and work your way up.
For the greatest fermented foods benefits, try to purchase foods that contain “live and active cultures.”
Heat-treated kills off both good and bad bacteria. Ideally, you want raw products that do not contain lots of sugar or additives.
If you are struggling with health issues, call the Advanced Chiropractic & Nutritional Healing Center at 240-651-1650 for a free consultation. Dr. Lo uses Nutritional Response Testing® to analyze the body to determine the underlying causes of ill or non-optimum health. The office is located at 7310 Grove Road #107, Frederick, MD. Check out the website at www.doctorlo.com.
