Fermented foods and their wide ranging BENEFITS to YOUR health.

Summary

These studies suggest that regularly eating fermented foods can boost your immune system by improving digestion, countering inflammation, and enhancing innate and acquired immunity.

Here are some examples of fermented foods with potential health benefits:

1. Yoghurt - Fermented milk products containing probiotics like Lactobacillus that can support gut health and digestion.

2. Kefir - Fermented milk drink is similar to yoghurt and is rich in probiotics and nutrients like calcium and vitamin B12.

3. Sauerkraut - Made from fermented cabbage, a good source of fibre, vitamins C and K. The fermentation produces probiotics.

4. Kimchi - A spicy Korean side dish made from fermented vegetables like cabbage and radish, providing probiotics and antioxidants.

5. Miso - A Japanese seasoning made by fermenting soybeans with salt and a mould starter culture, rich in protein and probiotics.

6. Tempeh - A fermented soybean cake from Indonesia high in protein and probiotics.

7. Kombucha - Fermented tea drink containing beneficial acids and a tiny amount of alcohol, claimed to provide probiotics.

8. Sourdough Bread - Made using a fermented dough starter containing wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria that may improve digestibility.

9. Certain Cheeses - Aged cheeses like cheddar, swiss, and parmesan undergo fermentation and can contain probiotics.

10. Fermented Vegetables - Carrots, beets, cucumbers, or other veggies can be fermented to create probiotic-rich foods.

If a fermented food product is pasteurised, it will likely lose most, if not all, of the potential probiotic benefits from the live cultures produced during fermentation.

• Pasteurisation involves heating the food to high temperatures (typically 161°F/72°C or higher) to kill potentially harmful microorganisms.

• While effective at making foods safer, these high-heat treatments also destroy many beneficial probiotic bacteria and yeasts intentionally introduced during fermentation.

• Probiotics are live microorganisms, so pasteurisation's heat will kill off a significant portion of them, if not all, in the fermented product.

Introduction

Fermented foods have been a part of human diets for thousands of years, primarily valued for their enhanced shelf life, safety, and flavour. Recently, scientific interest has surged in understanding the health benefits of these foods, particularly due to their bioactive compounds and microorganisms.

Key Insights

• Nutritional and Functional Enhancements:

  • Fermented foods can transform substrates and form bioactive or bioavailable end-products, enhancing their nutritional and functional properties.

  • The fermentation process increases the availability of vitamins, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds.

• Probiotic and Prebiotic Effects:

  • Many fermented foods contain live microorganisms similar to probiotics, which can positively impact gut health and overall immunity.

  • These microorganisms can survive gastrointestinal transit and interact with the gut microbiome, potentially leading to transient or long-term colonisation.

• Health Benefits:

  • Fermented foods have various health benefits, including improved digestion, enhanced immunity, and reduced risks of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease.

  • Specific bioactive peptides and compounds produced during fermentation exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties.

• Gastrointestinal Health:

  • Some fermented foods, such as kefir and yoghurt, have shown beneficial effects in clinical trials for conditions like lactose malabsorption and Helicobacter pylori eradication.

  • Despite extensive in vitro studies, more high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm the gastrointestinal benefits of other fermented foods like kombucha, miso, and kimchi.

• Weight Management and Obesity:

  • Regular consumption of fermented foods has been linked to improved weight management and potential therapeutic benefits for obesity and related metabolic abnormalities.

• Microbial Diversity and Bioactive Compounds:

  • Each fermented food hosts a distinct population of microorganisms, contributing to its unique health benefits.

  • The production of bioactive peptides, biogenic amines, and conversion of phenolic compounds during fermentation are key mechanisms for the health benefits observed.

Conclusion

Fermented foods offer a range of health benefits, primarily due to their enhanced nutritional properties, probiotic and prebiotic effects, and the bioactive compounds produced during fermentation. These benefits include improved digestion, enhanced immunity, reduced risks of chronic diseases, and potential weight management. However, while in vitro studies are promising, more high-quality clinical trials are needed to fully understand and confirm these health benefits.

Sources:

1. N. Sanli̇er et al. "Health benefits of fermented foods." Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 59 (2019): 506 - 527.

2. M. Marco et al. "Health benefits of fermented foods: microbiota and beyond.." Current opinion in biotechnology, 44 (2017): 94-102 .

3. S. Fuloria et al. "Synbiotic Effects of Fermented Rice on Human Health and Wellness: A Natural Beverage That Boosts Immunity." Frontiers in Microbiology, 13 (2022).

4. E. Dimidi et al. "Fermented Foods: Definitions and Characteristics, Impact on the Gut Microbiota and Effects on Gastrointestinal Health and Disease." Nutrients, 11 (2019).

5. N. Leeuwendaal et al. "Fermented Foods, Health and the Gut Microbiome." Nutrients, 14 (2022).

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