As with many health foods, fermented foods are not suitable for everyone. People with weakened immune systems due to health conditions, such as HIV , or certain medications should avoid homemade fermented foods and check with a doctor whether it is safe to eat store-bought fermented foods. Even good bacteria can affect some medications, so it is best to talk to a healthcare professional about specific health concerns before making any significant dietary changes.
For most people, however, fermented foods are a safe and healthful addition to a balanced diet. They may be the perfect antidote to gut bacteria problems. Vanilla extract adds depth of flavor to recipes and baked goods, and substitutes can replace it in a pinch.
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Hot water bottles can help to relieve aches and pains. Learn more here. What are the best fermented foods? Fermented foods list Benefits Reading the label Fermenting at home Summary The fermentation process uses microbes, such as bacteria and yeast, to preserve foods. Fermented foods list. Share on Pinterest Drinking kombucha may help fight chronic inflammation. Benefits of fermented foods. Share on Pinterest Fermented vegetables, such as kimchee, contain probiotics.
How to read the label. How to ferment foods at home. Share on Pinterest Some people choose to ferment foods at home. Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. As some of the sugars and starches in food have been broken down through the process, fermented foods are easier to digest.
For example, fermentation breaks down the lactose in milk to simpler sugars — glucose and galactose — which, if you are lactose intolerant, can make products such as yogurt and cheese potentially easier to digest. Fermentation can also increase the availability of vitamins and minerals for our bodies to absorb. Additionally, by boosting the beneficial bacteria in your gut, you are promoting their ability to manufacture B vitamins and synthesise vitamin K.
A large proportion of the immune system is housed in the gut. By consuming probiotic-rich foods, you are supporting the mucosa gut lining as a natural barrier, making the immune system more robust. A lack of beneficial bacteria allows disease causing microbes to grow causing inflammation in the gut wall. If you have recently taken a course of antibiotics, probiotic foods are particularly helpful. Read more about how to prevent a cold and which natural cold remedies actually work.
Some natural compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients can be removed by fermentation. Phytic acid, for example, which is found in legumes and seeds, binds minerals such as iron and zinc, reducing their absorption when eaten.
However, phytic acid can be broken down during fermentation so the minerals become available. The gut and brain are linked, through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal HPA axis. Technically called the enteric nervous system, the gut is lined with neurons that can influence our emotions and feelings. Serotonin — a neurotransmitter involved in mood — is made in the gut and research further suggests that as probiotic bacteria contribute to a healthy gut, they are also linked to a healthy mind.
The bacteria in our gut are not something we think about, yet research suggests they fulfil a number of vital functions. The links between fermented foods, gut bacteria and how they may affect our physical and mental health warrants considerable attention. For more information, take a look at the The Human Microbiome Project.
Keep fermented foods in the fridge and beware of buying those straight from the shelf at a supermarket. Watch your choice of yogurts and kombucha too — those packed with sugar, high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners are not going to support the gut as much as natural, live options. Taking a probiotic supplement has become popular. But beware — they can be a waste of time and money as some bacteria do not survive transit, manufacturing practices and heat damage if not stored properly.
Strains of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium bacteria are the most commonly used as they can survive the passage through the digestive system to the gut, including the highly acidic conditions of the stomach.
Pickles, like the ones you buy in the supermarket, are preserved in an acidic liquid, typically vinegar. Although vinegar is a product of fermentation the pickles themselves are not fermented, and so do not offer the same health benefits of fermented vegetables. Add the vinegar to the salt water, and pour the mixture over the vegetables to fill the jar to within 1 inch of the top.
Wedge the cabbage leaf over the top of the vegetables and tuck it around the edges to hold the vegetables beneath the liquid. Set the jar on the counter and cover with a fermentation lid. Alternatively, use a standard lid and loosen it a bit more each day for the first few days, then loosen it incrementally every other day, to allow gases to escape.
Let pickle for three to five days, depending on the indoor temperature the vegetables will pickle faster in warmer climates. Check the taste at the end of the third day, using clean utensils. Make sure the vegetables stay packed beneath the level of the liquid, adding salted water 2 teaspoons sea salt dissolved in 1 cup warm filtered water as needed.
When the vegetables are pickled to your liking, seal the jar with a regular lid and refrigerate. The vegetables will continue to slowly pickle in the refrigerator.
They will keep for about one month. Taste for saltiness before serving and, if desired, rinse gently to remove excess salt. Adapted with permission from Always Delicious, by David S. Ludwig, M. But one of the biggest benefits of fermented foods comes from probiotics.
Recent research suggests that the type of gut bacteria in the bodies of Americans is changing. One possible reason is that the microbiomes in our bodies are not regularly replenished the way they were in past generations. That's because of changes in the American diet — particularly the rise in processed foods — and because of better hygiene, which cuts down on the number of microbes people are exposed to naturally through dirt and other contaminants, according to Dr.
In addition, antibiotics are used widely and can kill off beneficial organisms along with the bad ones. Changes to the population of gut microbes may create an imbalance between beneficial and harmful gut bacteria, leading to health problems. When the digestive tract has an unhealthy mix of organisms, it can actually lead to a weakening of the walls of the intestines, which start to leak their contents into the bloodstream — a condition referred to, not surprisingly, as leaky gut syndrome, according Dr.
Chronic exposure to these substances leaking out from the intestines has been linked to a host of health problems, ranging from asthma and eczema to schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease, he says. Fermented foods can bolster the gut microbiome, creating a healthier mix of microbes and strengthening the walls of the intestines to keep them from leaking. If people eat probiotics like those found in fermented foods from early childhood, that can help train the immune system to tolerate — and cooperate with — a diverse, beneficial microbiome, says Dr.
After the first few months and years of life, a person's microbe population is relatively stable, but adults who eat fermented foods regularly can still reap benefits. Adding fermented foods to the diet is relatively easy, says Dr. You can find naturally fermented foods at natural-food stores and many supermarkets.
And fermentation is also easy and safe to do at home by following some simple instructions. But keep in mind that not all fermented foods are created equal. For instance, although cheese is fermented, it's not known to bring the same health benefits as yogurt. The difference is live microbes, says Dr. Yogurt has them; cheese typically doesn't.
Live cultures are found not only in yogurt and a yogurt-like drink called kefir, but also in Korean pickled vegetables called kimchi , sauerkraut, and some pickles. The jars of pickles you can buy off the shelf at the supermarket are sometimes pickled using vinegar and not the natural fermentation process using live organisms, which means they don't contain probiotics.
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