What are fermented foods and how do they affect our health?

Author: Iris Sretenovic

Fermented foods undergo a chemical process called fermentation. Fermentation occurs naturally in certain foods and is a process that humans have used for thousands of years. It involves the conversion of sugars and carbohydrates into acid or alcohol. This process preserves food and creates beneficial enzymes, B vitamins, various types of probiotics , and omega-3 fatty acids . Omega-3 fatty acids are a good source of lignans, compounds that may have a mild estrogenic effect. When a mildly estrogenic substance in your body takes the place of naturally strong estrogen at the estrogen receptors in the breast, this weak substance can act like an anti-estrogen. In this way, lignans help fight estrogen-dependent breast cancer.

Fermentation - an ancient method of food preservation

In the past, the positive health effects of fermented foods were unknown, so people used fermentation mainly to preserve food, extend its shelf life, and improve its flavor. Many ancient physicians began to use it to treat certain diseases. Foods enriched with probiotics are one of the most important factors in a healthy diet and lifestyle. Below, we will try to reveal to you what benefits fermented foods have for our body. At the beginning of the 20th century, Nobel laureate Ilia Ilyich Mechinikov noticed the extraordinary

He demonstrated the good health of a portion of the Bulgarian population who consume foods enriched with natural probiotics daily. He named the bacterial species that made up most of their fermented products Lactobacillus bulgaricus. He theorized that probiotic bacteria could have a much greater impact on human health than many pathogenic bacterial strains.

Everyone is familiar with some fermented foods like beer or sauerkraut, but also with less popular fermented foods or drinks like kefir and kombucha. Most people don't realize that fermented foods are full of healthy probiotics: good, live bacteria that support optimal function in the digestive tract.

Probiotics are considered important for all aspects of our health, including our immune system. Some scientists say that up to 80% of our immune system is located in the gut, so a balanced ratio of probiotics can help prevent and treat diseases and infections. In addition to their distinctive sour taste, foods obtained through fermentation are very healthy and should be consumed in as large quantities as possible. They usually contain

Vitamin K and probiotics , which are essential for digestive and overall health, have been increasingly consumed around the world for several years, from sauerkraut in Germany to kimchi in Korea. So it's time to explore the benefits of this probiotic trend and see what this superfood can do for you.

5 things fermented foods can help us with

Fermented foods can help you with:

1. Improved digestive health
2. Strengthening the immune system
3. Cleansing the body of dangerous chemicals
4. Increased nutrient intake
5. In reducing inflammation in the body

Benefits of traditionally fermented foods

Fermented soy comes in three main forms: miso, tempeh, and natto . Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soy. Natto soybeans are steamed and then fermented with healthy bacteria known as Bacillus subtilis . The bacterium Bacillus subtilis is used to make natto, which is rich in proteolytic enzymes and vitamin K2. Miso and tempeh often involve the fermentation of brown rice and barley with two unique probiotic yeast types. These yeasts increase the bioavailability of amino acids and produce large amounts of B vitamins.

Sauerkraut, on the other hand, is made by fermenting cabbage, usually in vinegar. Raw cabbage naturally contains probiotics and enzymes, which multiply rapidly during fermentation. Fresh sauerkraut (not canned) is also a fantastic source of live enzymes and active strains of probiotics such as lactobacillus and pediococcus. Kimchi is most often made from Chinese cabbage. There are many different variations of kimchi, using cucumbers, eggplant, leeks, radishes, and other seasonal vegetables. They are often prepared with a combination of fermented vegetables that add unique antioxidants, live enzymes, and a special organism, Lactobacillus kimchii.

The 10 healthiest fermented foods:

This list is in no particular order, as each of the foods mentioned is equally beneficial to the microbiome when properly prepared and consumed in optimal condition. If any of the foods smell rotten or have mold, the affected areas must be removed and discarded.

• FERMENTED SOYBEAN PRODUCTS (MISO, NATTO)
• kimchi
• SAUERKRAUT
• FERMENTED GINGER
• PICKLES
• SOUR BEETS
• PICKLES (MIXED VEGETABLES
• KEFIR
• YOGURT MADE FROM COCONUT MILK
• PLANT-BASED CHEESE

It's best to start with a smaller amount of fermented food per day and slowly increase it over time, perhaps adding 1 tablespoon more each week. You may feel like you could eat 1 cup of fermented food at once, but don't do that right away, as it could cause diarrhea!

The best fermented drinks:

The same principle applies to drinks as to food. So start slowly and methodically increasing the dose by listening to your body, i.e., at the pace your body tolerates best. Taking too much too quickly can lead to diarrhea, bloating, and a bloated stomach.

• APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
• KOMBUCHA
• KEFIR FROM COCONUT WATER
• WHEY
• PLANT WHEY
• ORGANIC RED WINE
• FERMENTED HERBAL TEAS
• SOUR BEET JUICE
• SOUR JUICE

Histamine intolerance

If someone reacts badly to fermented foods, this could be a sign of histamine intolerance. Most people respond very well to small amounts and a gradual increase in fermented foods. However, some people develop a rash or eczema, swollen eyelids, or headaches, all of which can be associated with histamine intolerance. For example, some people tolerate avocados, berries, or lemons quite well, but react violently to any type of fermented food or wine.

As histamine levels decrease, a person with histamine intolerance improves gut health, reduces inflammation, improves liver function, and stabilizes the adrenal glands, gradually becoming able to tolerate a greater amount of histamine over time. For some, this might mean consuming a small amount of foods containing histamine. For others, it might mean limiting their intake of certain foods.

Health benefits

One of the most important health benefits of fermented foods is their contribution to the colonies of living microbes—supposedly "good" microbes—in the gut. Collectively referred to as the microbiome, these microbes have a powerful effect on our bodies; when they are incapacitated, they are associated with gastrointestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, immune disorders such as allergies and type 1 diabetes, and Metabolic and metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes and obesity. They are even said to influence mental disorders. Probiotics are live microorganisms – such as bacteria, yeasts, and fungi – that, in ideal amounts, can have a positive effect on health. They occur naturally in some fermented foods and are also available in tablet or capsule form. Studies have shown that they can improve digestion and immune function. Strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are the most commonly used probiotics because they can survive passage through the digestive system into the intestines. They are mainly

Source:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1151822/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23894906/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1319016413000819 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30863384/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21165702/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21165702/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33233274/