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Health Benefits of Fermentation
Fermentation! It’s happening everyday around you. You may have heard of the many benefits that fermentation offers your body. But how does it all work and why is it so important in our diets?
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Fermentation is an ancient art. Our ancestors were fermenting foods long ago and made cheese, bread, beer, chocolate, coffee and many other delicious treats long before the modern world and processed foods came about. These cultures understood the many benefits that fermentation has to offer.
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We’re here to talk about all the amazing health benefits of fermentation. So then why is fermentation so good for you? It’s because fermentation improves two important stomach processes:
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- Digestion (breaking down food)
- Bio-availability (how much of the nutrients are available to the body)
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Beyond this, research has shown fermentation to assist in disease prevention. Everything from liver disease to arthritis to cancer has been warded off by a eating fermented foods.
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The science (simplified)
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Fermentation actually occurs because of bacteria, commonly yeast. When added to certain foods these GOOD bacteria start breaking down carbohydrates in the food and turn it into organic acids (or in some more fun cases, alcohol).
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Alcoholic fermentation is where the carbohydrates are converted into ethanol by the bacteria. This process is used to create beer and wine.
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When the bacteria goes even further we get acidic fermentation, where the carbohydrates are further fermented into lactic acid. This acid boasts various health benefits when consumed as mentioned above and can be used to balance PH during digestion.
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Fermentation aids digestion as your body needs appropriate bacteria to properly digest and start using all the nutrients in food. Fermented foods are FILLED with bacteria that compliment the bacteria already present in your gut.
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Did you know: approx 80 percent of your “immune system” lies in the gut. This is why fermentation can help disease prevention.
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Fermentation also preserves food. During the fermentation process the acids created by the bacteria produce ethanol or lactic acid. Both of these substances are actually “bio-preservatives” that work to retain the nutrient structure of food.
Fermentation also preserves food. During the fermentation process the acids created by the bacteria produce ethanol or lactic acid. Both of these substances are actually “bio-preservatives” that work to retain the nutrient structure of food.
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Now that we know a bit more about the fermentation process let’s talk about the potential health benefits.
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6 Fermentation Health Benefits
1. Improves Digestion
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You could refer to fermented foods as “pre-digested”. Considering they come loaded with good bacteria that have already done some of the work your stomach would do in breaking down the foods. This means that digesting fermented foods is incredibly easy.
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Adding to this, all the beneficial bacteria that come with fermented foods can help add to your own gut flora. Giving you a digestive boost for the next foods that enter your stomach.
Adding to this, all the beneficial bacteria that come with fermented foods can help add to your own gut flora. Giving you a digestive boost for the next foods that enter your stomach.
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Milk is generally difficult for people to digest. But fermented foods, especially fermented dairy contain bacteria that are specially designed to break down lactose (the part of milk many people have difficulty digesting). Having a healthy gut bacteria can reverse many gastrointestinal issues derived from consuming milk based products.
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2. Has Anticancer Effects
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Cancer occurs when your genes mutate in an abnormal way. These genes control cell growth and division and can start spreading throughout the body after the mutation activates them. There have been billions of dollars poured into cancer research and some researchers have looked at the relationship between fermented foods and the onset of cancer.
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Researches have uncovered various ways that fermented foods fight against cancer. These foods stimulate the immune system to stop the spread of cancer, directly inhibit the division of tumor cells and help the body produce additional compounds that are anti-carcinogenic.
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3. Enhances Bioavailability of Nutrients, Decreases absorption of carcinogens.
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The fermentation process also helps synthesise new nutrients from the foods we eat; B vitamins, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine and biotin among others. Further, these foods enhance your bodies ability to properly use the macro nutrients fats, carbs and proteins.
The fermentation process also helps synthesise new nutrients from the foods we eat; B vitamins, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine and biotin among others. Further, these foods enhance your bodies ability to properly use the macro nutrients fats, carbs and proteins.
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The lactic acid that is created as part of the fermentation process protects against pathological changes in the colon. This means less carcinogens and foreign compounds get metabolised in the gut and are instead passed.
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4. Reduces Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance
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Lactobacillus consumes lactose in milk and transforms it into lactic acid that may be easier for individuals to digest. Lactic acid in yogurt reduces symptoms of lactose intolerance in individuals who are lactase-deficient. This may be because the lactic acid bacteria in the milk causes an increase of lactase in the small intestine.
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In clinical practice, replacing milk with fermented dairy products allows for decreased diarrhea, better digestion and improvements in other symptoms of intolerance in participants with lactose intolerance in subjects with short-bowel syndrome and children with diarrhea.
In clinical practice, replacing milk with fermented dairy products allows for decreased diarrhea, better digestion and improvements in other symptoms of intolerance in participants with lactose intolerance in subjects with short-bowel syndrome and children with diarrhea.
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5. Improves Arthritis Symptoms
5. Improves Arthritis Symptoms
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Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the world today. And if you don’t suffer yourself, it’s likely you know someone who does. Symptoms include pain, swelling and stiffness of the joints. It is theorised that inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may be controlled by eating more fermented foods.
Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the world today. And if you don’t suffer yourself, it’s likely you know someone who does. Symptoms include pain, swelling and stiffness of the joints. It is theorised that inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may be controlled by eating more fermented foods.
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A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of probiotics in active rheumatoid arthritis found that “patients with at least four swollen and four tender joints and stable medications with no steroids for at least one month prior to and during the study, showed a significant improvement in the Health Assessment Questionnaire score after three months of probiotic treatment.”
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6. Treats Inflammatory Bowel Disease
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Fermented milk supplemented with probiotics can exhibit a direct effect in the gut in managing inflammatory and functional bowel disorders. Clinical trials show that probiotics help reduce abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and flatulence in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease.
Which fermented foods could you add to your diet:
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1. Yogurt
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How could we not start with Yoghurt, one of the most well known fermented foods. Yoghurt is consumed not just for it’s delicious taste but because of its health benefits. Probiotic yoghurt contains high levels of protein as well as essential vitamins such as calcium, zinc and vitamin B.
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2. Kimchi
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Kimchi is a staple of Korean cuisine, served as a traditional side dish made from salted and fermented vegetables. Kimchi is low in carbohydrates, fat, and is packed with vitamins and fiber. This is the perfect food to add to your diet for weight control due to the fibre regulating how fast the energy (calories) are made available in the body.
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3. Kombucha
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Kimchi is a staple of Korean cuisine, served as a traditional side dish made from salted and fermented vegetables. Kimchi is low in carbohydrates, fat, and is packed with vitamins and fiber. This is the perfect food to add to your diet for weight control due to the fibre regulating how fast the energy (calories) are made available in the body.
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3. Kombucha
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Once upon a time you could only find Kombucha in obscure health cafe’s but today you can get it at your local supermarket. Kombucha is a fermented tea, made from either a green or black tea base, to which specially sugar is added. The bacteria feed off the sugar as they multiply creating a living drink that is naturally low in sugar and tastes great! Benefits of kombucha include reducing blood pressure, improving cholesterol levels, increasing the body’s resistance to cancer and detoxifying the body.
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4. Miso
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Miso is made from fermented soy beans and is bought as a paste. The paste can be used as a base for sauces and spreads and has been a staple of japanese cuisine for generations. The purported health benefits of Miso as numerous, as compounds released during miso production have been shown to exhibit antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticancer and antihypertensive properties.
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5. Sauerkraut
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For our final fermented food we make a stop in Germany. Sauerkraut is finely chopped raw cabbage that has been fermented by lactic acid-producing bacteria. It has a distinctive sour flavour that is used as a relish in various recipes. Consider adding sauerkraut to a salad, or as a side dish at lunch. You can even eat it straight out of the jar for a quick snack! This sour relish is an excellent source of vitamins and is low in calories and high in calcium and magnesium.
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