If you think fermentation is something associated only with alcohol, then you are wrong. True that both beer and wine are fermented but that’s not the only thing produced through this process. Fermentation has been around as a healthy way of processing some food from ancient times.
So let’s get to how these types of food items benefit your health and digestion.
Improves Gastrointestinal Tract Health
Having certain enzymes is necessary to digest food. When you take antibiotics or have been eating unhealthy food for a long time, the good bacteria in the gut is destroyed. Even the unhealthy bacterias get destroyed. When you consume fermented food, the balance in the system can be maintained. The lactic acid present in it will reduce the pH (acidity level) in your gut. This will further start the growth of good bacteria. Food that has been fermented is easy to digest. It has the benefit of additional vitamins and minerals. It also replaces the use of added artificial preservatives used to preserve food with a healthier option.
Enhances Immunity
Your gut relies majorly on your immune system. When you include food that is fermented in your diet, it helps you improve your digestion by absorbing nutrients. You can ward off diseases related to the liver by reducing your cholesterol level, improve arthritis conditions and even prevent inflammatory bowel diseases by consuming foods that are fermented. Fermented milk can help you reduce bowel and gut inflammation. Also if you suffer from abdominal pain, bloating or constipation, fermented milk can bring you some relief.
Improves Digestion
With so many options of easy-to-eat comfort food, many people go through problems with digestion. Food that is fermented can be broken down easily into nutrients that help with digestion. Even if you are eating well and healthy, you could still find that the food is not processed properly and feel discomfort after eating. When you consume food that has undergone fermentation, it improves the availability of minerals and vitamins that will automatically have a positive effect on your digestion and overall health. If you feel that you cannot consume enough of the right types of food to improve digestion, you may wish to consider a supplement, such as Advanced Restorative Probiotic from ActivatedYou. Probiotics like these are formulated to work from the inside, by priming your digestive system with the healthy bacteria it needs to perform at its peak.
Mood Enhancers
When you suffer from an imbalance in the gut microbiome, it can lead to mental health problems. You may feel more anxious and depressed. This is because when the gut is affected negatively it triggers a chronic inflammatory response. You can reduce the level of inflammatory microbes and decrease gut inflammation by consuming fermented food. This will support and enhance your mental health. You will be less prone to anxiety and will feel cheerful.
Helps In Weight Loss
Yes! Not only do food items that have undergone fermentation taste good but it also helps you lose weight. The gut bacteria can help in the regulation of body weight. Also as these food are nutrition dense, you can consume high amounts of them but still not take in as many calories. As digestion is more efficient when you consume such food, the gut gets healthy and has a balance of beneficial microbes that eventually helps you lose weight.
Know Your Fermentation Process
The above points may have made it clear to you as to why food that is fermented is food for overall health. However, one of the biggest mistakes people make is to confuse pickling and fermenting. While pickling includes acidic substances like vinegar, fermenting on the other hand is completely different. The acidic substance used in fermenting is the bacteria and yeast in the food itself. This makes the food that is fermented rich in good bacteria, something that we should all consume more of.
