10 Benefits of Fermented Foods
Mankind has been experimenting with food for as long as we can remember. This has led to different cultures around the world coming up with some quite unique ways to prepare food, giving us an enormous range of dishes to enjoy. Fermentation has been used in various ways, and it gives rise to some interesting and delicious treats.
From sauerkraut to kimchi, fermented foods can really help add something different to a meal. They are usually used as part of a main meal, although there is nothing stopping you from enjoying them on their own.
Not only are they delicious, but they are also very good for you and offer a number of health benefits. Below are 10 amazing benefits of eating fermented food.
Benefit #1: Boosts Immunity
Our immune system does an incredible job of keeping us safe and well. Despite being surrounded by potentially harmful pathogens, we rarely fall ill thanks to the incredible job our immune system does. Considering the incredible job it does at keeping us safe, it seems only right that we should help our immune system as much as we can.
Much of the work of the immune system is done in the digestive system, so this is a good place to start. Fermented foods contain a lot of probiotics, and these are excellent at keeping the digestive system healthy. This also means that we are likely to remain healthier overall.
Benefit #2: Healthy Weight
It can be so difficult to for us to remain at a healthy weight. Some people are fortunate in that they can seem to eat what they want. For others, though, it can seem as though even the smallest of meals can cause them to pile on the pounds. There are foods that can help, though, and fermented foods are one of them.
The probiotics in fermented foods help to ensure a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. This includes limiting the concentration of certain bacteria that are known to promote the depositing of fats from sugars in food. Many fermented foods are also low in calories, making them excellent additions to weight loss diets.
Benefit #3: Nutritious
We have learned a great deal about nutrition over the last couple of decades or so. We have learned about how certain foods contain certain nutrients and how they have an impact on our body, and on our health overall. You should be looking for foods that are packed with nutrients, and this will often mean fermented foods.
Fermented foods are a very good source of several types of vitamin B and vitamin K2. This means that fermented foods should really be a part of your diet, even if it is just in the form of a side-dish from time to time.
Benefit #4: Affordable
Great food is often considered a luxury, while food in general is certainly a necessity. We just cannot live without it, and we need the right type of food to be healthy and well. For some people, though, even just getting a nutritious meal can be a burden on their bank account. The good news is that fermented foods are usually very affordable.
If you are struggling to afford good food for whatever reason, fermented food can help you get the nutrition you need. They make an affordable and delicious way of adding essential nutrition into any diet. They can also help to bring otherwise very dull diets to life.
Benefit #5: Energy Boost
We are warm-blooded animals. This means that we get all of the energy that we need from our food. With this in mind, it is important to have a digestive system that is healthy in order for us to be able to get the nutrition that we need. With a healthy digestive system, we can get all the energy that we need.
The probiotics in fermented foods will help ensure that our gut flora is healthily balanced. This, in turn, will help ensure that we absorb all the nutrition we need from our food, much of which can be converted into energy. This will help to make you feel more invigorated, and generally just feel better overall.
Benefit #6: Detox
The food we eat, liquids we drink, and the air we breathe will often contain toxins. Harmful toxins are usually only present in tiny amounts. If they are able to accumulate, though, then they can become very dangerous indeed. However, our organs prevent this from happening, although we should still do what we can to help.
Fermented food contains compounds that are able to bind to certain toxins. They can bind to metals such as mercury in particular, and this makes it easier for our organs to do the job of removing them from the body.
Benefit #7: Prevents Cancer
Antioxidants are somewhat of a buzzword in healthy-living circles of late, and for a very good reason. They are compounds that help to combat free radicals in the body and free radicals can be very harmful to us. They are responsible for a process known as oxidation which causes damage to the body at the cellular level.
Damaged cells can lead to cancer and it is no secret just how devastating cancer can be. With antioxidants helping to protect against the process that can lead to cancer, then we may be able to at least decrease the risk of it happening.
Benefit #8: Healthy Mood
The link between a healthy diet and a healthy mind has long been known. Not eating properly can lead to depression and other conditions, although some foods can have a more profound effect on how we are feeling. Fermented foods, in particular, are thought to have a direct positive impact on our moods.
Studies have shown that including fermented foods in your diet may be able to help prevent conditions such as anxiety and depression. This is thought to be down to the presence of probiotics in fermented food that can alter our neurochemistry. Having plenty of fermented foods in your diet could be the key to a happy life.
Benefit #9: Helps with Allergies
A lot of people have intolerances to certain types of food. This includes allergies to compounds like lactose and gluten, which can lead to severe restrictions on what people are able to eat. It is thought, however, that including fermented foods in your diet may be able to prevent allergic reactions or at least limit their severity.
Research has shown that allergies to certain types of food have a connection with bacteria that is present in the gut. If you have a healthy population of bacteria in the gut, you are less likely to have allergic reactions. Some people claim that fermented food has been able to cure their allergies to certain foods completely.
Benefit #10: Enhances Nutrient Absorption
A lot is made of the need to have a healthy balanced diet. It is not all just hot air either as a healthy, balanced diet really is very important for us. Certain foods provide certain nutrients to us, and we need those nutrients if we are to remain healthy and well. Eating those foods is only part of the process, though. We also need to absorb them.
The probiotics in fermented foods make it easier for us to extract the nutrition that we need. This helps to make sure we get all the building blocks that we need, and plenty of energy to keep us invigorated.
