If you type “best fermented foods”, you will find that Kimchi comes up at the top. But what are fermented foods? And why are they so important for gut health?
Fermentation is a natural process through which microorganisms like yeast and bacteria convert carbs — such as starch and sugar — into alcohol or acids. And remember, we all have trillions of bacteria living in our intestines (which most of them are the “good” bacteria that keeps us healthy). And the fermentation process works to promote the growth of these “good” bacteria, that’s also known as probiotics.
Here are a few benefits (might we say out of many) of fermented foods (think: kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, kombucha, and more)!
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Fermented Foods Help You Digest: The good bacteria in your body work to break down complex carbohydrates that you eat, and can reduce any existing “bad bacteria” that prevent smooth digestion. Probiotics will also help to improve bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
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Fermented Foods Improve Your Immune System: Did you know that you’re swallowing pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria on a daily basis? While you might not always get sick from it, your body needs to continue making “good” bacteria that lowers your intestine’s pH levels, which decreases the chance of the bad bacteria surviving. Fermented foods will do just that.
- Fermented Foods Help Make Vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, and K are just several vitamins that good bacteria can be credited for in producing, to give you what your body needs. So while you can continue to take your multivitamin pills and tablets, consider supplementing them with some fermented foods!
And an additional tip from us? If you ever take antibiotics for any reason, restore your gut health back to normal afterwards with fermented foods (because they wipe out your good and bad bacteria)!
If it isn’t obvious, our favorite food that promotes great gut health is kimchi. And we have our Kimchi Refrigerator collections to prove it. Shop our Kimchi Fridge Selection now, to take your digestive health to the next level by taking your kimchi more seriously!
Source: Healthline and Cleveland Clinic