Benefits Of Eating Fermented Foods !!

Benefits Of Eating Fermented Foods

Fermented foods are the foods in which natural bacteria produce lactic acid by feeding on sugar and starches called lactic fermentation thus preserves food and also forms many beneficial enzymes and vitamins, omega-3-fatty acids and also many probiotics which make food more digestible.

How ?? Benefits of Fermented Foods:

• Probiotics: Fermented foods and drinks help to enter beneficial bacteria into the digestive system which balances the gut flora. Probiotics also prevent many diseases and maintain a healthy bowel and enhance immunity.
• Helps in easy absorption of food: More nutrients from fermented foods are easily absorbed due to the presence of sufficient digestive enzymes and a healthy gut. Some bacteria also increase B-Vitamins in food.
• Cost effective: Fermented foods are not so expensive like other healthy foods. Foods should be fermented easily at home with a very low cost. Fermented food also lowers the use of supplements along with diet.
• Natural Preservatives: Lacto-fermentation increases the shelf life of food without losing its nutrients e.g. – beets, pickles, cheese, wine etc.
• Ease Digestion: Fermented foods are more digestible as for example when lactose of milk is broken into simple sugars like glucose and galactose and helps to prepare yoghurt which is easier to digest in persons having lactose intolerance problem.

The indigestible cellulose of plant foods is also broken down into sugar by the enzymes produced by microbes.

• Improves Taste: The sour and tangy flavour of fermented foods make them more pleasant.
• Removes antinutrients: Antinutrients are the substances like synthetic compounds which interfere with nutrient absorption and these antinutrients are degraded by fermentation process hence nutrients are available to digest in fermented foods.
• Reduces preparation time: Fermentation decreases the cooking time and thus fuel consumption.
• Helps in CO₂ Production: Fermented yeast releases carbon dioxide which is used for bread an beer production.

Other Health Benefits of Fermented Foods:

• Maintains a healthy gut by balancing stomach acid production.
• Enhances the immune system.
• Decreases pathogenic microorganism infection.
• Prevents from constipation by producing acetylcholine a neurotransmitter. It also prevents diarrhea and other digestive diseases like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Irritable bowel syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis etc.
• Protects against allergic reactions in children.
• Acts as a detoxifier and also possess antioxidant properties.
• Decreases bacterial infection caused by Helicobacter pylori which develop ulcers and other stomach inflammations.
• Controls gut leakage by preventing undigested foods and toxins to pass into the bloodstream which triggers the immune system response inappropriately.
• Prevents urinary tract infection.
• Reduces premenstrual symptoms.
• Reduces skin diseases such as dermatitis and acne.
• Prevents Type-I and Type-II Diabetes by improving pancreas function.
• Controls mood swings and behavioural problem and increases mental health and also prevents from autism.
• Decreases brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Last but not least the fermented foods benefits digestive health more thafrozeed or canned foods. It is the oldest and cheap method of food preservation. Some of the fermented foods are-Tempeh, Miso, Sayerkraut, yogurt, Kefir, Kimchi and Kambrecha etc.