Fermented foods are good for gut health, but which ones are best? Nutritionist Kerry Torrens rounds up the healthiest fermented foods
words Kerry Torrens
1 Apple cider vinegaris made by crushing apples and allowing yeasts to ferment the natural sugars into acetic acid. It’s the unfiltered vinegar that retains the benefits, as it contains the ‘mother’, a collection of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria – you’ll recognise an unfiltered product because it will appear cloudy. Including apple cider vinegar in your diet may help improve fasting blood sugar and reduce HbA1c, a marker of long-term blood sugar control.
2 Cheese (including aged cheddar, parmesan, gouda and mozzarella). Some cheese varieties are more effective than a probiotic supplement for delivering intact beneficial bacteria (probiotics) to the gut. Mozzarella, the Italian soft, fresh cheese, is one such example, although levels of beneficial microbes may vary, depending on the source of the milk used.
3 Kefirbenefits from a more diverse composition of beneficial bacteria and yeast than yogurt. These microbes are responsible for producing bioactive compounds that have numerous benefits for our health, from improving digestion to lowering cholesterol.
4 Kimchiis a fermented combination of vegetables and spices. This traditional Korean food is now popular across the world. The process of fermentation, by mainly Lactobacillusbacteria, may enhance the nutritional value of kimchi. This is because the bacteria themselves synthesise vitamins and minerals, and the process of fermentation deactivates some less favourable compounds. Including kimchi regularly in your diet may help you manage cholesterol and balance blood sugar levels.
5 Kombuchais a mildly fizzy fermented drink made from sweet tea and a culture known as a ‘scoby’ – a ‘symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts’. The bacteria and yeast in the scoby convert sugar into ethanol and acetic acid. The acetic acid gives kombucha its distinctive sour taste.
Kombucha contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, B1, B6 and B12, which are produced when the yeast breaks down the sugars. Levels are likely to vary by product.
6 Miso is a traditional ingredient in Japanese cooking. Miso paste is made from soybeans and grains that are fermented by koji enzymes and beneficial bacteria. Miso is rich in gut-friendly bacteria, protein, vitamins E and K, and is
