Focus on ferments
Research suggests that eating the live bacteria in fermented foods like sauerkraut benefits both mind and body. Helen Foster has the lowdown
in this section…
HOW FERMENTED FOODS BOOST YOUR HEALTH
A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO FERMENTING
DELICIOUS WAYS TO ENJOY HOME FERMENTS
Foods such as garlic and onion are rich in prebiotics Fermentation – an ancient technique for preserving food and drink – has been practised since long before the days of refrigeration and is suddenly big news. Why? Well, a growing body of research strongly suggests that eating live sauerkraut, and other fermented foods, such as kimchi and kefir, can boost our gut microbiome and help with sleep and mood. And the reason fermented foods pack such a powerful punch is down to compounds called probiotics – live bacteria that help keep us healthy. They, along with a special form of dietary fibre called prebiotics, seem to work in part by supercharging the immune system and by their potent anti-inflammatory effect.
There is an important difference between pre and probiotics, says Dr Kevin Barrett, chairman of the Primary Care Society of Gastroenterology. Probiotics can be taken as supplements, or eaten as live microbes in certain foods, to try to influence the make-up of the microbiome. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are a source of food for your gut’s healthy bacteria. ‘They are usually types of fibre, which the bacteria ferment to produce substances that are essential for health,’ says Dr Barrett.
It’s these that have the ability to affect the health of your entire body. The microbiome is directly linked to your brain via the vagus nerve, and the bacteria that live in the gut send signals up through this nerve and around your bloodstream, says gut health specialist Professor Tim Spector. Some helpful bacteria have the ability to lower cholesterol; others can lower blood sugar and reduce appetite. Conversely, researchers recently discovered that toxic chemicals released from less helpful gut bacteria may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, while two other studies linked chemicals released by certain gut bugs to more serious illness if you contract Covid-19.
How do these helpful microbes survive the journey to our guts, as first they have to pass through our stomach and the onslaught of powerful acids, designed to break down food? According to microbiologist Dr Caroline Gilmartin, the process is still not well understood. ‘Whatever happens, stool-sample analysis shows that kefir microbes and other lactobacilli are present, so they do come out the other end,’ she says.
For optimum health, it’s important to get the right mix of bacteria – and this is where your intake of pro and prebiotics can be helpful. ‘Both steps are essential as ther
