Four Reasons to Eat Fermented Foods
Fermentation has been used for thousands of years to preserve foods. A wide variety of commonly consumed foods and beverages are created through fermentation, including yoghurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, sourdough, kombucha, kefir, wine and beer.
Fermented foods are created under anaerobic conditions (in the lack of oxygen) when microorganisms (yeasts, bacteria or a combination of these) convert carbohydrates into organic acids, carbon dioxide or alcohol.
Preservation is not the only benefit of fermentation. Fermentation has additional benefits, including the following:
- Fermentation may increase the amount of vitamins in food, particularly B vitamins.
- Fermentation can make food more digestible. For example, when milk is fermented, the lactose is largely converted into lactic acid, making it more digestible, especially for those with lactose intolerance.
- Fermentation can improve the taste of food.
- Consumption of fermented food may add beneficial microorganisms (probiotics) to the gut.
