Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

Besides supplements, lacto-fermented foods are the only source of live beneficial bacteria in the human diet. Eating these products supports the functions the good gut flora performs in our bodies.

Therefore, by eating fermented foods you increase your chances to avoid:

• digestion problems
• autoimmune diseases including cancer
• inflammatory bowel disease
• acid reflux
• allergies
• asthma
• acne
• obesity
• diabetes

Also, recent studies have shown the correlation between gut microbiota and some mental disorders like anxiety and depression.

Besides supporting the gut flora, fermented foods, especially vegetables, have other health benefits:

• they are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber; for example, 100 g of sauerkraut contains 0.13mg of vitamin B6, 15g of vitamin C and 1.5 mg of iron; moreover, absorption of these nutrients is much higher than from the original vegetable
• sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables have a high content of glucosinolates known for anticancer properties; a scientific research showed that sauerkraut juice affects the metabolism of estrogen in such a way that eliminates the production of carcinogenic derivatives; in other words, eating sauerkraut lessens the probability of getting breast cancer
• fermented food is very helpful with restoring the pH balance of the body, probably due to its acidity; some sour foods, paradoxically, make the body more alkaline; this is why hangover people crave orange juice

Read more about the health benefits of FF:

Sauerkraut – food that restores gut flora
Dr. Mercola about fermented vegetables
Acne
Glucosinolate derivatives in stored fermented cabbage
‘Good bacteria’ key to stopping asthma