If you’re still on the fence about eating fermented foods like sauerkraut and pickles, have you considered the benefits of kimchi and other fermented foods? I know some fermented foods are regarded as gross or weird smelling but they’re actually really good for you and have loads of health benefits! The standard American diet is highly processed, and this has totally robbed us of the healthy bacteria we need to be healthy and even manage our weight. Check out these seven benefits of kimchi and other fermented foods.
One of the top benefits of kimchi and other fermented foods is their rich probiotic content. Sometimes fermented foods like sauerkraut and pickles have a much higher probiotic content than even probiotic supplements! Probiotics have all sorts of benefits ranging from digestive health to immune support, so eat up!
Because fermented foods have such a high level of probiotics and healthy bacteria, they can definitely help with digestive issues and overall gut health. Many people with IBS, Crohn’s disease, and other digestive disorders report better symptom management when consuming fermented products like yogurt and kefir regularly. Even if you suffer from the occasional bout of constipation, fermented foods can help.
Enzymes are essentially proteins in the body that help ignite all sorts of chemical and biological reactions. One of the top places where enzymes are utilized is during digestion in the stomach and intestines. Fermented foods like kimchi are extremely rich in these enzymes, meaning they can help enhance digestion and leave you feeling much less bloated and uncomfortable after a meal.
There’s strong evidence that your gut and brain are closely linked. Some even say the gut is like the body’s second brain. This isn’t to say that eating fermented foods is going to make you smarter by any means but having a strong stomach and digestive system has been linked to improved mental clarity and focus!
If you follow a diet rich in processed and/or junk foods, the body is almost always fighting some kind of inflammation, usually in your gut. Eating fermented foods helps mitigate some of that inflammation, keeping you in better overall health.
Gut health has also been linked to immunity and your likelihood of getting sick. Because fermented foods are rich in healthy probiotics, these probiotics can help keep you from getting ill. If your immune system is compromised or you feel like you’re always fighting off a cold, try adding fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, yogurt, and even pickles to your diet and see if you notice a change.
When you eat processed foods, not only do you gain weight and feel like crap, you also disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria in your body. If you’re trying to rebalance your system and its balance of bacteria, eating fermented foods is a great and tasty technique for that.
Fermented foods don’t have to sticky or icky anymore! Whether you’re a vegetarian or follow a low carb diet, they’re actually a very healthy component to an eating plan. Don’t be afraid of indulging in more pickles, plain yogurt, and even unconventional foods like kimchi, kefir, and kombucha. What are some of your favorite fermented foods?