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The Power of Fermented Food

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The Power of Fermented Food

Introduction to The Power of Fermented Food

Holistic health tips graphic

Fermented foods have been a part of human diets for thousands of years, celebrated not only for their unique flavors but also for their health benefits. The process of fermentation involves the transformation of food by microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, and molds. This ancient practice enhances the nutritional value of food, making it easier to digest and more beneficial for gut health.

As more people seek natural ways to improve their well-being, the interest in fermented foods has surged. From sauerkraut and kimchi to yogurt and kombucha, fermented foods are now recognized for their potential to support various aspects of health, including digestion, and immunity. Understanding the methods and benefits of fermentation can help us appreciate these remarkable foods and their role in a holistic, integrative approach to health.

Fermentation Methods

There are two main methods of fermentation. One in which the desirable microorganisms occur naturally on the surface of food, termed wild fermentation, and another in which the microorganisms are added to the food, termed cultured fermentation1,2.

  1. Natural or wild fermentation – foods can be fermented naturally, in what is often called “wild fermentation” or “spontaneous fermentation1.” The fermentation process occurs with the microorganisms naturally present in the raw food (food substrate) or the environment (the equipment and utensils that contact the food substrate) where it is being processed1,2. Examples of this type of fermentation are sauerkraut, kimchi, and some fermented soy products4. Desired wild fermentations often occur with the aid of added salt, as is the example of sauerkraut and kimchi, but can also occur spontaneously, as is the case of fermented lemons2. “The microbial agent in the wild ferment can vary. In the examples just provided, the cabbage and vegetables are fermented with naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria, while the lemons are fermented with naturally occurring yeasts2.”
  2. Cultured fermentation – foods can be fermented with the addition of a starter culture, in what is known as “culture-dependent fermentation1.” This is the case with yogurt, cheese, kefir, kombucha and natto. Culture-dependent fermentation can use a natural starter or commercial starter1. Fermentation with a natural starter is performed using a small amount of a previously fermented batch which is added to the raw food (this process is called “backslopping”), as in yogurt and sourdough bread. Otherwise, a commercial starter can be selected to standardize the microorganisms and desired sensory characteristics of the final product of fermentation1.


Why is the Process of Fermenting Foods Beneficial?

Fermentation allows for the “partial digestion” of foods, making them very easy to digest and assimilate by the human body3. This availability and digestibility of nutrients reduces the effort and energy required for digestion, allowing the body to divert that same energy for healing and repair. Fermentation can also improve nutritional value and food safety by removing or degrading certain toxins or anti-nutritive compounds naturally present in raw foods5,3.

This breakdown or digestion of complex molecules, such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, into smaller taste molecules and the production of volatile organic compounds also contributes to the flavor and sensory quality of food making it more appetizing and acceptable by improving its texture, aroma, flavor, etc3,4,6.

In sum, the process of fermentation contributes to increase the level of nutrients, to reduce antinutritional factors, to enhance nutrient bioaccessibility and bioavailability, and to increase palatability3,4,5,6.

Furthermore, the bioactive molecules obtained through the process of fermentation have been shown to exhibit several health benefits, including anticancer, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and antihypertensive properties2,6. Fermentation has been shown to cause a marked increase in the antioxidant activities of foods, such as phenolic, total flavonoid, and vitamin C content, and to enhance radical-scavenging ability and antioxidant power7.

Nowadays, researchers are evaluating the role of fermented foods in several medical conditions, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, and neurodegenerative disorders8.

One of the most relevant effects of eating fermented foods is their influence on gut health – eating fermented foods helps promote gut homeostasis and modulate the gut microbiota2,6,9. A study published in 2021 showed that fermented beverages containing bioactive compounds “are able to modulate colonic microbiota composition with a positive impact on beneficial bacteria, slightly stimulating the growth of Bifidobacterium as well as the maintenance of Akkermansia (with beneficial effects on some metabolic diseases)9.”

Finally, fermentation also allows the preservation of foods that could otherwise spoil and was very useful when fresh foods were not readily available.


Fermented Foods are Rich in Important Compounds

The Power of Fermented Food

Fermented foods are a source of microorganisms, such as healthy bacteria, and can be highly beneficial as a natural source of probiotics10. They are also extremely rich in:

  • Enzymes: essential for every single reaction in our bodies and important for overall health and longevity.
  • Lactobacillus bacteria: beneficial gut bacteria. Contribute to reduce harmful intestinal bacteria and to better digestion and assimilation of nutrients.
  • Bioactive molecules with antioxidant activity, such as vitamin C, phenolic, and flavonoid compounds9.
  • Amino acids: result from the breakdown of proteins and are easier to digest.
  • Fatty acids: fats that play an important role in regulating cell function and many other functions of the body.


Finally, Why Eat Fermented Foods instead of Eating them Raw

Fermentation adds much value to foods. Here are some reasons why11:

  1. Contributes to food preservation and avoiding spoilage.
  2. Active role in the development of food texture, flavor, and aroma.
  3. Helps eliminate pathogens and toxic substances, making foods safer for consumption.
  4. Improves digestibility, reducing digestive effort.
  5. Allows the development of new products for new markets.
  6. Increases dietary and nutritional value, with important bioactive compounds and microorganisms.


Conclusion

As the author of “Food Fermentation4” put it: “The future of fermented foods appears to be bright, fueled by the growing interest by consumers in everything perceived as natural and to promote health and longevity. Food manufacturers are also rediscovering the possibility for creating unique and characteristic flavor, texture, nutritional profile, and health benefits, while maintaining a 100% natural label via fermentation4.”

In terms of health, fermented foods can be beneficial because they have the potential to increase the nutritional value of the raw foods, help modulate your immune system and the activity and composition of your gut microbiota (microorganisms that populate your gut), and they also contain bioactive compounds that can affect both intestinal and whole body functioning5.

At An Oasis of Healing, we focus on a living plant-rich diet, and fermented foods are brimming with live microorganisms and enzymes, essential not just for gut health, but for overall health and to prevent or manage several illnesses.

Start including more fermented foods into your diet daily. You do not need to eat a lot, just add a little bit each day. Your body and mind will thank you.


Explore More

To delve deeper into the fascinating world of fermentation, check out our other three fermentation blogs:


For more information and resources, visit our website to learn more about the wonders of fermentation and its impact on health and cuisine.


References

  1. Dimidi E, Cox SR, Rossi M, Whelan K. Fermented Foods: Definitions and Characteristics, Impact on the Gut Microbiota and Effects on Gastrointestinal Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2019 Aug 5;11(8):1806. doi: 10.3390/nu11081806. PMID: 31387262; PMCID: PMC6723656. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723656/
  2. McIntyre L, Trmčić A, Paphitis K, Parto N and the Fermented Foods working group. Safety of fermented foods. Assessing risks in fermented food processing practices and advice on how to mitigate them. Section 1. Introduction to Food Safety. Environmental Health Services, BC Centre for Disease Control. 2023 Jun. http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Educational%20Materials/EH/FPS/Food/Fermented/Fermented%20Foods%20 Guideline%20-%20Section%201.pdf
  3. Adebo JA, Njobeh PB, Gbashi S, Oyedeji AB, Ogundele OM, Oyeyinka SA, Adebo OA. Fermentation of Cereals and Legumes: Impact on Nutritional Constituents and Nutrient Bioavailability. Fermentation. 2022; 8(2):63. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8020063
  4. Terefe NS. Food fermentation. Reference Module in Food Science. Amsterdam, NL: Elsevier; 2016. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978008100596503420X
  5. Marco ML, Sanders ME, Gänzle M, Arrieta MC, Cotter PD, De Vuyst L, et al. The international scientific association for probiotics and prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on fermented foods. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Mar;18(3):196–208. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-020-00390-5
  6. Gunawardena S, Nadeeshani H, Amarasinghe V. et al. Bioactive properties and therapeutic aspects of fermented vegetables: a review. Food Prod Process and Nutr. 2024; 6:31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-023-00176-7 https://fppn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s43014-023-00176-7
  7. Adetuyi, Foluso Olutope and T. A. Ibrahim. “Effect of Fermentation Time on the Phenolic, Flavonoid and Vitamin C Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) Seeds.” Nigerian Food Journal 32 (2014): 128-137. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0189724115301284
  8. Baruah R, Ray M, Halami PM. Preventive and therapeutic aspects of fermented foods. J Appl Microbiol. 2022 May;132(5):3476-3489. doi: 10.1111/jam.15444. Epub 2022 Feb 16. PMID: 35000256. https://academic.oup.com/jambio/article-abstract/132/5/3476/6988634
  9. Blanco-Morales, Virginia, Guadalupe García-Llatas, María J. Yebra, Vicente Sentandreu and Amparo Alegría. “In vitro colonic fermentation of a plant sterol-enriched beverage in a dynamic-colonic gastrointestinal digester.” Lwt – Food Science and Technology 145 (2021): 111273. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643821004266
  10. Bell V, Ferrão J, Fernandes T. Nutritional guidelines and fermented food frameworks. Foods. 2017;6(8):65. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5575640/pdf/foods-06-00065.pdf
  11. Gunawardena S, Nadeeshani H, Amarasinghe V. et al. Bioactive properties and therapeutic aspects of fermented vegetables: a review. Food Prod Process and Nutr. 2024; 6:31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-023-00176-7 https://fppn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s43014-023-00176-7
The Difference Between Fermented Foods and Probiotics
  1. Contributes to food preservation and avoiding spoilage.
  2. Active role in the development of food texture, flavor, and aroma.
  3. Helps eliminate pathogens and toxic substances, making foods safer for consumption.
  4. Improves digestibility, reducing digestive effort.
  5. Allows the development of new products for new markets.
  6. Increases dietary and nutritional value, with important bioactive compounds and microorganisms.

Conclusion

As the author of “Food Fermentation4” put it: “The future of fermented foods appears to be bright, fueled by the growing interest by consumers in everything perceived as natural and to promote health and longevity. Food manufacturers are also rediscovering the possibility for creating unique and characteristic flavor, texture, nutritional profile, and health benefits, while maintaining a 100% natural label via fermentation4.”

In terms of health, fermented foods can be beneficial because they have the potential to increase the nutritional value of the raw foods, help modulate your immune system and the activity and composition of your gut microbiota (microorganisms that populate your gut), and they also contain bioactive compounds that can affect both intestinal and whole body functioning1.

At An Oasis of Healing, we focus on a living plant-rich diet, and fermented foods are brimming with live microorganisms and enzymes, essential not just for gut health, but for overall health and to prevent or manage several illnesses.

Start including more fermented foods in your diet daily. You do not need to eat a lot, just add a little each day. Your body and mind will thank you.

Explore More

To delve deeper into the fascinating world of fermentation, check out our other three fermentation blogs:

  • History and Introduction of Fermentation
  • Understanding Fermentation Processes and Types of Fermented Foods
  • The Power of Fermented Food

For more information and resources, visit our website to learn more about the wonders of fermentation and its impact on health and cuisine.

References

  1. Marco ML, Sanders ME, Gänzle M, Arrieta MC, Cotter PD, De Vuyst L, et al. The international scientific association for probiotics and prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on fermented foods. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 Mar;18(3):196–208. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-020-00390-5
  2. Hill C, Guarner F, Reid G, Gibson GR, Merenstein DJ, Pot B, Morelli L, Canani RB, Flint HJ, Salminen S, Calder PC, Sanders ME. Expert consensus document. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014 Aug;11(8):506-14. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2014.66. Epub 2014 Jun 10. PMID: 24912386. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrgastro.2014.66
  3. FAO/WHO. Probiotics in food—Health and nutritional properties and guidelines for evaluation Food Nutr Pap. 2001;85. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/382476b3-4d54-4175-803f-2f26f3526256/content
  4. Ranadheera RD, Bains Sk, Adams MC. Importance of food in probiotic efficacy. Food Res. Int. 2010, 43,1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2009.09.009. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996909002749
  5. Gibson GR, Hutkins R, Sanders ME, Prescott SL, Reimer RA, Salminen SJ, Scott K, Stanton C, Swanson KS, Cani PD, Verbeke K, Reid G. Expert consensus document: The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on the definition and scope of prebiotics. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017 Aug;14(8):491-502. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2017.75. Epub 2017 Jun 14. PMID: 28611480. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrgastro.2017.75
  6. McIntyre L, Trmčić A, Paphitis K, Parto N and the Fermented Foods working group. Safety of fermented foods. Assessing risks in fermented food processing practices and advice on how to mitigate them. Section 1. Introduction to Food Safety. Environmental Health Services, BC Centre for Disease Control. 2023 Jun. http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Documents/Educational%20Materials/EH/FPS/Food/Fermented/Fermented%20Foods%20 Guideline%20-%20Section%201.pdf
  7. Dimidi E, Cox SR, Rossi M, Whelan K. Fermented Foods: Definitions and Characteristics, Impact on the Gut Microbiota and Effects on Gastrointestinal Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2019 Aug 5;11(8):1806. doi: 10.3390/nu11081806. PMID: 31387262; PMCID: PMC6723656. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723656/
  8. Adebo JA, Njobeh PB, Gbashi S, Oyedeji AB, Ogundele OM, Oyeyinka SA, Adebo OA. Fermentation of Cereals and Legumes: Impact on Nutritional Constituents and Nutrient Bioavailability. Fermentation. 2022; 8(2):63. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8020063
  9. Gunawardena S, Nadeeshani H, Amarasinghe V. et al. Bioactive properties and therapeutic aspects of fermented vegetables: a review. Food Prod Process and Nutr. 2024; 6:31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-023-00176-7 https://fppn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s43014-023-00176-7
  10. Baruah R, Ray M, Halami PM. Preventive and therapeutic aspects of fermented foods. J Appl Microbiol. 2022 May;132(5):3476-3489. doi: 10.1111/jam.15444. Epub 2022 Feb 16. PMID: 35000256. https://academic.oup.com/jambio/article-abstract/132/5/3476/6988634
  11. Blanco-Morales, Virginia, Guadalupe García-Llatas, María J. Yebra, Vicente Sentandreu and Amparo Alegría. “In vitro colonic fermentation of a plant sterol-enriched beverage in a dynamic-colonic gastrointestinal digester.” Lwt – Food Science and Technology 145 (2021): 111273. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643821004266
  12. Bell V, Ferrão J, Fernandes T. Nutritional guidelines and fermented food frameworks. Foods. 2017;6(8):65. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5575640/pdf/foods-06-00065.pdf
  13. Adetuyi, Foluso Olutope and T. A. Ibrahim. “Effect of Fermentation Time on the Phenolic, Flavonoid and Vitamin C Contents and Antioxidant Activities of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) Seeds.” Nigerian Food Journal 32 (2014): 128-137. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0189724115301284
  14. Voidarou C, Antoniadou Μ, Rozos G, Tzora A, Skoufos I, Varzakas T, Lagiou A, Bezirtzoglou E. Fermentative Foods: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Potential Human Health Benefits and Public Health Issues. Foods. 2020 Dec 31;10(1):69. doi: 10.3390/foods10010069. PMID: 33396397; PMCID: PMC7823516. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7823516/

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