When you think of fermentation, yogurt and pickles might come to your mind first.

Some may not like the idea of consuming fermented products as historically speaking fermentation technique was alone used to preserve food before refrigerators came into picture.

Like it or not, the benefits of fermentation have been backed by science now. Fermentation has made a solid come back and the benefits of fermented food have been spreading across cultures now.

What is Fermentation?

According to Healthline, Fermentation is a natural process through which microorganisms like yeast and bacteria convert carbohydrates like sugar and starch into alcohol or acids.

For example, starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted into lactic acid and this acid acts as a natural preservative.

Fermentation can help with enhancing the beneficial bacteria in food. These bacteria are live microorganisms called Probiotics. They help with many health problems mainly related to gut health. If taken insufficient amount, they help in restoring the natural balance of gut bacteria.

Our gut consists of trillions of live microorganisms. An imbalance happens when the bad bacteria is higher than good bacteria which leads to multiple health related problems.

Imbalance can happen due to a variety of reasons such as an underlying illness, medication such as antibiotics, poor diet etc.

Learn more about Antibiotics in this article.

Benefits of Fermentation

1. Improves Digestive Health

Probiotics help to balance the friendly bacteria in our digestive system. Studies have proven that probiotics can help reduce the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

For starters, IBS is a chronic disease that causes abdominal discomfort, flatulence, gas, constipation and diarrhea.

2. Helps with Boosting Immunity

Probiotics help with balancing the gut bacteria by inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria. 

A study involving 54 women reported that daily probiotic consumption for 6 months enhanced the clearance of human papillomavirus, which is known to cause cervical cancer.

Probiotics lactobacilli can also help in significantly reducing the risk of antibiotic- associated diarrhea in children and adults.

Consuming Probiotic rich food give you an immune system boost and reduce your risk of getting sick.

3. Aids in good Mental Health

According to a research done by Harvard, it is found that gut and brain are connected . The gut is called the ‘second brain’ because it produces the same neurotransmitters as the brain does.

A small 2013 study reported in the journal Gastroenterology found that women who ate yogurt with a mix of probiotics, twice a day for four weeks, were calmer when exposed to images of angry and frightened faces compared with a control group.

According to Healthline, Probiotics strains namely Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium (L.helveticus and B.longum) are being called as ‘Psychobiotics’ by researchers for their potential therapeutic benefits.

4. Weight Loss

A study was conducted to find out if probiotics helped with weight loss. The experiment was conducted on a special kind of mice which didn’t have any gut bacteria. 

Observations:

1. No weight change when the mice got gut bacteria from people of average weight
2. Weight gain when the gut bacteria came from obese people

Another study conducted on obese women who enrolled in a weightloss program received the strain Lactobacillus. After three months of continuously taking it, they shed a little over 4 pounds. Additionally, the women taking a probiotic supplement continued to lose more weight in the weight-maintenance stage after they finished dieting.

5. Reduce Risk of Many Diseases

Probiotics have many health benefits which include reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and inflammation. Probiotics help in reducing total and low-density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. High LDL means higher cholesterol to tissues which can be injurious to the heart health. Probiotics can supposedly help in reducing this protein although evidence is limited.

Top 5 Fermented Food That Does Wonders To Your Health

1. Yogurt / Indian Curd

This is the most popular fermented foods available. It is the most popular dairy product that’s made by the bacterial fermentation of milk.

Yogurt can be made from all types of milk. Unsweetened Yogurt offer many health benefits.

They contain a lot of calcium, Vitamin B particularly B12 and riboflavin, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.

Yogurt provides almost every nutrient your body needs.

Recipe: How to Make Yogurt at Home

Ingredients:

1. 8 cups Milk
2. 1/2cup commercial non sweetened Yogurt with live culture

Directions:

1. Boil the milk in a pan. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, this heating step is necessary to change the protein structure in the milk so it sets as a solid instead of separating.
2. Cool the milk until it is warm enough to touch. Transfer this milk to a vessel. Add the yogurt starter and make sure not to stir.
3. Wait for the Yogurt to set. Let the yogurt sit for at least for 4 hours. It again depends on the temperature of the yogurt. In warm temperatures, the yogurt sets faster than cold temperatures.
4. After 4 hours, start checking the yogurt to see if it has reached the desired consistency and flavor.
5. That’s it. You have made your very own yogurt! You can use this for the next batch of yogurt.

Youtube Video to make your own Yogurt.

2. Fermented Rice/ Pazhaya Soru

Fermented rice is a common traditional breakfast in the South Indian households like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Surprisingly, not many people know the benefits of this wonder breakfast yet.

What happens during Fermentation?

Good bacteria are generated when left-over rice is soaked overnight in water which produces lactic acid. The lactic acid produced helps in improving the bioavailability of micronutrients and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron, and calcium by 1000%!

For example, after 12 hours of fermentation of 100g of rice, the availability of iron changed from 3.4mg to 73.91mg!

Unbelievable right?

Another amazing thing about this fermented rice water is that it has the rare B6 and B12 vitamins which are otherwise not easily available in other food supplements.

American Nutrition Association has also rated this South Asian traditional breakfast as one of the best breakfasts in the world.

Recipe: Make your own Fermented Rice

Ingredients :

1. Left over rice (Brown/White)
2. Water

Directions:

1. Soak this rice in water and leave it overnight for around 12-16 hours
2. In the morning, add some plain yogurt and salt. That is it! You are good to have it as breakfast!

Youtube Video on how to make Fermented Rice at home.

3. Kombucha

This is the newest beverage that has been trending for a while now. The Chinese call it an ‘Immortal Health Elixir’ as it supposedly helps with longevity. It is a fermented carbonated drink prepared by brewing together sugar, black or green tea, live culture (a mixture of yeast and bacteria called SCOBY).SCOBY is the acronym for symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast and is formed after the completion of a unique fermentation process of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), acetic acid bacteria (AAB), and yeast to form several sour foods and beverages such as kombucha.

This drink can many benefits as given below:

1. Improving Digestion,
2. Improving Diabetes,
3. Strengthening Immune system
4. Reducing blood pressure
5. Detoxification.

All Kombucha drinks contain some ethanol. This varies from beverages with a small amount to those made with a kick. Because of fermentation or the way products are stored, the alcohol content can increase even after they hit the shelves.

Youtube Video on How to Make Kombucha

4. Kimchi

It is one of the most popular Korean condiments made out of fermented Napa cabbage. Kimchi has its origins in the 7th century. Kimchi is a red, fermented cabbage dish made with a mix of salt, vinegar, garlic, chile peppers, and other spices.

They have multiple health benefits which are listed below.

1. Lowering cholesterol levels
2. Vitamin A for clear vision
3. Selenium for skin and hair
4. Antioxidants for slowing down the aging process
5. immunity booster.
6. Help reduce inflammation

Recipe: Make your own Vegan Kimchi at Home

Ingredients

1. 1 Medium head Napa Cabbage
2. Salt as required
3. A tablespoon garlic
4. 1 teaspoon grated ginger
5. 1 or 2 small white onions
6. ½ cup red chili flakes

Vegan Sauce

1. 1 teaspoon sugar
2. 2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
3. ¼ cup Pineapple juice / 4-5 pieces of cut pineapple
4. ¼ cup warm water

Directions

1. Cut the cabbage into a quarter
2. Slice the quarter into about 2 inch pieces. Do not chop it small since cabbage will shrink during fermentation
3. Add a little salt to cups of lukewarm water.
4. Place the cabbage in a big bowl and slowly pour this salt eater on it. The water level should be such that the whole cabbage is submerged. Let it soak for 12 hours. Soaking cabbage in saltwater helps to speed up the fermentation process.
5. Rinse off the cabbage to remove salt.
6. Grind ginger, garlic , pineapple and a pinch of sugar to make a sweet and tangy  sauce
7. Mix the soy sauce, chilli flakes ,cabbage, onion and the above sauce . You can use gloves to mix them .
8. Store this in a mason jar. Make sure there is 1 inch gap and the kimchi isn’t filled to the brim for fermentation to take place.
9. It takes around 24-36 hours for fermentation to take place.
10. After you are satisfied with the taste, store it in the refrigerator.

Tada! Your own home-made Vegan Kimchi is ready!

Youtube Video on how to make your own Home-Made Vegan Kimchi at Home.

5. Tempeh

It is made of fermented soy which is so popular as an alternative to meat. Vegans and vegetarians swear by this. This popular dish originated in Indonesia and has spread across the globe now.

After fermentation, the soybeans are made into a compact cake.

Tempeh has a dry and firm cum chewy texture with a slight nutty taste.

Benefits of Tempeh

1. Tempeh is a good source of protein, iron, manganese, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Calcium. Most importantly, it is low in sodium and carbohydrates.
2. Tempeh is rich in prebiotics – they promote the growth of good bacteria in your digestive system.
3. It may help reduce cholesterol levels. According to a study conducted on mice,  tempeh caused a decrease in both cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
4. Due to its high content of calcium, it can help in supporting bone health.

Recipe: How To Make Tempeh at Home