Fermented Food That Supports the Gut’s Microbiome

Where It All Started

Many different factors can determine the state of your gut’s microbiome, such as diet, stress, pharmaceuticals, geography, lifecycle stages, birthing process, and infant feeding methods. This subject is so complex, dating back to the early 1900s. In the 1900s, Eli Metchnikoff, a Russian scientist of the Pasteur Institute in Paris, associated the longevity of rural Bulgarians to their consumption of fermented milk products. The scientist postulated that the lactic acid bacteria in the fermented milked products ingested by the poverty-stricken people living in harsh climates provided an anti-aging effect which contributed to them greatly outliving wealthier Europeans. He named the organism “Lactobacillus Bulgaricus.” In 1908, Metchnikoff earned a Noble Prize for his work in immunity. He was the first scientist to suggest that it was possible to modify the gut microbiome by replacing bad bacteria with good bacteria. He hypothesized that seeding the gut with healthy gut bacteria could fight off harmful bacteria and prolong life. Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, along with a long list of other bacteria, is used as a probiotic. Probiotics are foods, or food supplements, that contain live bacteria thought to be beneficial to us.

About the Gut Microbiome

There are about 100 trillion bacteria, both good and bad, that live inside your digestive system. Together they are called the gut microbiota. Gut microbiota, gut flora, or microbiome are microorganisms including bacteria, archaea, and fungi that live in the digestive tracts of humans and animals. Bacteria in our gut help digest food, and they play an important role in your well-being. Research suggests your gut bacteria is tied to your probability of diabetes, obesity, depression, and colon cancer. The short version is that it’ll make for a healthier gut if you eliminate the food that feeds the bad bugs. A diet high in refined, sugary foods allows pathogens to grow, and so do food sensitivities like gluten, dairy, and corn. Those often contain ingredients that suppress “good” bacteria or increase bad bacteria. About 70% percent of the immune system lies in your gut and has a gut and brain connection. So, the foods we eat are important because they can either make you feel your best or cause a long list of issues. What you eat isn’t just for nutrition; it also feeds the trillions of bacteria that live in your gut!

Most probiotic supplements contain a limited array of microbes compared to what you can get from a good diet. Even if they have health benefits, they are no substitute for eating a balanced diet. Let’s be real – taking supplements can get pricey, and you don’t know if they are working all the time. I’ve created a list of fermented foods that can improve your gut health and are thought to be full of probiotics.

1. Kombucha

2. Kefir

3. Miso

4. Probiotic yogurt

5. Sauerkrut

6. Kimchi

7. Tempeh

8. Fermented Apple Cider

9. Pickles

10. Natto

11. Raw cheese

12. Sourdough bread

13. Kvass

Every person is different when it comes to what helps and hurts them. What might be beneficial to one might not be beneficial to another person. If you want to improve your digestion, lose weight, or move in the direction of better health, some broad principles apply to all, and probiotics are one of them.