When You Eat Fermented Foods Every Day, This Is What Happens

Fermented food has never been more in. With kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha taking over our Instagram feeds and our food blogs, fermented food has exploded in popularity, with the market for fermented food products expected to grow by more than $500 million between 2021 and 2026, according to Yahoo! Finance. But although fermentation is the buzzword on everyone's lips, in truth it's one of the oldest forms of food preparation out there. "Fermentation has been a staple of the human foodways for centuries and was initially used as a way to preserve foods," states certified dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller to Eat This, Not That!. From beer to yogurt, pickles to sourdough toast, it's likely you've snacked on something fermented recently, and may not even have known it.

But fermented foods aren't just popular because they taste good. The unique method of preparation for fermented foods often results in powerful nutritional benefits. And here at Health Digest, we wanted to see exactly what happens when you make these foods a daily staple. Join us as we find out.

The impact of how we eat on our mental health can't be overstated. Eating a diet high in nutritious foods and lower in processed options has been linked to a lower chance of developing depression, according to Medical News Today. What's more, there's a direct link between our gut health and brain, with an unsettled or unhealthy gut potentially contributing to the increased likelihood of experiencing anxiety and stress, says Harvard Health Publishing. All of these things point toward the importance of sustaining a gut-friendly and nutrient-rich diet for our mental health.

And that's where fermented foods come in. Hyper-nutritious and beloved by the gut, fermented foods could help bolster our mental health. Their potential as mental-health-friendly foods has been shown in a review of research published in Nutritional Neuroscience, which discusses the fact that eating fermented products has been seen to have positive effects on anxiety and depression in animal studies. The research does note, however, that further study needs to be done to confirm a similar impact on humans.

Of all of the reported health benefits of fermented food, one of them is talked about more than pretty much all the others combined: Its effect on your gut. And far from us to buck the trend, we're here to confirm that yes, eating fermented food every day will help boost your good gut bacteria. Fermented foods contain live, friendly bacteria that have a probiotic benefit in your gut, boosting and balancing your microbiome, says nutritionist Kerry Torrens via BBC Good Food. A healthy dose of gut bacteria can keep your digestive system in good health and assist your body in its wider function.

So what are the best fermented foods to eat for a healthy gut? Luckily, you've got a lot of options, folks! Sauerkraut and kimchi, made from vegetables, are packed full of probiotics and fiber, says Eating Well. Yogurt and kefir, both derived from milk, are also great probiotic vehicles, can supply you with an ample dose of calcium, and are also easier on the gut for people who find lactose harder to digest thanks to the probiotics assisting in their breakdown. And if you're looking for a protein, give tempeh a try: Not only will it boost your gut bacteria, but is also jammed full of essential amino acids.

Honestly, we love our bones. And you should too! After all, without them, we'd be little more than puddles on the floor. So we're strong advocates of eating anything that helps boost bone health, including fermented foods, which could be your skeleton's next best friend. Benefits for bone health from fermented foods are particularly clear with milk products like yogurt or soft cheese, according to research published in Calcified Tissue International. Not only do these foods contain the all-important calcium that your bones adore, as well as nutrients like protein and phosphorus which contribute to bone health, but they also can contain prebiotics and probiotics that assist with nutrient absorption.

You don't have to only eat milk-based products to see the benefits for your bones, though. Other fermented foods like kimchi contain calcium and vitamin D, both important in the maintenance of skeletal health (per WebMD). Kimchi also contains a healthy amount of vitamin K, which can help to reduce the risk of brittle bones, and as a bonus, keep your blood clotting healthily.

If you have trouble with your digestion, you might want to give fermented foods a try. These tart food products are full to the brim with probiotics, as Healthline says. Probiotics — also known as "good" bacteria — regulate our body's balance of bacteria, reducing the number of bad bacteria floating around in our gut and keeping our systems in good working order (per the Cleveland Clinic). In addition to this, certain strains of good bacteria also assist our body's food breakdown processes, allowing what we eat to move through our systems with greater ease.

These fermented food products can also help those who have digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (or IBS) to reduce the severity of their symptoms. A study published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics examined the effects of eating fermented milk products every day for people with IBS. It was found that eating the fermented food reduced the severity of bloating, improved stool frequency, and generally decreased discomfort. Eating foods with probiotics in them may also reduce the frequency and severity of diarrhea, a study in Current Opinion in Gastroenterology found.

What's the secret to glowing, flawless skin? Well, if you don't have a Hollywood stylist on hand to prep your face every morning like you're going to the Met Gala, eating fermented foods regularly may be an easy (and much cheaper) substitute. The nutritious nature of many fermented foods means that they're packed with vitamins and minerals that "are good for your whole body, and that includes your skin," says board-certified dermatologist and McGovern Medical School's clinical professor of dermatology Rajani Katta to the American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).

And the beauty of the fermentation process is it helps your body synthesize nutrients, making them more available and useable by your body, according to registered nutritionist Celeste Wilson (per Eat This, Not That!). Some of the vitamins in fermented foods, like biotin, vitamin B12, and folic acid, all contribute to skin and hair health, and their unique bioavailability means that your beauty regimen may benefit big-time. Just be wary of switching up your entire diet based on your skincare alone. "Talk to a board-certified dermatologist first," says Katta (via AAD).

In our bodies, everything's linked — and this means that the food we eat can have a direct impact on the brain. The gut-brain connection is a well-established network between our organs, with neurotransmitters pinging between the them via nervous pathways and affecting everything from stress levels to cognitive function, says Healthline.

Our gut bacteria's balance directly affects the health of communication between the gut and brain, and that's where fermented foods, with their rich probiotic status, come in. A diet rich in probiotics encourages a healthy gut-brain connection, and a healthier brain overall. According to research published in Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, multiple studies have shown the "cognitive enhancing effects" of fermented foods, with the probiotics delivered via your kimchi or yogurt helping to regulate neurotransmitter release, which improves balance, memory, and capacity to learn. Fermented foods also make the nutrients within them more available through the fermentation process, essentially meaning that your brain gets more of the good stuff.

With the seemingly endless number of articles and blog posts proclaiming fermented foods' incomparable benefits to your body, it's pretty clear: They're nothing but good for you. Right? ... Right?

Well, while some fermented foods are among the healthiest things you can incorporate into your diet, we'd be wary of jumping into eating them with too much haste if they're not a staple in your fridge already. "While fermented foods are great for gut health, too much too soon can definitely upset your digestive system," warns Snap Kitchen's lead registered dietitian Sam Presicci to Well+Good. This may be particularly notable if you're eating fermented products that are higher in fiber, like cabbage-based sauerkraut or kimchi. The fiber in these foods can result in bloating and gas, as WebMD states. This may be exacerbated by the probiotics present in the foods, which can also cause digestive concerns (per Healthline). This is why it's good for people to introduce fermented foods to a diet slowly at first, "having less than the recommended serving and working their way up," says Presicci (via Well+Good).