Fact or fiction? Here’s the scoop behind the fermented food fad
There’s been a lot of buzz lately around how to “pandemic-proof” your life…
As though it were just as easy as, say, waterproofing your shoes!
Even CNN’s own Dr. Sanjay Gupta has gotten in the game…
Talking about how eating pickles helps ENERGIZE him… and helps ELEVATE his mood.
Of course, he can’t PROMISE that pickles will definitely do the same for you.
But there’s some interesting research into the science of what goes into creating pickles…
And it just might help you SURVIVE a pandemic, as part of an overall healthy lifestyle (and getting plenty of vitamins and other nutrients).
Booch or bust?
Every now and then, there’s a new wave of “health foods” that become ALL THE RAGE.
Over the last couple of years, the attention seems to have been focused in particular on kombucha (which is actually a beverage) and kimchi (a type of Korean cabbage dish).
Now, both of these have something in common with those pickles I mentioned earlier.
They’re all FERMENTED!
Now, we know that the fermentation process can UNLEASH beneficial compounds from certain foods and even medicinal herbs…
And that eating fermented foods is one way to get a daily dose of dietary probiotics.
Probiotics help DIVERSIFY the “good bugs” in your gut microbiome, as confirmed by a recent study out of Stanford University…
And your gut is where a lot of your immunity strength comes from.
That’s why researchers believe that supplementing with probiotics can help ENHANCE immune function.
So, it makes sense that some researchers have observed that COVID-19 mortality rates seem to be lower in some countries with traditionally high consumption of fermented foods.
One study highlighted fermented vegetables in particular, as opposed to fermented dairy (like kefir or other yogurt products).
We do know that the process of fermenting vegetables creates compounds that act as activators of nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)…
And scientists are currently looking at how the antioxidant action of Nrf2 activators might be leveraged to help in the fight against severe COVID-19.
But does that mean that LOADING UP on fermented foods will help reduce the severity of YOUR infection, should you ever catch COVID-19 or any other pandemic virus (which I pray you don’t)?
Not so fast. There’s no proof of that at this time.
Don’t believe everything you hear – not even from TV personalities and Hollywood celebrities.
But if you LIKE the tangy flavor of pickles… kimchi… natto (fermented soybeans)… and you ENJOY the extra “bite” they give to your meals…
There’s probably no harm in eating them, as long as your doc says it’s OK.
Of course, you want to FEED your gut both probiotics and prebiotic fiber (which the “belly bugs” need to THRIVE)… pandemic or no pandemic!
But in order to get the MOST diversity of beneficial bacteria… and the LARGEST quantity of colony forming units (CFUs)…
You might choose to take a probiotic in capsule form instead.
That way, you know EXACTLY what you’re getting.
And you don’t have to worry about any added sugars… preservatives… or contaminants that could do more harm than good.
