Before we had refrigerators, canning machines and artificial preservatives, tribes and communities worldwide utilized a variety of food storing techniques such as fermentation. Many ancient civilizations have at least one fermented food in their culinary heritage, from Korean kimchi and Indian chutneys to varieties of sauerkraut, yogurt and pickled vegetables, and with good reason. Recent studies show that the process of fermenting foods not only preserves food but also enhances digestibility and increases nutrient value.
What exactly are fermented foods?
A food becomes fermented when bacteria, yeast or other living microorganisms break down its sugar and turn it into alcohol and acid. Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and some kinds of cheese contain lactic acid bacteria and other living microorganisms. Research suggests that these have multiple health benefits, like improving our digestive system, boosting weight loss and revving up the immune mechanism.
Naturally fermented foods are getting a lot of attention from health experts these days because they help strengthen your gut microbiome—the 100 trillion or so bacteria and microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. Researchers are beginning to link these tiny creatures to all sorts of health conditions from obesity to neurodegenerative diseases.
What is the relation between fermented food and COVID-19
Although there are many conflicting opinions the working of COVID-19, one thing that everyone unanimously agrees upon is the importance of boosting one's immunity to reduce severity of infection. Fermented foods strengthen the efficiency of your immune cells, thereby keeping you healthy and safe.
How do fermented foods boost immunity?
According to the findings of researchers at the University of Leipzig in Germany, lactic acid bacteria found in fermented foods generate an acid in the digestive tract. This acid binds well with the proteins found in immune cells, known as HCA3 receptors. This whole process boosts the capacity of our immune system. Scientific evidences also suggest that some fermented foods reduce your risk of catching an infection, thanks to the high volume of vitamin C they have. Sauerkraut and kimchi are such examples. Apart from revving up your body's immune mechanism, fermented foods increase your ability to absorb nutrients while enhancing them altogether.
Top 5 fermented foods which are consumed almost everyday in India
1. Idli
2. Dosa
3. Pickle(aachar)
4. Yogurt
5. Dhokla
Sahana.S
3rd year CBM
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