If you’re looking to improve your digestion and gut health, you may be considering adding fermented foods into your diet. Fermented foods can positively impact your health, enhance your quality of life, and provide you with life-long benefits.
Let’s take a deeper dive:
What Is Fermentation?
Fermentation is a metabolic process of chemicals breaking down. It’s a common way to preserve food and is the process that can create foods you enjoy every day, such as wine and beer. The best part about fermented foods is that they contain beneficial bacteria, otherwise known as probiotics.
Why Fermented Foods Are Good For Your Gut Health
Do you know how fermented foods have a sour taste? That’s because they contain microorganisms that convert sugar into lactic acid. This process is good for your gut health because it helps increase nutrient absorption, which helps break down the nutrients, making them easier to digest and not as heavy on the stomach.
Since roughly 70% of your immunity is in your gut, prioritizing your gut health with fermented foods can be a great way to live a healthier life. That's because these types of foods are rich in probiotics and vitamins that help improve your immune systems, like vitamin C, iron, and zinc.
Fermented foods may also improve your heart health, help you with weight loss goals, and treat high blood pressure.
Fermented Foods That Can Boost Your Digestion
If you’re someone who struggles with gut health or wants to boost your digestion, prioritizing fermented foods is a great place to start.
Here are a few to consider that you can add to your diet:
Yogurt: is made from fermented milk. It usually contains high levels of probiotics which turn into lactic acid.
Miso: is made from fermented soybeans, salt, and koji. It’s commonly eaten as a traditional Japanese soup and is a dish most people have before dinner or lunch. Miso has been shown to help gut health, immune function, and lower cholesterol.
Kombucha: is a fermented beverage that contains lactic acid bacteria and yeast. These bacterias can help with digestion and inflammation.
Kimchi: is a Korean dish that is traditionally made of fermented cabbage and vegetables. Many people choose to have it as a side dish to their dinner or lunch. Kimchi has been shown to help reduce insulin resistance and lower cholesterol levels.
EM-X Gold: is a fermented, flavorless beverage that you can choose to enjoy, however, and whenever you want. Many people drink it straight as a beverage or use it in their cooking. EM-X Gold has been shown to help with joint support, strengthen the immune system, and promote healthy digestion.
Tempeh, Sauerkraut, or Kefir are other fermented foods with similar properties. Also, there are some fermented foods you might eat in your everyday life, such as beer, wine, cider, and cultured milk. If you're looking to lean on these types of foods to boost your digestion, we recommend sticking with the list above.
Side Effects of Fermented Foods
Even though these foods can have positive health benefits, they can also have unwanted side effects for some individuals.
Bloating
Most people experience unwanted bloating and gas after consuming high amounts of fermented foods. As the probiotics in your foods work to kill off bad bacteria in your stomach, it can lead to bloating. Although this is a positive symptom that shows that the probiotics are doing their job, it can be painful.
Headaches
Another common symptom is headaches. Since these foods have probiotics, that means most also contain high levels of histamine and tyramine. Most people can handle high levels of histamine. However, some people have an intolerance to these, which can lead to unwanted headaches or even migraines.
If you have histamine intolerance you may also experience low blood pressure, fatigue, and nausea. Before fully committing to incorporating fermented foods into your diet, we recommend testing several different kinds, one at a time, and listening to how your body reacts.
Food Sensitivities
Unfortunately, some popular fermented foods are high on the FODMAPs list. FODMAPs refer to a list of short-chain carbohydrates that aren’t easily digestible. Many people with digestion issues like IBS are asked to limit their intake of high FODMAPS foods to help reduce the risk of irritation in the small intestines. These include pickled onions, sauerkraut, yogurt, and kefir. If you are lactose intolerant, you may want to avoid fermented foods like yogurt, butter, or sour cream.
Utilizing EM-X Gold As a Positive Alternative
EM-X Gold is a fermented beverage that can provide you with the benefits of fermented foods without any side effects. When you make EM-X Gold part of your daily routine, you don’t have to worry about unwanted bloating or discomfort because it doesn’t contain any microorganisms and has a low molecular weight. If you’re someone who has a sensitive stomach, you’ll also be glad to know it's also lactose-free and gluten-free.
Adding fermented foods to your diet can be a great way to boost your digestion and overall gut health. However, if you’re experiencing any side effects, you may need to find an option that is easier on your stomach, such as EM-X Gold. Once you choose to make EM-X Gold part of your daily routine, you'll notice an improvement in digestion and gut health as it works to rebalance your body and activate the gut microorganisms. As you explore your options, we highly recommend this fermented beverage as an alternative.