AUTHOR
HAJARA ASLAM Hajara Aslam is a food scientist and PhD candidate at the Deakin Food and Mood Centre ; a world-leading , multi-disciplinary research centre that aims to understand the complex ways in which what we eat influences our brain , mood , and mental health . Find out more :
foodandmoodcentre . com . au
FERMENTED FOODS
WHAT ’ S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT ?
Hajara Aslam from the Food and Mood Centre shares the benefits of fermented foods .
Fermented foods are increasingly recognised as beneficial to you due to a myriad of demonstrated health benefits . They are also considered to be ‘ functional foods ’, which means they have additional health benefits beyond supplying nutrients . A large array of fermented foods and beverages are becoming more and more widely available including fermented dairy , fruits , tea and vegetables . But did you know that fermented foods might also be good for mental health ?
Why do we ferment foods ?
Originally , fermentation was essential as a natural way of processing and preserving food before we had refrigeration . In an oxygen-free environment , bacterial fermentation leads to the production of acids such as lactic , propionic and butyric acid in the food ( causing the characteristic sharp and tangy taste ). This acidifying property of fermentation has been used for centuries to remove harmful bacteria and preserve food .
Nutrition properties of fermented foods
Interestingly , not only does the fermentation process preserve food , but it can also affect the nutrition content and cause the food to be more easily absorbed in the body .
Improved absorption and digestion
Dairy products are an example of how fermentation can improve the digestibility of food . Lactose ( the natural milk sugar ), is a disaccharide ( double sugar ) that needs to be broken down to two separate sugars in our gut before it can be absorbed . In people who don ’ t produce enough lactase enzyme , symptoms like bloating , gas and diarrhoea can result when milk is consumed .
However , when milk is fermented to become cheese , kefir or yoghurt , varying amounts of the lactose sugar is converted to lactic acid . This reduces the lactose content , making it easier to absorb the lactose and other nutrients in milk .
18 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE