Fermented Foods For Weight Loss?

Fermented foods are getting more and more press lately as the evidence of their importance in our diets grows and grows. Fermented foods are good for our gut health, boosting our immunity, improving digestion and also weight loss.

What Are Fermented Foods?

Also known as probiotic foods, these are foods that contain good bacteria. In a nutshell the good bacteria grow during the fermentation process, meaning you then take them into your gut when you eat the food. The problem is a lot of the foods (which I will come on to discuss) that fit into this category are a little obscure. So a lot of us are short of these good bacteria.

What Foods Should I Eat?

Some of the foods on this list are hard to get hold of. But the top 3 on the list anyone can make sure them get into their diet more often.

1/ Yogurt. This is definitely the most common and ‘everyday’ food in this category. If you can get a yogurt labelled with ‘live and active cultures’ you will get the maximum good bacteria from it. But all yogurt contains high levels of good bacteria.

2/ Miso. This is a fermented paste made from rice, barley or soybeans. It is often added to soups or broths to add an umami flavour. You could also try rubbing some on a piece of fish before being cooking. A little goes a long way here, it is very strong (and salty) so don’t overuse it.

3/ Gherkins/Pickles. Really easy to buy in a jar in the supermarket and add to salads.

4/ Sauerkraut and Kimchi – These are fermented cabbage dishes. Basically just cabbage and salt. You can buy them pre-done in the supermarket but even better to have a go at making it yourself.

5/ Kefir – This is a fermented milk drink.

6/ Kombucha – typically a black or green tea that’s full of yeast and good bacteria.

7/ Tempeh – this is a fermented soybean product. Not a million miles away from tofu.

8/ Some cheeses – not in the same quantities as any of the above examples but good bacteria is there in some cheeses such as cottage cheese, gouda, mozzarella and cheddar. You obviously have to balance up the inevitable extra calories against getting the good bacteria from cheese though.

How does it help with weight loss?

This is a fairly complex question, but it all centres around your ‘gut microbes.’ I have actually written a whole post on gut microbes which you can read also. The more vibrant and diverse your gut microbes the easier it is for your body to regulate your blood sugar levels, the better your body is able to control the ‘hunger hormones,’ and the less likely your body is to store what you put into it as fat. So well worth sorting out!

Conclusion – Fermented Foods For Weight Loss?

Getting enough fermented food and good bacteria into your gut is a key part of weight loss. For most people getting enough of the above foods is enough to balance it out though. So make sure you do that!