Fermented foods: Are they good for your heart?

Fermented foods have been a component of the human diet for ages, and they were originally created to preserve meals, increase flavor, and remove food contaminants. More people are flocking to these meals these days because of their possible health benefits.

Fermentation, an age-old technique for preserving food, is used to make yogurt, sauerkraut, and some less-familiar delicacies like kimchi and tempeh. In recent years, these foods, as well as the fermented drinks kombucha and kefir, have gotten a lot of attention, mostly because of their potential to improve gut health. Fermented foods contain probiotics, which are helpful microorganisms that are naturally present in the body and are thought to aid digestion.

According to review research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology last year, probiotics present in fermented foods may provide modest heart-related advantages. In one study, persons who ate kimchi (see “What are fermented foods?”) on a daily basis lost weight and had reduced blood pressure. Another person mentioned that their blood sugar and cholesterol levels had improved.

What are some of the advantages of fermented foods?

Fermented foods have been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and inflammation, among other health benefits. When it comes to heart health, probiotics have been shown to lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, although the evidence is still limited.

References

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/fermented-foods-favorable-for-heart-health

https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/about-us/news/blogs/fermented-foods-the-latest-trend

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/dairy-health-food-or-health-risk-2019012515849