Best Asian Fermented Foods: Fermented foods have long been culinary staples, but they continue to get attention for their health benefits since they’re rich in antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory.
In one study, researchers found that people who ate a diet high in fermented foods, averaging 6 servings daily for 10 weeks, experienced an increase in microbiota diversity — think good gut health — and decrease in markers of inflammation compared to those who ate a high.
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Here’s what experts say are the top seven fermented foods to include in your diet:
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Best Asian Fermented Foods
1-Probiotic Greek Yogurt/Icelandic Skyr
Best Asian Fermented Foods: Yogurt’s multitude of health benefits include both reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and improving fasting blood glucose and antioxidant status, which plays a role in protecting cells from damage, in those who already have type 2 diabetes.
Yogurt also helps lower blood pressure, promotes an anti-inflammatory environment in the gut and reduces the risk for breast and colorectal cancer and osteoporosis.
In addition to offering probiotics, Greek yogurt and skyr are rich sources of protein, calcium, B vitamins, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. And for those with difficulty tolerating lactose, the live and active cultures in yogurt may improve lactose digestion.
Dairy foods can also help buffer stomach acids, which is important if you’re eating a probiotic yogurt because it increases the chance that the probiotics will survive to the intestine, where they typically provide their benefit.
2-Kimchi
Best Asian Fermented Foods: A traditional Korean dish, kimchi is most commonly made up of fermented napa cabbage and might include daikon radish, carrots, garlic, ginger, scallions, fish sauce and chili flakes. It’s high in vitamins A, B6, B12, C and K, calcium, iron, phosphorus and magnesium.
Kimchi is like a superhero for your gut. “It’s packed with lactobacilli bacteria, a probiotic powerhouse that can work wonders for digestion and can ease gastrointestinal issues like IBS and colon inflammation.”
There are several other benefits as well: Lactic acid bacteria, which is found in kimchi, is associated with lowering cholesterol.
And recently, researchers observed that eating up to 3 servings of kimchi daily was associated with an 11% lower obesity risk compared to eating less than 1 serving a day. Specifically, radish kimchi was associated with a lower prevalence of abdominal obesity in both men and women.
3-Sauerkraut
Best Asian Fermented Foods: Popular in European and Asian countries, sauerkraut is fermented cabbage that is loaded with lactic acid bacteria and is high in fiber.
Research shows that sauerkraut has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.
In a small study of IBS patients in which half consumed pasteurized sauerkraut and the other half unpasteurized sauerkraut for six weeks, all study participants experienced improved gut microbiota and IBS symptoms.
4-Miso soup
Best Asian Fermented Foods: While miso is most commonly used as a flavoring for miso soup, it’s actually a traditional Japanese paste that is produced in a two-stage fermentation process of soybeans.
Miso stands out as a top-tier fermented food, filled with beneficial nutrients like soy proteins and isoflavones. Its numerous health benefits include antidiabetic, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antihypertensive properties.
Research from Japan also links daily consumption to reduced risks of stomach cancer, heart disease, mortality and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms.
5-Tempeh
Best Asian Fermented Foods: Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian fermented food typically made from soybeans. Each 3 oz. serving boasts about 17 grams of protein, 6 grams of unsaturated fat, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and B vitamins.
Tempeh contains paraprobiotics, which are cooked probiotics that still have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Its high content of isoflavones are associated with protecting the nervous system, specifically reducing the risk of dementia and having protective effects against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Research on tempeh also shows improved gut health, strengthened immunity, improved liver function, lowered cholesterol and reduced blood pressure.
6-Kefir
Best Asian Fermented Foods: Kefir is a probiotic powerhouse relative to other fermented foods both in terms of quantity and number of strains.
Just like yogurt, kefir is a fermented milk product, rich in probiotics, protein, calcium and B vitamins and is low in lactose.
7-Kombucha
Best Asian Fermented Foods: Kombucha, a fermented, carbonated tea known for its sour taste, is made from a combination of tea, sugar and SCOBY, or symbiotic cultures of bacteria and yeasts.
It’s high in antioxidants, including polyphenols and flavonoids, and has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. And despite its sugar content, kombucha may actually help lower blood glucose levels.
While it’s a hydrating alternative to soda and alcoholic beverages, be aware that the amount of probiotics and polyphenols can vary depending on the tea type used and how long it’s fermented. Research suggests green tea kombucha has the highest antioxidant potential.
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