Research Brief: Fermented vegetables positively impact gut health
July 24, 2023
Fermented foods have grown in popularity and are widely consumed, in part due to claims regarding their positive effect on digestive health. However, these claims lack sufficient scientific support, especially for lacto-fermented vegetables. A team of University of Minnesota researchers, including researchers from the Departments of Animal Science and Food Science and Nutrition, set out to test these claims, by studying if frequent consumption of lacto-fermented vegetables, such as kimchi or kraut, had any effect on the trillions of bacteria that make up the gut microbiome. Their findings were recently published in the journal Gut Microbiome. The researchers found:
- Potentially probiotic bacteria and fungi likely derived from the lacto-fermented vegetables were found in the feces of some individuals regularly consuming fermented foods.
- Regular consumption of lacto-fermented vegetables may stimulate bacteria with the potential to produce butyrate, a compound in the gut that is widely known for its positive effects on health.
