Eating these common foods can improve your mental and physical health

11 February 2024 , 07:00

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Eating fermented foods can lead to improved mental health, a study has suggested (Image: Getty Images)

Eating fermented foods like sourdough, kimchi and miso can lead to improved mental health, a study has suggested.

Already known for the physical health benefits, a new review published in Neuroscience & Behavioral Reviews has now shown that nearly 200 fermented foods also can aid mental health thanks to a connection between the brain and digestive system. Scientists found that the gut-brain axis can be influenced by eating fermented foods with some products boosting certain hormones and neurotransmitters in the body, affecting peoples' moods.

Substances produced by gut bacteria can send direct signals to the brain, triggering different brain activities that can alter mood, behaviour, memory, and cognition. Scientists believe fermented foods "form a vital part of the next generation of microbiota-based therapeutics targeting mental health".

"Fermented foods can have a considerable impact on health by virtue of the variety of different microbial strains, metabolites and other bioactives that can be present therein," the study says. "These components can be optimised to offer maximal neural and mental health benefits to the individual.

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Fermented foods can aid mental health thanks to a connection between the brain and digestive system (Getty Images)

"This in-depth review has highlighted the individual components of the microbiota-gut-brain axis that, on the basis of clinical and pre-clinical studies, can be modulated by fermented foods and/or components thereof."

Dr. Nicole Avena, an assistant professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, says a healthy diet leads to improved mental health. “The gut-brain axis has been linked to the health and diversity of our microbiome – meaning the less diverse the diet, the more mental and brain health can suffer," she said. "We know these bacteria help with digestion, absorption, and byproduct of nutrients that can directly affect our mental health.”

Earlier this month new research suggested that eating three portions of the popular Korean side dish kimchi has been found to "lower the risk of obesity". According to research published in the journal BMJ Open, the fermented food specifically was linked to a "lower prevalence" in a midriff bulge in both men and women.

A person's mood can be impacted positively if they eat fermented foods, research suggests (Getty Images)

And last year, renowned TV doctor Michael Mosley suggested eating fermented foods can help boost gut microbiome after new research found a great mix of bugs are present in the gut when you eat a healthier diet. Explaining the findings published in the journal Nature Aging, Dr Mosley said those who were healthy had a "diverse mix of bugs in their gut" with high levels of a "bacterial species called Bacteroidetes".

A healthy microbiome not only significantly boosts your immune system, but has been shown to reduce inflammation linked to numerous cancers and heart disease. Dr Mosley told the Daily Mail: "We know that what, and how much, you eat play key roles in whether you stay healthy or not - but what seems to be equally important is the impact this food has on your gut microbiome, the mix of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, which live in your intestines."

Sam Truelove