The Benefits of Increasing Your Intake of Fermented Foods

If you’ve been following the work of ZOE, you’re likely aware of their enthusiasm for fermented foods. These foods are known to contain live microbes and a variety of beneficial compounds that can improve your gut microbiome. However, despite the known benefits of fermented foods, little research has been conducted on how increasing their intake could impact factors such as bloating, mood, hunger, and energy. To address this gap, ZOE’s scientists conducted a study to investigate the effects of increasing fermented food consumption.

Study Design and Findings

ZOE presented their findings at the American Society of Nutrition conference in Orlando, Florida. The study involved 6,493 participants aged 18-80 who logged their consumption of fermented foods for three weeks. During the first week, participants followed their normal diet, and for the subsequent two weeks, they were asked to increase their fermented food intake by three portions per day. The participants reported an average increase of 2.17 portions of fermented foods per day during the study period.

Participants filled out a daily questionnaire in an app, rating their bloating, mood, hunger, and energy levels on a 10-point scale. The analysis revealed that increasing fermented food intake was associated with several benefits:

• 47% reported improved mood
• 56% reported improved energy
• 52% reported reduced hunger
• 42% reported less bloating

Interestingly, individuals living with obesity experienced even greater improvements in hunger, energy, and bloating compared to those without obesity.

Potential Downsides and Takeaways

While the majority of participants reported positive effects from increasing their intake of fermented foods, some individuals did not experience any benefits, and a few even reported worsened outcomes. Despite this variability, the overall consensus was that increasing fermented food consumption by three portions per day could lead to improvements in mood, energy, bloating, and hunger, especially for those with obesity.

It’s worth noting that further research is needed to fully understand the implications of these findings. However, the potential for fermented foods to play a role in managing obesity is a promising avenue for future exploration.

Exploring Fermented Foods Further

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of fermented foods, ZOE provides additional resources, including articles and podcasts on the topic. Additionally, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can try your hand at fermenting foods at home with their beginner’s guide.

Overall, the study conducted by ZOE highlights the potential benefits of increasing your intake of fermented foods and suggests that incorporating these foods into your diet could have a positive impact on various aspects of your health and well-being.