Fermented foods like sauerkraut (including kimchi) and cucumbers may improve mental and physical health by targeting the gut-brain axis. This conclusion was reached by scientists from the National University of Ireland in Cork. They are the consequences shared in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (NBR).
Microbes that colonize the gut serve as important mediators in the gut-brain communication system. It is a bidirectional biochemical signal that occurs between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the central nervous system (CNS). Chemicals released by the gut microbiome have a profound effect on brain development. At the same time, certain emotional reactions, such as stress, can lead to negative changes in the normal composition of the human microbiome and subsequent excessive gas or abdominal pain.
Fermentation as a cooking method has historically been used to extend the shelf life and enhance the flavor of foods. Such products are diversified and classified according to the substrate. These include grains, dairy products, meat, fish, vegetables and legumes. Each of these types of foods goes through unique fermentation processes.
In their scientific review (based on previous research on the effects of fermented foods on health), Irish scientists emphasized that fermented foods affect the gut-brain axis through modulation of immunity, maintaining the integrity of the gut and blood-brain barriers and neuroendocrine regulation. .
The blood-brain barrier is a physiological histohematic barrier between the circulatory system and the central nervous system. Strengthening helps protect the brain from harmful or unwanted substances in the blood. Neuroendocrine regulation involves controlling hormone production by the endocrine glands. The hypothalamus, a small part of the diencephalon, is considered the center of neuroendocrine regulation.
Fermented foods have profound effects on the enteroendocrine system by regulating the production of intestinal hormones such as serotonin, neuropeptide-Y, glucagon-like peptide 1, ghrelin and somatostatin. These hormones are responsible for gastrointestinal motility, appetite and insulin production. Serotonin plays a role in many complementary functions of the body, such as eating behavior, sleep, circadian rhythms, memory, learning, behavior, and pain perception.
This is likely why some studies have found a link between fermented food consumption and reduced anxiety, depression, and improved cognitive function.
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