Fermented foods are rich in probiotic bacteria so by consuming fermented foods you are adding beneficial bacteria and enzymes to your overall intestinal flora, increasing the health of your gut microbiome and digestive system and enhancing the immune system.

What are the benefits of fermentation?

Fermentation helps break down nutrients in food, making them easier to digest than their unfermented counterparts. For example, lactose — the natural sugar in milk — is broken down during fermentation into simpler sugars — glucose and galactose ( 20 ).

Why is fermentation important to humans?

During the fermentation process, these beneficial microbes break down sugars and starches into alcohols and acids, making food more nutritious and preserving it so people can store it for longer periods of time without it spoiling. Fermentation products provide enzymes necessary for digestion.