Fermented food staple found on Christmas market stalls can lower cholesterol and boost health

A fermented food staple found on Christmas market stalls could lower your cholesterol and even boost your overall health.

For years, fermentation has been the go-to process for enhancing the shelf life and flavour of foods, yet most people are unaware of the health perks it brings. You'll often see tangy sauerkraut crowning classic Bratwurst at Bristol Christmas market, or can enjoy fermented foods at home from kefir to sourdough, and lacto-fermented pickles.

Not just a treat for taste buds, fermented foods pack a punch with beneficial microbes and helpful metabolites generated during fermentation that promote a hale and hearty gut. Significant research points to these cultured staples offering an array of health boons, aiding in weight management, and cutting down disease risks, as per insights by Manal Mohammed, Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology at the University of Westminster.

Speaking to The Conversation, Manal said: "Food organisations and groups such as the Association of UK Dietitians now recommend eating fermented foods more often. Fermented foods contain potentially probiotic microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria.

"And, despite the short time these bacteria spend in the gut, they help with food digestion and boost our immune system."

"Probiotics in fermented foods have health-promoting properties such as lowering cholesterol; one study demonstrated that several lactic acid bacterial strains have properties to lower blood cholesterol.", reports Gloucestershire Live.

"Over the centuries many people have eaten fermented food for convenience without realising their health benefits. Luckily many fermented foods are cheap and not complicated to make, giving us an easy way to improve our health and wellbeing."