It’s time we all get hip to fermented foods. Studies show that incorporating foods that have undergone the fermentation process and have live cultures—think yogurt, kimchi, miso, tempeh, and kombucha—can help with gut issues, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and be anti-inflammatory.
My favorite fermented food is kefir. I first heard of the fermented dairy product (it’s best described as a drinkable yogurt) from Ellen af Petersens, founder of the Scandinavian clean beauty brand Colekt. Petersens told me that she drinks kefir every post-dinner to aid with digestion. It was finally a big meal—and the bloating and regret that can sometimes come along with it—that convinced me to give kefir a try.
“Kefir is a probiotic food that contains beneficial bacteria and yeasts that colonize the microbiota in the gut,” says nutritionist Itziar Digón. “It’s a gift for the microbiota because these live cultures help promote better digestion and help you avoid feeling bloated.” Although it can be consumed at any time, hormonal health expert and nutritionist Laura Parada Rouchy says consuming it after a large meal—especially for the last meal of the day—can “help control your blood sugar levels while sleeping. The bacteria present in kefir feeds on sugar consumed, helping to reduce the amount that enters the bloodstream, which results in a lower glucose spike.” Parada Rouchy adds that kefir can also help relieve indigestion and intestinal inflammation as well.
There are some guidelines that should be considered when choosing which kefir to try: “I recommend reading the label and making sure there are no added sugars, flavors, or colors,” says Parada Rouchy. “Kefir naturally has a bit of a sour taste. If you don’t like it, try adding in some fruits to sweeten it naturally instead of choosing one with sugar added into it to change the flavor.”
