Weight Loss: Why eating fermented foods can blast belly fat and help you lose weight

Foods such as pickles, kimchi and sauerkraut will all contribute to weight loss (Image: Getty Images)

WEIGHT LOSS methods are rife at this time of year, with dozens of plans promising to help Britons lose weight and achieve a “summer body.” While some can actually negatively impact your health, one weight loss method promises to increase overall wellbeing, as well as shedding the pounds.

Many diet methods promise to offer miracle weight-loss results, with the market crowded with quick fixes and short-term plans.

From shakes to pills to cleanses, many weight-loss solutions come with negative side effects and can actually contribute to deterioration to the body’s health.

However, great weight loss can be achieved through just a few simple changes to your diet.

One simple diet change that will help you lose weight, blast belly fat and improve overall health is by consuming fermented foods.

Fermented foods are making a comeback among dieters, with many enjoying the sour, savoury flavour that comes with them. They also come with a host of health and wellbeing benefits, improving digestive health and contributing to weight loss.


What are fermented foods?

Fermented foods are not a regular occurrence in the modern diet, but have been used for centuries to improve immune system and digestive health.

Fermented foods come in all shapes and sizes, including pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi and fermented soy (miso, tamari, tempeh).

Most foods can be fermented, with many fans of the food group opting to pickle their own foods at home in jars, a rewarding process that takes a few months.

Fermenting foods, especially vegetables, creates healthy probiotic bacteria that are essential to a functioning digestive system.

Both non-dairy and dairy yoghurts also both count as fermented foods, packed with gut-healthy probiotic bacteria, as well as the fermented tea kombucha.

How do fermented foods aid weight loss?

Fermented foods promote friendly intestinal bacteria, which are the bacteria that keep the digestive track and process in check.

They also help with reducing overall inflammation of the body, which is important when it comes to achieving great weight loss results.

Inflammation is known to activate the body’s “fat trigger”, signalling to the brain that the body is in distress and telling it to store fat instead of burning it.

Studies have also linked unfriendly gut bacteria to obesity, with fermented foods making sure the gut is filled with healthy bacteria, ideal for losing weight.

Fermented foods are also packed with vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins, including B12, omega-3 fatty acids and can produce digestive enzymes, lactase and lactic acid - all helpful for dieters.

Fermented foods can be made at home easily, with vegetables having the most benefits (Image: Getty Images)

Fermented foods are also known to fight off harmful bacteria and are even reported to discourage the growth of cancer cells.

Along with probiotics found in fermented foods, another way to lose weight fast is by consuming prebiotics, the bacteria that encourages probiotics to grow. 

According to leading Gut Expert Glenn Gibson at the University of Reading, consuming prebiotics can significantly reduce bloating, cutting preparation time for fitting in to summer swimwear.

Prebiotics are a special form of dietary fiber found in foods such as artichokes, leeks, chicory and onions. Unlike probiotics, which are existing live bacteria found in yoghurt and fermented food, prebiotics act as a fertiliser for the good bacteria in your gut.


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