Gut Health and Fermented Foods

Consumer awareness and appreciation of digestive health and wellness appears to be a growing trend. Indeed, recent Google Trends Analysis states that “gut health” and “bloating” are some of the most popular search terms associated with food and health. As research continues to inform about the role of gut microbiome in human health, the food sector is responding by the introduction of an ever increasing range of fermented food and drink products.

Examples of fermented foodstuffs include yoghurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, sour beers and pickled vegetables such as sauerkraut. Fermenting foods involves a process of lacto-fermentation where bacteria feed on sugar and starch creating lactic acid. The result of this process is increased food preservation qualities and the creation of beneficial components such as Omega-3 fatty acids, enzymes and probiotics. Furthermore, the process also increases the digestibility of food. These effects have been linked with improvements to gut and bowel health and immunity, in particular. 

Why not expand your menu to include more fermented foods, thereby increasing the nutritional value of your dishes and exploiting a unique marketing opportunity?

Help your food business to reap the rewards by;

• Offering natural yogurt as an alternative salad or sandwich dressing
• Broadening your drinks menu by offering kefir, kombucha, and sour beers such as Lambic or Berliner Weisse
• Fermenting a selection of vegetables in-house. Stored in the fridge, they can be a long-lasting source of additions to salads, sandwiches, wraps, and bagels, or as accompaniments to starter and main dishes.
• Partner with a registered dietitian to increase the nutritional properties of your menu items

Increased consumer health awareness and a demand for nutritious food that is novel and convenient is a growing market. healthpro Menu Mentoring®, led by our team of nutrition and dietetic experts, is helping a diverse range of Irish food businesses to benefit from this increasing demographic. Grow your market share by contacting us on +35386 4119222 or emailing info@healthpro.ie