More people are focusing on their gut health, as fibermaxxing goes mainstream, colorectal cancer rises among young adults and personalized gut microbiome treatments become increasingly popular.Now, a generation- and culture-spanning way of preserving food is in the spotlight: fermentation. The federal government’s latest dietary guidelines specifically encourage Americans to eat more fermented food. The foods have been further popularized by followers of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again movement. And while other diet fads championed by MAHA have been questioned by health experts — like unproven claims about raw milk and seed oils — there’s some science behind the benefits of eating fermented foods.Fermented foods go back thousands of years in human history, to the days when we needed to keep food from spoiling but didn’t have refrigerators. Many cultures have traditional fermented foods: yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, South Indian idli and dosa.Dietitians and doctors say they’re a great addition to almost anyone’s diet, but they warn against new, mass-produced products.Here’s what to know.
This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.