There are many times where we may feel stressed out, nervous or overwhelmed. Stress can be a result of many factors in our life, but the key to living well is managing it. There are many ways to calm our nerves from exercise to meditating, but new research suggests there is one food item that tops the rest when it comes to reducing stress.
Eat pickles for less social anxiety
The magical food item is none other than pickles! The new findings were published in Psychiatry Research where it was uncovered that fermented foods can help with stress and anxiety.
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About 700 students participated in the study. They were asked about their activity levels, consumption of fruits and vegetables and how many fermented foods they eat. The findings revealed those who ate more fermented foods had a reduction in social anxiety.
Researchers suggest that fermented foods, such as kimchi, sauerkraut and pickles, contain probiotics that can change the gut environment. Until now there have been many studies linking a mind-gut connection, so it’s of no surprise that food can help ease social anxiety.
The best part about these findings is pickles, and other fermented foods, are generally safe to consume with no harsh side effects. So what easier way to boost mood than with snacking?
What are probiotics?
On one hand, antibiotics are usually prescribed to fight off a bacterial infection. Probiotics, on the other hand, aid in “promoting life” as the Greek translation reveals.
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Probiotics can help promote good health because they are living micro-organisms which can fight off bacteria. Typically, our gut contains good and bad bacteria. When the bad bacteria takes over in the gut, it can lead to many health concerns – especially with digestion. Probiotics work to achieve a balance between the good and bad bacteria to achieve ideal digestive health.
4 ways fermented foods boost health
When it comes down to it we should all be eating more fermented foods for overall health. Fermented foods not only help reduce stress and anxiety – they have been linked to many health benefits. Here are just some ways fermented foods can improve your health:
- Provide nutrients: Many fermented food items are high in essential nutrients which can help fight off illness.
- Boost immune system: Much of the immune system is located in the gut. Positive bacteria work to boost the immune system.
- Detoxification: Fermented foods contain components that can help detox the body.
- Weight loss: Probiotics founds in fermented foods can help keep you regular and fight against constipation, which affects weight gain.
As you can see a happy gut translates to happy health overall. The best part is fermented foods generally have a long shelf life, so they are cost efficient as well. With such a wide variety of fermented foods out there, it’s easy to find one you enjoy.
