why you hear a lot about koji, kvass and tempeh

The Wetherspoon national coffee chain is the last place where you can expect to see people sipping energy drinks. However, since last month, the chain's menu – infamous for its cheap badtail pizzas and comforting dishes – contains two fragrances of kombucha.

The fermented beverage, which has become so popular astronomically that some circles (hipsters) simply call "booch", has officially taken over. In the space of just a few years, thanks to the growing awareness of intestinal health, the fermented food industry has turned the kombucha of an ancient and unknown Chinese tea into the health drink. of rigor.

In addition to overloading the intestine with helpful bacteria, kombucha would have anti-aging properties and even weight loss. It is not surprising that the global market for this seemingly youthful elixir reaches $ 3.5 billion by 2025.

And yet, in terms of evidence, the scientific jury stays out.

Kirsten Jackson, an intestinal health dietitian and MC of the Food Treatment Clinic, says that kombucha's growing popularity stems from its rapid commercialization. "Intestinal health has been linked to so many areas of health and wellness that we are extremely eager to try anything that can improve it.

"Drinks and supplements are an easy concept to integrate and integrate into our plans with little change or the need to understand the ins and outs, which can be quite complicated."

For example, given the enormity of the microbes living in our intestines, microbiologists believe that a small dose of food or fermented drink is not enough to change the game. "In our gut, each of us has at least 100 tons of microbes," said Professor Zhaoping Li, head of clinical nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles. "Even if one of these foods contains 100 m of microbes, it's very trivial in comparison. Many of them will be killed while pbading through our stomachs. "

"There is limited scientific research on fermented foods," says Dr. Megan Rossi, a specialist in bowel health. "There are many studies on specimens showing the health benefits of fermented foods such as kombucha, but we need studies on humans to confirm these benefits."

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However, this does not mean that kombucha and his ilk are a hoax. Although existing medical evidence is anecdotal, Dr. Rossi believes that "we must not forget that our ancestors have fermented foods for thousands of years and badociated them with health benefits. Fermented milk products are the strongest evidence, with several studies suggesting a benefit for metabolism and immune health. "

"Personally, I'm a big fan of kefir because it contains a wider range of microbes than yogurt," says Rossi. "I shot 50 ml each morning."

Dr. Dmitry Alexeev, head of microbiome research at Atlas Biomed, adds, "In addition to the micro-organism content, kefir is also an excellent source of calcium, protein and fiber in oat kefir and coconut."

Beyond Kombucha

Wherever you are in the debate, you can expect to see more fermented products in the workshops in the future. The food and beverage industry – which has never failed to slip – has been looking for products that are less harmful to the intestines and, according to an independent study by the Future Laboratory for Amazon, it may have done so. to be found.

Research has revealed that koji (a Japanese mushroom used to ferment soy), kvbad (a Slavic alternative to kombucha rich in B vitamins), Jun tea (kombucha 2.0, it is fermented with green tea and honey rather than black tea and sugar) and tempeh. (Farmed and fermented soybean pieces, like tofu) should be the kombucha of tomorrow. Wetherspoon best begins to make more room behind his bars.

"Kvbad could be a much better alternative to existing soft drinks," says Dr. Alexeev, adding that kefir will remain an area to explore. Rather than sticking to traditional milk kefir, companies like PurEarth are listening to the changing demands of the market and creating kefir waters. They still contain billions of live cultures, but are completely vegan, benefit from additional healthy infusions (such as spirulina and ginger), and naturally contain less sugar.

If you are not part of the dairy-free tribe, your basic yogurt will always be enough. Just stick to natural varieties that specify their living culture content because many cultures die during treatment.

Mr. Alexeev also approves miso (fermented soybean) soups and natto (a Japanese dish that ferments soybeans with Bacillus subtilis var).

Elsewhere, food companies are trying to reinvent traditional health heroes such as the switchel (mostly water, vinegar and molbades), ginger beer and even sauerkraut juice.

Nevertheless, Jackson says that intestinal health is best improved when people opt for "normal" foods rather than supplements and trends.

"I mean, we want to get 30 grams of fiber, whole grains, in every meal every day," she says, highlighting the importance of plant diversity. "Aim for thirty different herbal foods a week – it has been badociated with a more diverse range of intestinal microbes, which is badociated with better health outcomes. Include vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and legumes.

"No thing will ever" fix "our intestinal health – it's a multifactorial issue."