If you want to bolster your gut health and lose weight, consider adding fermented foods to your grocery list. Fermented foods, such as yogurt and sauerkraut, contain probiotics, which may be linked to potential health benefits.
“Probiotics can help reduce blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, which can often make weight loss more difficult to begin with,” says Alyssa Pacheco, RD, owner of The PCOS Nutritionist Alyssa, based in the greater Boston area. According to a study, probiotics may help lower inflammation, which research shows contributes to insulin resistance.
What’s more, probiotics may aid weight loss. In one study, people with markers of overweight and obesity (body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference) who took probiotics showed slightly more improvement in these three markers than those who didn’t include probiotics in their diet. Yet studies on which probiotic strains are best are lacking.
Below, read on for the healthiest probiotic foods you can eat to potentially support your weight loss efforts.
1. Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage. To find a product that has gut health benefits, read the ingredients. You want to find one that hasn’t been fermented with vinegar because vinegar stops the fermentation process, says Alyssa Smolen, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in New York and New Jersey. “Buying a sauerkraut with vinegar means you won’t be getting the probiotic benefits that sauerkraut provides.”
Instead, look for one like Bubbies, which is only cabbage, salt, and water. Most of the time these sauerkraut versions will be located in the refrigerated section. If you suffer from IBS, research shows that including sauerkraut in your diet may help reduce the severity of your symptoms.
2. Yogurt
Yogurt may be one of the easier fermented products to add to your diet because typical grocery stores offer many selections. Read the ingredients to select a yogurt with live and active cultures, as this indicates the probiotic content. To better support gut health, choose a lower-sugar or no-added-sugar variety and avoid ones with artificial sweeteners.
“When looking for yogurt, I generally recommend looking for one that has the lowest amount of added sugars that you still find palatable,” Pacheco says, adding that eating too much sugar isn’t great for long-term health and may contribute to weight gain over time. Try plain yogurt and add fruit for flavor and fiber.
3. Kefir
Kefir resembles a drinkable yogurt and is made of fermented milk. It’s usually located in the same area of the grocery store as yogurt. Kefir has a tart and tangy flavor and provides protein, calcium, and vitamin D, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Try the unsweetened variety by Lifeway to cut back on added sugars in your diet.
Additionally, the fermentation process makes it a well-tolerated dairy product among those who are lactose intolerant. Here’s why: Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk, and it’s one of the food sources for the bacteria in kefir. The probiotics feed off the lactose during the fermentation process, which decreases the amount of lactose in the final product, Pacheco says.
4. Kimchi
Kimchi is a Korean fermented vegetable dish including cabbage, radish, and a variety of spices such as gochugaru, spring onions, garlic, and ginger. Its flavor is typically a combination of spicy and sour. For those looking to reduce inflammation, kimchi may help. Research has found kimchi to have anti-inflammatory benefits that help support immune health.
5. Kombucha
Kombucha is an increasingly popular beverage choice made of fermented tea — usually black tea, but sometimes green tea — and sugar. There are many different brands and flavors of kombucha. Many of the health benefits of kombucha are due to the polyphenol content in the tea. This anti-inflammatory property helps reduce inflammation and chronic disease, research suggests.
6. Tempeh
Tempeh is made of fermented boiled and de-hulled soybeans. Lightlife is a popular brand available in most grocery stores. It has a chewy texture and mushroom-like flavor. Similar to tofu, tempeh takes the place of meat in many vegetarian and vegan dishes and can soak up the flavors of sauces and spices extremely well. One study showed that eating tempeh can help reduce markers linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Plus, tempeh is high in protein, which helps keep you fuller for longer.
7. Miso
Miso is fermented soybean paste, commonly found in Japanese cuisine. You can find miso at Asian grocery stores and many others. A popular brand is Hikari’s white miso paste. Miso comes in many varieties, including white, yellow, and red. Red miso paste is the most pungent and has been fermented the longest. One review found that miso contains properties that help fight cancer and obesity, among other conditions.
8. Pickles
Pickles are fermented cucumbers, but much like the sauerkraut above, you’ll want to read the ingredients to find pickles that are naturally fermented and don’t contain vinegar. “The added vinegar makes the pickles shelf-stable and destroys this good bacteria,” Smolen says. Bubbies makes naturally fermented dill pickles, which are located in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
9. Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread uses a longer fermentation process than other kinds of bread. You begin by making a sourdough “starter,” which takes an average of seven days and involves replenishing the microbes daily. Then you create the dough, similar to typical bread-making. For people with IBS, research shows that sourdough may be a better-tolerated bread choice than others since it contains less FODMAP (a carbohydrate type that the body can’t properly absorb).
The Wrap-Up
Adding fermented foods to your diet is one way to optimize your digestive health. Start by adding one to your diet each week and slowly change it out to try all nine over time.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- Virk MS et al. The Anti-Inflammatory and Curative Exponent of Probiotics: A Comprehensive and Authentic Ingredient for the Sustained Functioning of Major Human Organs. Nutrients. February 16, 2024.
- Rasaei N et al. The Effects of Prebiotic, Probiotic or Synbiotic Supplementation on Overweight/Obesity Indicators: An Umbrella Review of the Trials’ Meta-Analyses. Frontiers in Endocrinology. March 19, 2024.
- Dimidi E et al. Fermented Foods: Definitions and Characteristics, Impact on the Gut Microbiota and Effects on Gastrointestinal Health and Disease. Nutrients. August 2019.
- Kefir, Lowfat, Plain, Lifeway. MyFoodData. U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Su J. Application of Kombucha Fermentation Broth for Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Processes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. September 12, 2023.
- Subali D et al. Soy-Based Tempeh Rich in Paraprobiotics Properties as Functional Sports Food: More Than a Protein Source. Nutrients. June 2023.
- Saeed F et al. Miso: A Traditional Nutritious & Health-Endorsing Fermented Product. Food Science & Nutrition. September 15, 2022.
- Sáez-Lara MJ et al. Effects of Probiotics and Synbiotics on Obesity, Insulin Resistance Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Review of Human Clinical Trials. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. June 2016.
- Wu H et al. Metabolic Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Obesity. Circulation Research. May 22, 2020.
