The Benefits of Fermented Foods for Endometriosis (Plus BONUS Endo-Friendly Recipe)
When it comes to eating for endometriosis, there’s a laundry list of foods that are excellent for their role in helping to fight inflammation (hello colourful fruits and veggies, quality proteins, nuts and seeds, fiber, and fatty fish). What’s one of those food categories that’s high on the “should eat” list for endo? Fermented foods! Yes, consuming fermented food is actually wonderful for endometriosis for so many reasons.
Let’s backtrack a bit first. What exactly is fermentation and what types of food items fall into the fermented food category?
What Are Fermented Foods and How Are They Made?
Fermentation is an ancient technique of preserving food and is a natural process through which the microorganisms in the food (i.e. the yeast and bacteria) convert carbohydrates like starch and sugar into acids or alcohol. Simply put, in addition to helping food preservation, eating fermented foods can increase the number of beneficial bacteria (AKA probiotics) in your microbiome.
SOME OF THE BEST FERMENTED FOODS INCLUDE:
Lacto-Fermented Veggies: This includes both kimchi and sauerkraut, which are especially high in lactobacillus strains that produce SCFA, which are the anti-inflammatory chemicals found in the gut.
Tempeh: Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh is rich in probiotics, high in protein, and contains many essential vitamins and minerals.
Kefir: Similar in taste to yogurt, kefir is a cultured dairy product made from a combination of kefir grains, yeast, and bacteria. In addition, the fermentation process breaks down lactose, making these dairy products better tolerated by those with lactose intolerance.
Yogurt: Produced from cow’s milk that’s been fermented, yogurt is excellent for its many nutrients like calcium, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin D, phosphorus, protein and vitamin B12.
Kombucha: Fizzy and flavourful, kombucha is a fermented tea (made from either black or green tea) and is packed with probiotics.
Natto: Made from fermented soybeans and a staple probiotic food in traditional Japanese culture, natto is high in both fiber as well as vitamin K. It is particularly helpful for bowel regularity and alleviating constipation.
Miso: Made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji (type of fungus), miso is a Japanese staple and is commonly found in miso soup.
What Are the Benefits of Fermented Foods for Endometriosis?
Gut health has a massive role to play when it comes to helping to manage the many unpleasant inflammatory symptoms of endometriosis. First, ensuring a balanced gut can be super helpful in the production of short-chain fatty acids, which are the healthy, beneficial chemicals found in the gut that can help to lower inflammation both locally and systemically.
Having a healthy gut also plays a key role in the absorption and synthesis of nutrients, imperative for endometriosis because of the body’s increased need for nutrition and energy as a result of chronic inflammation. And thirdly, a healthy balance of gut flora is helpful for hormone health and reducing the risk of estrogen dominance, another common inflammation contributor with endo.
Simply put, fermented foods are excellent for endometriosis because of the many beneficial effects they have on our overall gut health. In fact, findings from several studies have revealed that the live bacteria and yeasts found in fermented foods can have fantastic health effects on our digestive tract, including:
Improved digestion. The fermentation process allows the body to better digest the sugars and starches found in these foods. This explains why fermented dairy is often better tolerated.
Helpful in balancing the gut. Fermented foods help to keep the peace in your gut by lowering the pH and preventing overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria (AKA the bacteria that competes with your healthy bacteria and may cause loose stools).
Promotes healthy gut flora. Fermented foods contribute to the health of your gut flora, which in turn supports your body in synthesizing and/or absorbing a number of nutrients like B vitamins as well as vitamin K.
Improves bioavailability of nutrients. The process of fermentation also brings out much of the beneficial nutrients in the foods. For example, the polyphenols in red wine become more accessible and easily absorbable by the body as a result of the fermentation process.
Helps keep you regular! Many of the bacterial strains found in fermented foods are tied to beneficial effects on bowel regularity, which is important for endometriosis because healthy bowels equals healthy hormones and a well-functioning immune system.
Helpful for mental health. The composition of our gut can influence our emotions and feelings. Probiotic bacteria in fermented foods contribute to the production of neurotransmitters, which can help with mood improvements by helping to increase serotonin and dopamine levels.
It also goes without saying that fermented foods are excellent for fertility. The increase in nutrient absorption that occurs is helpful for keeping your body nourished in preparation for pregnancy. Fermented foods are also great for supporting the immune system, which is key for fertility with endometriosis provided that the immune system can be dysfunctional thus affecting implantation as well as the proper functioning of reproductive organs.
Bonus Endo-Friendly Recipe: Berry Kombucha Salad
I personally love finding fun and creative ways to incorporate fermented foods into my everyday meals. This delicious salad not only incorporates kombucha, but it’s also filled with colourful leafy greens and low-sugar, antioxidant rich berries — both wonderful for endometriosis. Shout to Eat to Beat Inflammation Magazine, which is where I originally found this delightful recipe!
This recipe also includes one of my all-time favourite plant proteins to add a delicious crunch! Walnuts are high in ALA, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. From start-to-finish, this dish takes only 15 minutes, which makes it perfect for those busy, low-energy days.
Recipe & Directions
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
3 cups fresh raspberries
½ cup kombucha (plain, ginger, or orange kombucha pairs best with this recipe)
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tbsp. agave syrup (or your favourite sweetener — I like to use honey)
½ tsp. black pepper
8 cups mixed salad greens
½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare the dressing by placing 1 cup of raspberries into a food processor or blender. Cover and process or blend until smooth. Press the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the seeds. In a small bowl, whisk together the raspberry puree, kombucha, sweetener, salt, and pepper.
Drizzle ⅓ cup of the dressing over the salad greens.
Top the salad with the remaining raspberries and walnuts. Makes 4 servings (2 cups each).
I hope you enjoy this recipe! And remember, if you make this salad, please share a photo on Intagram and tag me at @endo.fertility.dietitian!
In the meantime, if you’re looking for additional customized nutrition, lifestyle, or supplement support to help better manage your symptoms of endometriosis, feel free to reach out at cindy@endometriosisdietitian.ca. PS: I’m launching a special little freebie in the coming weeks so if you’d like to make sure that you’re notified when it goes live, send me an email to get on my subscriber list!
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