scholarly journals Fermented Foods and Beverages in Human Diet and Their Influence on Gut Microbiota and Health

Fermentation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Mota de Carvalho ◽  
Eduardo M. Costa ◽  
Sara Silva ◽  
Lígia Pimentel ◽  
Tito H. Fernandes ◽  
...  

Dietary changes have accompanied the evolution of humanity and is proven to be fundamental in human evolution and well-being. Nutrition is essential for survival and as a matter of health and equilibrium of the human body. About 1/3 of the human diet is composed by fermented foods and beverages, which are widely distributed and consumed in different societies around the world, no matter the culture and lifestyle. Fermented foods are derived from the fermentation process of different substrates by microorganisms, and more importantly to humans, by those with beneficial characteristics, due to the positive impact on health. Food is transformed in the gut, gaining new proprieties, and increasing its value to the organism. The effects of fermented foods and beverages can be assessed by its influence at the gut microbiota level. Recent studies show the major importance of the gut microbiota role in modulating the organism homeostasis and homeorhesis. More crosslinks between health, gut microbiota and diet are being established especially in the gut–brain axis field. Therefore, the benefits of diet, in particularly of fermented foods and beverages, should be studied and pursued in order to promote a good health status.

Foods ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Bell ◽  
Jorge Ferrão ◽  
Lígia Pimentel ◽  
Manuela Pintado ◽  
Tito Fernandes

Changes in present-day society such as diets with more sugar, salt, and saturated fat, bad habits and unhealthy lifestyles contribute to the likelihood of the involvement of the microbiota in inflammatory diseases, which contribute to global epidemics of obesity, depression, and mental health concerns. The microbiota is presently one of the hottest areas of scientific and medical research, and exerts a marked influence on the host during homeostasis and disease. Fermented foods and beverages are generally defined as products made by microbial organisms and enzymatic conversions of major and minor food components. Further to the commonly-recognized effects of nutrition on the digestive health (e.g., dysbiosis) and well-being, there is now strong evidence for the impact of fermented foods and beverages (e.g., yoghurt, pickles, bread, kefir, beers, wines, mead), produced or preserved by the action of microorganisms, on general health, namely their significance on the gut microbiota balance and brain functionality. Fermented products require microorganisms, i.e., Saccharomyces yeasts and lactic acid bacteria, yielding alcohol and lactic acid. Ingestion of vibrant probiotics, especially those contained in fermented foods, is found to cause significant positive improvements in balancing intestinal permeability and barrier function. Our guts control and deal with every aspect of our health. How we digest our food and even the food sensitivities we have is linked with our mood, behavior, energy, weight, food cravings, hormone balance, immunity, and overall wellness. We highlight some impacts in this domain and debate calls for the convergence of interdisciplinary research fields from the United Nations’ initiative. Worldwide human and animal medicine are practiced separately; veterinary science and animal health are generally neither considered nor inserted within national or international Health discussions. The absence of a clear definition and subsequent vision for the future of One Health may act as a barrier to transdisciplinary collaboration. The point of this mini review is to highlight the role of fermented foods and beverages on gut microbiota and debate if the need for confluence of transdisciplinary fields of One Health is feasible and achievable, since they are managed by separate sectors with limited communication.


Metabolites ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruma Raghuvanshi ◽  
Allyssa G. Grayson ◽  
Isabella Schena ◽  
Onyebuchi Amanze ◽  
Kezia Suwintono ◽  
...  

Fermenting food is an ancient form of preservation ingrained many in human societies around the world. Westernized diets have moved away from such practices, but even in these cultures, fermented foods are seeing a resurgent interested due to their believed health benefits. Here, we analyze the microbiome and metabolome of organically fermented vegetables, using a salt brine, which is a common ‘at-home’ method of food fermentation. We found that the natural microbial fermentation had a strong effect on the food metabolites, where all four foods (beet, carrot, peppers and radishes) changed through time, with a peak in molecular diversity after 2–3 days and a decrease in diversity during the final stages of the 4-day process. The microbiome of all foods showed a stark transition from one that resembled a soil community to one dominated by Enterobacteriaceae, such as Erwinia spp., within a single day of fermentation and increasing amounts of Lactobacillales through the fermentation process. With particular attention to plant natural products, we observed significant transformations of polyphenols, triterpenoids and anthocyanins, but the degree of this metabolism depended on the food type. Beets, radishes and peppers saw an increase in the abundance of these compounds as the fermentation proceeded, but carrots saw a decrease through time. This study showed that organically fermenting vegetables markedly changed their chemistry and microbiology but resulted in high abundance of Enterobacteriaceae which are not normally considered as probiotics. The release of beneficial plant specialized metabolites was observed, but this depended on the fermented vegetable.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-150
Author(s):  
Nasim Habibzadeh

Nutrition is a well-balanced of nutrients for good – health and overall healthy life. Conventional foods are thefoods that is devoted to each country or specific culture which differ from one to another. However,maintaining the habitual dietary is not always possible. Thus, at a particular period of time changing the traditional diets due to the, cultural, social, economic and environmental factors impacts can be a real challenge. Consequently, alteration in traditional or conventional diets can lead to the ill-health conditions or an early death. Changing the traditional habit and replacing it with modern diet can seriously impairs body physiological regulatory functions at different body organs. As result, short – term or long – term ill-health can be the outcome of consuming un-healthy diet in various unexpected states. Nonetheless, consuming habitual food is not always possible and so using a healthy and an uncomplicated food (i.e., a piece of brown bread with cheese, vegetable and some fruits) can have positive impact on overall health and general well-being this kind of the occasions. Individual also are needed to be educated from early life that required worldwide andglobal attempts.


Author(s):  
Karl Samuelsson ◽  
Stephan Barthel ◽  
Johan Colding ◽  
Gloria Macassa ◽  
Matteo Giusti

The 2020 coronavirus pandemic caused countries across the world to implement measures of social distancing to curb spreading of COVID-19. The large and sudden disruptions to everyday life that result from this are likely to impact well-being, particularly among urban populations that live in dense settings with limited public space. In this paper, we argue that during these extraordinary circumstances, urban nature offers resilience for maintaining well-being in urban populations, while enabling social distancing. We discuss more generally the critical role of urban nature in times of crisis. Cities around the world need to take the step into the 21st century by accepting crises as a new reality and finding ways to function during these disturbances. Thus, maintaining or increasing space for nature in cities and keeping it accessible to the public should be part of the sustainability agenda, aiming simultaneously to strive towards SDG 3 (good health and well-being), and SDG 11 (sustainable and resilient cities).


Author(s):  
Hideko Matsuo ◽  
Koen Matthijs

This paper identifies subjective well-being trajectories through happiness measures as influenced by time, socio-economic, demographic and behavioural determinants. Hierarchical age-period-cohort models are applied to European Social Survey (2002–2016) data on the population aged 30 and older in 10 countries. A U-shaped relationship between age and happiness is found for some countries, but a rather flat pattern and considerable diversity beyond age 80 are detected for other countries. Lower happiness levels are found for baby boomers (1945–1964) than for preboomers and post-boomers, and also for late boomers (1955–1964) than for early boomers (1945–1954). Women, highly educated and native people are shown to have higher happiness levels than men, less educated and non-native people, respectively. Moreover, a positive assessment of income, having a partner, and being a parent, in good health, employed and socially active are all found to have a positive impact on happiness levels. We find evidence of gaps in happiness levels due to differences in socio-economic characteristics over the life course in some, but not in all of the countries analysed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Marie Lys Irakoze ◽  
Eliud N. Wafula ◽  
Eddy Owaga

Hunger and malnutrition continue to affect Africa especially the vulnerable children and women in reproductive age. However, Africa has indigenous foods and associated traditional technologies that can contribute to alleviation of hunger, malnutrition, and communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The importance of African indigenous vegetables is undeniable, only that they are season-linked and considered as “food for poor” despite their high nutritional contents. The utilization of African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) is hindered by postharvest losses and antinutrients affecting the bioavailability of nutrients. In Africa, fermentation is among the oldest food processing technologies with long history of safe use. Apart from extending shelf life and improving food organoleptic properties, fermentation of African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) is known to improve food nutritional values such as proteins, minerals, vitamins, and other beneficial phytochemicals. It can also increase bioavailability of various vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals and increase synthesis of vital blood pressure regulators thus protecting against cardiovascular diseases and cancer and further helping fight certain malnutrition deficiencies. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) involved in food fermentation are known to produce exopolysaccharides with cholesterol-lowering, immunomodulator, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Fermented foods (vegetables) are superior in quality and safety since most microorganisms involved in fermentation are good starter cultures that can inhibit the growth of foodborne pathogens and detoxify harmful compounds in foods. Thus, fermented foods can boost growth and well-being in children and women due to their higher nutritional contents. Therefore, fermentation of AIVs can contribute to the attainment of food and nutrition security especially among women and children who rely on these vegetables as a staple source of micronutrients and income. These benefits have a positive impact on the implementation of the second sustainable development goals and African Union agenda 2063. This review is aimed at shedding light on the potential of African fermented indigenous vegetables in combating maternal and child malnutrition in Sub-Sahara Africa.


2020 ◽  
pp. 60-65
Author(s):  
Inna Irtyshcheva ◽  
Dmytro Ryabets

Introduction. The main priorities for the development and reform of the health care system are to create conditions for improving the quality, life expectancy and efficiency of citizens by increasing the availability of medical services and medical care, improving the quality of medical services, early prevention and prevention of timely medical care. The aim of the article is to develop recommendations for ensuring the availability of medical care as a basic basis for the formation of good health and well-being of the population on the way to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Methods (methodology). The general scientific methods, in particular theoretical generalization - for research of theoretical bases of maintenance of availability of medical care are applied in research; system economic analysis - for correlation-regression analysis of the relationship between morbidity, mortality and economic affordability of medical services in Ukraine. Results. The impact of public and private sector expenditures on the level of morbidity was analyzed and compared, which showed that both factors have a positive impact on reducing the incidence rate. At the same time, there is a tendency to increase household spending on health care and the purchase of medicines much faster than at the state level, which confirms the targeted trends in health care reform to significantly reduce the number of free medical services. To a certain extent, these trends are positive, but in the event of a significant deterioration in the situation with the level of morbidity, this financial policy should be revised.


Author(s):  
Gilberto Campos Guimarães Filho ◽  
Maria Emília Figueiredo Teixeira ◽  
Idiberto José Zotarelli Filho ◽  
Patrícia Maluf Cury ◽  
Giancarlo Lucchetti

The new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), whose disease is COVID-19, in March 2020, spread around the world. To minimize the deleterious effects of emotional vulnerability, many strategies are in use worldwide, such as support groups, online courses, use of social networks, web meetings, yoga practice, meditation, and other contemplative religious and spiritual activities. Religious and spiritual beliefs have been used to deal with tough situations and, through scientific literature is still not so clear about the role of spirituality and religiosity (S/R) in physical and mental health during the pandemic. Therefore, this article proposes a discussion about the physiopathological mechanisms of COVID-19 and how S/R could be useful in this context. In this sense, religious faith can be a powerful resource for good health and well-being with a positive impact verified in mental health outcomes it is plausible to suggest that S/R should be an important tool in minimizing the population suffering at this moment. Spiritual care has long been recognized as one of the domains of quality palliative care, but every health care professional is ultimately responsible for ensuring spiritual care to deal with spiritual distress and improve quality of life in the scenarios inherent to COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Victoria Bell ◽  
Jorge Ferrão ◽  
Lígia Pimentel ◽  
Manuela Pintado ◽  
Tito Fernandes

The microbioma is presently one of the hottest areas of scientific and medical research and exerts a marked influence on the host during homeostasis and disease. Fermented foods arise in the human relationship to the microbial environment. Further to the traditionally recognized effects of fermented foods and beverages on the digestive health and well-being there is now strong evidence on their general health benefits, namely the significance on the gut microbiota and brain functionality. We highlight the possibilities in this field, how little is still known, and call for a convergence of interdisciplinary research fields of One Health microbe-nutrition with fermented foods and gut-brain research. A consequence of civilisation, changes in present-day society in diets with more sugar, fat and salt, habits and lifestyle, contributes to the likelihood of an inflammatory microbiome, particularly the global epidemics of obesity and mental health. Although two recent papers claim that probiotics perturb rather than aid in microbiota recovery back to baseline after antibiotic administration in humans, consuming fermented foods has shown to reduce inflammation so improve gut health and the proper function of the body’s immune system.


Kybernetes ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 400-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Šarotar Žižek ◽  
Matjaž Mulej ◽  
Živa Veingerl Čič

Purpose The aim of this paper is to present a research on how – the extremely necessary – systemic rather than one-sided and short-term behavior can enjoy support from (corporate and individual) social responsibility (SR) enhanced by transformational leadership as a source of success. Design/methodology/approach Based on the previously published empirical research, the authors use qualitative research methodology including desk and informal field research, the Dialectical Systems Theory and its law of requisite holism. Findings The entire humankind is in big trouble and facing the danger of the Third World War resulting from the “war against terrorism” proclaimed in USA in 2002 and making close to 100 million persons need relief aid; this situation is because of monopolies in the global economy, both business and government monopolies. Application of knowledge that might be able to solve the problem depends on values, culture, ethics and norms that prevail in all/any entities from families via corporations and other organizations, countries, international entities (such as European Union) to the entire world and humankind (and its United Nations Organization). The most influential of all of them are the corporations, hence, their corporate governance and strategic management. Hence, they should urgently implement SR principles and methods supporting its realization instead of the prevailing short-term and one-sided criteria of right and wrong, for clear and proven economic reasons; satisfied and healthy people are causing much less cost and trouble than strikes, medical care, renewal of safe natural environment, wars, unhappy/abused partners, etc. Research limitations/implications The hypothesis is researched to the greatest extent possible, with qualitative analysis in desk and field research. Quantitative methodological approach took place in the cited previous publications. Practical implications For humankind and managers, the use of the transformational leadership is very important because of its positive impact on health and well-being of employees and, hence, on humankind’s survival in the current global socio-economic crisis. Social implications Good health and well-being of employees reduce many societal troubles and related cost resulting otherwise from the too short-term and narrow-minded behavior of managers and employees, potentially their families as well, all way to tens of millions of homeless migrants, killed and injured people, children with no chance for education, etc. Originality/value No similar concept is offered in the available literature.


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