You can change your mood with food

The gut microbiome (also known as your second brain) is the community of trillions of bacteria living in your digestive system and it has a huge impact on your overall health, including your brain. One of the tastiest ways to support this amazing system is by eating fermented foods.

Think tangy kimchi, creamy yogurt, salty and earthy beet kvass or crunchy sauerkraut. These foods are packed with probiotics, the live bacteria that can repopulate and diversify your gut microbiome. By introducing these friendly microbes, you're not just improving digestion. You're also potentially boosting your immune system, enhancing nutrient absorption, and even positively influencing your mood.

Your gut microbiome communicates with the brain via the gut-brain axis. This intricate network influences mood, cognitive function and even stress responses. Essentially, consuming fermented foods can help cultivate a healthy gut, which, in turn, can positively impact brain health and your overall wellbeing. You can basically change your mood and imbalances like mild depression and anxiety, through the foods you eat. 

You can support and often heal your gut (and mind) with a few shifts: 

• Read the labels! Avoid ultra-processed foods: if a food item has ingredients that you don't understand or ingredients that are not standard kitchen ingredients, it can most certainly be considered ultra-processed.
• Avoid inflammatory fats like seed and vegetable oils (sunflower, safflower, corn, rapeseed, palm etc.). These oils are also often found in ultra-processed foods. Best oils for cooking and consuming (in moderation): olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, avocado oil, flaxseed.
• Eat more nutrient-dense whole foods  like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
• Eat more prebiotic foods. These foods feed the good bacteria (the probiotics) in your gut.
• Add more probiotics to your daily food intake by including different types of fermented foods. Diversity is key.

Some fermented foods: 

• natural yoghurt (check labels for active cultures)
• kefir (water and milk kefir)
• miso (unpasteurised)
• kimchi
• sauerkraut
• pickled vegetables (in salt, not vinegar)
• apple cider vinegar (unpasteurised)
• sourdough bread
• tempeh
• certain cheeses (check labels for active cultures)
• cottage cheese and feta (check labels for active cultures)
• beet kvass
• kombucha
• natto

​
Adding fermented foods to your diet doesn't have to be complicated. Start small! Add a spoonful of sauerkraut or kimchi to your sandwich or salad, enjoy some Greek yoghurt or add some apple cider vinegar and miso to your salad dressing. Here are a few fun and easy recipes for you to try!

Kimchi

Kimchi is a delicious and tangy. It's spicy, it's sour, it's salty and full of flavour. Add it as a side to a dish, put it in a sandwich, make kimchi pancakes, eat it as it is, on its own. Despite what it might look or feel like, it's very easy to make but does take a little bit of time and patience. 

Ingredients 

• 1 Chinese cabbage 
• 1 small daikon
• 3 carrots
• 5 spring onions
• 1/2 green apple
• 5cm chunk of fresh ginger
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp gochugaru chili 
• 1 tbsp good quality sea salt

Equipment

• glass jars
• 1 large mixing bowl
• food processor or mortar and pestle

Instructions

1. Wash all the veggies. Chop cabbage into rough chunks, julienne or grate the carrots, daikon and apple. Slice the spring onion in 2-3cm chunks. Place all veggies in a very large bowl.
2. Blend ginger, garlic and chili in blender/food processor. Add to the vegetables along with the salt. 
3. Mix and massage everything together with your hands until the cabbage begins to soften and release water. Continue until you have a fair amount of liquid in the bottom of the bowl, about 5 minutes. At this point the vegetables should have lost a lot of their volume. Let me bowl sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours, massaging once or twice more.
4. Check the seasoning, add more chili or garlic if you like. 
5. In a large sterilised jar (or a couple of smaller ones), pack the vegetables by pushing then down into the jar to release any air pockets, continue until the jar is 3-4 cm from the top to leave some space for carbon dioxide. Seal the jar and leave it on the counter 3-5 days. Open the jar every day to "burp" it and to release the carbon dioxide pressure. It may start bubbling, which is a good sign! 
6. Taste the kimchi every day until it reaches a taste that you like. Seal the jar and store in the fridge. It keeps for several months. ​
7. Enjoy!

Beet kvass

Beet kvass is a salty, earthy drink that you can take any time of the day. Give it a go! 

Ingredients and equipment

• 3 organic beetroots
• 4 tbsp active whey from yoghurt (strained overnight), juice from sauerkraut or the equivalent in powdered vegetable starter culture
• 1 tbsp unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt
• 1l filtered water
• 1.5l glass jar with a hermetic lid

Instructions

1. Wash the beetroots (if the beetroots are not organic, peel them. Otherwise leave the skin on)
2. Chop the beetroots into 2-3cm cubes and put them in the jar
3. Add whey, sauerkraut juice or starter culture
4. Fill the jar with water
5. Leave on the counter at room temperature for 3-7 days to ferment. Open the jar once a day to let out the carbon dioxide. 
6. Taste it along the way. It should taste earthy, salty and tangy. 
7. Store in the fridge when ready and have a shot of it any time of day.

Miso vinaigrette

Add miso to your salads - easy peasy. 

Ingredients
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp unpasteurised apple cider vinegar (also full of probiotics)
1 tsp unpasteurised white miso
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper and salt (careful with adding salt before tasting as the miso will already add saltiness)

Instructions
You can either mix it together in a small bowl with a mini whisk or spoon or put it in a jar and shake. I would start by blending all ingredients except the olive oil. Add the olive oil at the end. If mixing in a bowl pour it in slowly whilst whisking/stirring.

Taste and adapt! Too sour? Add more oil. Too bland or oily? Add more acidity (mustard, vinegar, citrus). Lacking flavour? Add more miso, salt or something sweet. Too thick? Add a bit of water. 

You can also experiment with adding fresh herbs, garlic or shallots, fresh lime, lemon or orange juice, ginger, honey or maple syrup.

I didn't leave enough room at the top of the kimchi jars. You'll only do that once ;)

Precautions

If you're new to fermented foods, start slowly. If you suffer from histamine intolerance, food allergies or other serious digestive issues, take extra care and if in doubt, consult your doctor.
When you start eating more pre- and probiotics, you may experience more gas and bloating. This can be normal while your body is adjusting. It is often a sign that the probiotics are working and doing their job. Start slowly and give it a week or two. 

Want to know more?

If you're interested in the fascinating gut-brain connection and if you want to learn more about this topic and digestive health in general, I highly recommend reading the book Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ by Giulia Enders (gastroenterologist, scientist, writer). 

​There's also an interesting documentary on Netflix called Hack your health: The Secrets to your gut. Giulia Enders also features in this. 

But a simple Google search will also give you countless ressources and studies to read and explore.