Why fermented foods are good for your gut – and your teaching

By Emma Davies2024-04-15T05:30:00

Small bowls of different fermented foods - gherkins, sour cream, kimchi, kombucha, saurkraut

Source: © Marekuliasz/Shutterstock

From kimchi to kefir, tuck into the complex chemistry of fermentation and its health potential

From sauerkraut to kefir, fermented foods are widely touted as gut-enriching, health-boosting products, but do they really make us healthier? And, if so, how do they work? Read the article to discover how researchers are digging into the chemical detail of fermented products, in a bid to understand their potential effects on the body and the gut–brain axis. Download the resource for 14–16 learners to carry out the fermentation of glucose using yeast. Observe and test the products for the presence of ethanol. Set the follow-up questions to consolidate learners’ knowledge of the conditions needed for a fermentation reaction, rates of reaction and method writing.

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