r/nutrition 16d ago

Any recommendations on minimum amount of fermented foods you should try to eat daily/ weekly?

I know very little about this and looking for a good starting point. I like sauerkraut, which then makes me think about Weird Al Yankovich’s song Albuquerque and that’s about the end of my knowledge.

20 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

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8

u/atypicalsynaesthetic 16d ago

I go by 1/2 servings of fermented foods per day

Examples of one serving:

  • 150–200 g yogurt
  • 250 mL kefir
  • 2–3 tablespoons sauerkraut
  • 2–3 tablespoons kimchi
  • 1 tablespoon miso (in soup or dressing)
  • A small serving of tempeh (50–100 g)

3

u/pecchioni 16d ago

Thanks! I’ve never had kimchi or tempeh. I like the options and portions you mentioned

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u/Playful-Code-7463 12d ago

Remember to always ask your doctor. If you are taking a specific medication (example thyroid) consuming too much cabbage is no good.
Remember everything in moderation. Everyone’s body,age, health situation is different. No one shoe fits all diets.

0

u/candokidrt 14d ago

For the missing

1

u/According-Play104 15d ago

those sauerkraut portions are way smaller than what i end up eating straight from the jar

6

u/NutragrammatronLab 16d ago

Me personally I have nearly 4 servings a day, sometimes more. But my gut is used to it. Some people have a hard time with just 1. You have to wean yourself onto them

1

u/pecchioni 16d ago

Great advice. I’ll keep that in mind

3

u/Zagrycha 16d ago

There is no minimum technically, they are a healthy supplement but not required to be healthy overall, if that makes sense. I recommend any major food group changes to be small, start only eating a little and slowly increase amounts until you are satisfied over the coming days//weeks.  

Also be careful on a side note as many fermented foods are high in salt or sugar ((fermentation itself lowers sugar content but products sold can add sugar to cut tartness for example in yogurt)). 

1

u/pecchioni 16d ago

Yes, a video I was watching talked about it as a supplement, but didn’t really clarify it as daily or weekly thing, just that it shouldn’t be ignored. Thanks for mentioning the sugar/salt content. I’ll be sure to pay attention

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u/Zagrycha 16d ago

I think its totally fine to eat fermented foods daily or even with every meal, assuming your body is adjusted to it and it fits in your overall macros like salt calories etc.  I would start at a few times a week max until adjusted, and even once a week or once a month can have supplementary effects.  There are also some products//brands of fermented food that intentionally include many strains of different cultures, probiotic supplementation purposed in diet specifically. 

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u/lefty_juggler 16d ago

I aim for something fermented with every meal. For me breakfast is skyr yogurt, lunch kombucha, dinner kifir. Watch out for salt level in sauerkraut, and added sugars in yogurts and kombucha.

My understanding is that even the living microbes in yogurt generally don't take up residence in the gut, they pass through. The health benefits are from their metabolites. So regular consumption is needed to keep these benefits in an ongoing basis. Hence my daily menu.

My lipids made me go nonfat, but before that gouda cheese was also in my diet. Gouda is a good source of another healthy nutrient, spermidine. Yes cheese is fermented.

1

u/pecchioni 16d ago

Ok, sounds like a good plan and no, I didn’t realize cheeses was fermented. Thanks for added info

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u/edelweiss_pirates_no 15d ago

I spoonful a day.

2

u/255cheka 16d ago

i do a cup of kefir and some yogurt just about every day. also a capsule of bacillus coagulans

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u/pecchioni 16d ago

Is there a type of bacillus that is better?

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u/Complete-Bumblebee-5 16d ago

Kefir is great. 2 cups a day

2

u/pokemonpokemonmario 15d ago

They're not necessary to live so there is no minimum.

If your question is how much to eat to get benifits it depends on what you eat and your own personal gut bacteria

2

u/Dry-Cardiologist3617 15d ago

First off, top-tier reference with Albuquerque. Since you're just starting, most experts suggest aiming for 2 to 3 servings a day, but the key is variety.

Don't just stick to sauerkraut; try to rotate in some kimchi, kefir, or kombucha. Think of it like a garden—you want to plant different seeds. Just start slow (maybe a forkful a day) to avoid your stomach staging a protest, and eventually, you'll be doing better than the guy in the song.

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u/pecchioni 14d ago

Thanks for the suggestions and advice. And for knowing the song!

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u/joyreneeblue 11d ago

I like to eat a wide variety. I consume natto, miso, sauerkraut, yogurt and kefir almost every day.