11. Sourdough
Typically made from just four ingredients – flour, water, salt and a starter culture – sourdough is easy to digest and highly nutritious. It’s the starter combined with the long fermentation which holds the key to sourdough’s taste, texture and health credentials.
A sourdough starter is a mix of flour and water, which is fermented by wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria, which gives the sourdough its rise. Traditional sourdough undergoes a slow fermentation, which makes its vitamins and minerals more bioavailable. The process also kick-starts the breakdown of protein (gluten), making the bread easier to digest.
Although the beneficial microbes in the starter are lost during the baking process, compounds called polyphenols become more bio-available. These act as an important fuel source for our good gut microbes and, unlike many commercially produced loaves, sourdough is beneficial for blood sugar levels.
12. Yogurt
Interestingly, studies suggest that a 100g serving of yogurt every day may be beneficial for mood and outlook. This is likely to be because of the relationship between the beneficial bacteria in our gut and the role they play in producing feel-good neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.