For centuries, all different cultures have used methods to preserve food, for example by pickling it in salt or fermenting it.  

In Asia, well-known examples include foods like kimchi, natto, and kombucha. In our country, well-known fermented foods include sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt. All of them have long been considered healthy for the stomach and body. And this belief is true.  

There's a whole science behind it, which has gained increasing relevance in research in recent years. With more knowledge about fermented foods, you can do something good for your body naturally, all from the comfort of your own home.  

But what exactly is fermentation? It's one of the oldest methods we humans have discovered for processing food. Around 14,000 years old!  

This is where bacteria convert food into other substances, usually in the absence of oxygen, a process known as fermentation. These bacteria are often already present in the food. In the dairy industry, specific bacterial starter cultures are added. The bacteria most commonly involved in fermentation are lactic acid bacteria. These include Lactobacillus and Lactococcus bacteria, which you sometimes hear about or read about on fermented products. The name of these bacteria suggests that they are mainly found in fermented milk products, but they are also present in fermented vegetables. These bacteria are considered harmless to us. And even though the word bacteria causes concern for many people, you can rest assured here. Because the bacteria involved in fermentation produce numerous substances when converting food that are beneficial to our intestines and our body. Among other things, these substances have the advantage that they have been proven to lower blood pressure and blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. They also improve the availability of vitamins and minerals. Additionally, some also have a positive impact on mental health by improving mood and acting as an antidepressant.  

The bacteria themselves in fermented products are also beneficial to our bodies. Products containing these "good" bacteria are called probiotics. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on them, as studies have shown that their consumption leads to improvements in many diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and chronic inflammatory bowel disease.  

Prebiotics, on the other hand, are dietary fiber, food components that we can't digest ourselves. But our good gut bacteria love them! This also helps them grow better, which means that "bad," disease-causing bacteria have a harder time growing and spreading. In the intestines, the prebiotics are converted into short-chain fatty acids. These short-chain fatty acids are substances that, among other things, reduce hunger, fat storage, and weight. They also play a role in blood sugar control. Prebiotics ensure that the beneficial bacteria in our gut have enough food to produce these healthy substances.  

Our microbiome is the interaction of all the bacteria in our gut, which have a strong influence on our health—the more diverse, the better. However, due to today's unhealthier diet and increased use of antibiotics, we are losing this diversity. Since the microbiome can alter metabolic processes, there is a direct link between our microbiome and obesity. If we lack diverse bacteria, it can trigger obesity. An unhealthy diet can also have other consequences.  

To protect our body from the microbiome, we have a protective mucous layer in our intestines. A high-fat diet with little prebiotics/fiber can thin this mucus and cause it to become damaged. Since bad bacteria can multiply much more easily with such a diet, this can lead to infections and dangerous intestinal inflammation. Because direct communication between our intestines and our brain and nervous system has also been proven, the disadvantages are not limited to inflammation. Emotions are affected, which can contribute to depression; an unhealthy microbiome also increases stress reactions in the body. A link to an altered microbiome has also been found in some neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's. A healthy microbiome is therefore also suspected of helping to prevent diseases like Parkinson's.  

The entire field of healthy gut flora is very diverse, but what is certain is that you can also shape your microbiome healthily at home through a healthy diet and, above all, a more frequent consumption of fermented foods. There are plenty of ideas for possible fermented foods you can make yourself: sauerkraut, beets, pickled cucumbers and tomatoes, carrots and cabbage, water kefir—there's something for everyone.  

One of our products, ProtectAgil , also contains a good bacterium as a probiotic, Bacillus coagulans , as well as numerous healthy fiber from acacia fiber and vitamins to protect your microbiome against such vulnerabilities and promote intestinal health. The bacterium we use has antimicrobial effects and has been shown in studies to lower cholesterol and relieve abdominal pain and bloating in patients with chronic intestinal diseases. Bacillus coagulans also promotes digestion in healthy people and stimulates the immune system. Unlike other probiotics such as Lactobacillus , the Bacillus coagulans we use is more stable and shows its health-promoting properties much more quickly due to its higher chance of survival.  

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