STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi “offer an affordable dietary intervention strategy” for better mental health
Fermented foods are rich in phytochemicals and microbial metabolites that include neurotransmitters and neuromodulators
These compounds stimulate pathways of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, including those of the immune system and neuroendocrine, enteric nervous and circulatory systems
Fermented foods may block dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the system responsible for the management of stress, which has also been linked to multiple neuropsychiatric disorders
A meta-analysis of cohort studies found a significant association between consuming fermented dairy foods, including cheese and yogurt, and a decreased risk of depression