Kefir is in, white bread is out – and other health predictions from Dr Tim Spector

Fermented foods have been a part of the human experience for thousands of years. They are still a staple in many parts of the world, but in the UK, we’ve lost our taste for these products.

For the past few decades, the only fermented foods regularly consumed by the British population were cheeses and yogurt. 

Although we’ve probably been eating cheese for thousands of years (Cheshire cheese is even mentioned in the Domesday Book), yogurt only rose to popularity in the late 1960s and usually with large amounts of added sugars and fake fruits aimed at children. Until quite recently, people in the UK had little room in their fridges for less industrial fermented foods.

This, I believe, is set to change in 2024. Indeed, demand for once-exotic fermented products is already on the up. In 2023, for instance, sales of kefir – a form of fermented milk – increased by 17 per cent. The frothing fermented tide is already turning.

When I started talking about kefir around 10 years ago, no one had heard of it. And most people who had considered it strange, smelly and sour. Now, sour tastes and flavours are moving into the mainstream of British food culture, and can be found in virtually all supermarket aisles.

The UK has one of the worst food cultures and habits in Europe. But on the positive side, our food culture is incredibly flexible and quick to change and adapt. In less than 10 years, as the population warms to fermented foods, we now see people drinking kombucha in pubs and buying sauerkraut in supermarkets. Even the pungent, powerful Korean delicacy kimchi is growing in popularity.

This rise of ferments on British tables will help combat our many ills. Studies have consistently shown health benefits for regular users. In particular, they seem to support your immune system, which is so vital to fighting allergies, infections, cancer and ageing, thanks to their interaction with your resident gut bacteria.

But sadly you can’t just binge a tub of sweetened, additive-rich yogurt once a week to experience these benefits. You need to choose good quality products and, preferably, eat them in small amounts several times each day.

A clinical study in the US found that people who ate four to five small portions of fermented food each day had significantly improved blood markers of inflammation and immune function after just two weeks. So, if you have one or two portions daily, you will likely also benefit.

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