In a study by Molecular Psychiatry, it was found that eating more fermented foods and fiber on a daily basis may help reduce perceived stress levels in just four weeks.
The authors of the study reported recruiting 45 healthy people with low-fiber diets in young and middle adulthood. The participants were assigned to either of two groups and instructed to follow a diet for four weeks.
“We investigated the influence of a psychobiotic diet (high in prebiotic and fermented foods) on the microbial profile and function as well as on mental health outcomes in a healthy human population,” the authors explained in their study. “Forty-five adults were randomized into either a psychobiotic (n = 24) or control (n = 21) diet for 4 weeks.”
What researchers determined: “These results highlight that dietary approaches can be used to reduce perceived stress in a human cohort.”
“Using microbiota-targeted diets to positively modulate gut-brain communication holds possibilities for the reduction of stress and stress-associated disorders, but additional research is warranted to investigate underlying mechanisms, including the role of the microbiota.”
