Unlocking the health potential of fermented foods: insights from traditional Indian diets

Fermented foods have been an integral component of human diets for more than 10 millennia and are created through controlled microbial growth and enzymatic actions. Recent research has demonstrated that fermented foods, such as those containing probiotics and bioactive molecules, can help prevent and manage a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, cancer, infectious diseases, and psychotic illnesses. While the benefits of fermented foods from the Asian continent have been widely accepted based on animal studies and human trials, the potential of Indian fermented foods has not received the attention it deserves. Traditional Indian diets contain a significant portion of fermented foods, and the country's diverse geography and cultures offer a wide variety of fermented options. There is increasing evidence supporting the health benefits of Indian fermented foods in managing and preventing various diseases. Hence, this review aims to provide an overview of the current literature on health benefits conferred by Indian fermented food in the context of managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, cancer and infectious diseases along with mechanistic insights behind the probiotic action.