Researchers noted that it might simply take longer than the six weeks of their study to see the gut respond to the extra nutrients, but the big takeaway here is that we need both fermented food and fibre to really reap all of the benefits. So the next time you reach for a can of chickpeas, make sure you top them with a forkful of kimchi.

Dr Sonnenburg also added that avoiding items that are sweetened during manufacturing is best for your microbiome. “We instructed people to eat non-sweetened yoghurts. A huge pitfall in this area is you can have a yoghurt loaded with bacteria, the base of it is really healthy, and then a tonne of artificial flavouring and sugar is loaded on top of that to mask the sour taste of fermented foods, which is hard for some people to become accustomed to.”

He explained that when he started introducing more fermented foods into his own diet, his younger daughters didn’t enjoy the sour taste of plain yoghurts.

“We would mix in a little maple syrup or honey and gradually we reduced that over time to the point where their palate adjusted and now they just really like plain yoghurt. Getting used to that sour flavour is difficult but people really should try to stay away from those fermented foods that are loaded with sugar,” he added.

Fermented food is the best way to improve your gut health and immunity (it’s even better than fibre)