Of course, alcoholic drinks are fermented, too, and red wine in moderation is actively gut-friendly. This is partly to do with the polyphenols in red wine, which you may have already heard about in their capacity as antioxidants, but they have the added benefit of being rocket fuel for good bacteria. It seems to be the combination of alcohol and polyphenols that is especially good. “If you compare grape juice and wine and gin’s effects on the microbiome,” says Spector, “gin isn’t very good, but red wine is better than grape juice. So, alcohol plus the fruit is good.”
I read a related story this morning and was about to post about it too … but the blue “Similar Topics” warning reminded me of this post.
The story by Zoe Williams was very amusing, and maybe an easier way to get into the subject:
Something incredible happens to celery and cabbage pickled in brine: the intensity of flavour is like a dream, or the beginning of a stroke.
Can’t say I’m a big fan of fermentation of anything much beyond grapes, the occasional apple and a few grains of barley, but maybe it is something to consider … but good to know wine stays on the list!
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