A study by the University of Maryland found a link between fermented foods, which contain probiotics (such as kimchi, miso soup, pickles and sauerkraut) and social anxiety.
‘It is likely that the probiotics in the fermented foods are favourably changing the environment in the gut, and changes in the gut in turn influence social anxiety,’ said professor of psychology Matthew Hilimire, who led the research.
He added: ‘I think that it is absolutely fascinating that the micro-organisms in your gut can influence your mind.’
Around 700 students were asked to complete a questionnaire about their eating habits, alongside a wider study on social anxiety and neuroticism.
Participants answered questions about their consumption of fermented foods during the previous 30 days, as well as their levels of exercise and average consumption of fruit and veg.
‘The main finding was that individuals who had consumed more fermented foods had reduced social anxiety; but that was qualified by an interaction by neuroticism,’ said Hilimire, adding: ‘What that means is that that relationship was strongest amongst people that were high in neuroticism.’
To conclude: eating a diet of kimchi and miso will make you less anxious in social situations – particularly if you’re of a neurotic disposition.
