The Psychobiotic Potential: Fermented Food Intake and Mental Resilience
Abstract: Background: Fermented foods are an important component of traditional Indian diets and have received increasing research attention because of their possible relationship with the microbiota- gut- brain axis. However, evidence concerning naturally consumed fermented foods and psychological resilience remains limited. Objective: To examine the association between fermented-food consumption frequency and mental resilience among adults aged 18- 45 years. Methods: A descriptive-correlational survey was conducted using 159 consented responses. After applying predefined exclusion criteria, including recent antibiotic use, regular probiotic supplementation, diagnosed digestive disorders, and diagnosed psychiatric disorders, 96 participants were retained. Data were collected using fermented-food consumption questions, the 10-item Connor- Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and a self-developed emotional well-being measure. Spearman's rank-order correlation was used because the primary fermented-food frequency index was non-normally distributed. Results: The screened sample was predominantly aged 36- 45 years (62.5%) and rural residents (55.3%). Dosa (58.3%), idli (55.3%), and appam (53.9%) were the most frequently consumed fermented foods. CD-RISC-10 scores had a mean of 20.37 (SD = 9.19). Fermented-food consumption frequency showed a significant positive association with resilience (ρ = .357, p
Keywords: fermented foods; mental resilience; gut?brain axis; nutritional psychiatry; emotional well-being; India
How to Cite?: Krishnan Mavuppadi Valappil, Evangelin Supriya, "The Psychobiotic Potential: Fermented Food Intake and Mental Resilience", Volume 15 Issue 9, September 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1250-1252, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26920094951, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26920094951