India, Sept. 21 -- Fermented foods like kimchi, yoghurt, and kombucha have gained huge popularity for their supposed gut benefits, but many people misunderstand how they actually work. Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist trained at AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford Universities, shares in his September 21 Instagram post 7 most common mistakes people make when consuming these foods and what you should know to get the benefits safely. (Also read: AIIMS gastroenterologist says 'using phones on toilet raises haemorrhoid risk by 46%'; shares 7 reasons to avoid it )

Most packaged pickles don't contain live bacteria. For real probiotics, opt for kefir, yoghurt, dahi, buttermilk, kimchi, or sauerkraut.

Cooking destroys beneficial bacteria. If you...