The Most Incredible Health Benefits Of Kimchi

Have you tried eating kimchi before? Have you seen one? Well, actually, kimchi is a traditional fermented food, which is a staple Korean side dish. Aside from its use as a delicious side dish for various foods, it is also essential for the health. Loads of essential nutrients in it is what contributes to all of the health benefits of kimchi. These benefits are all for the good and good of the health. If you want to know more about kimchi, feel free to give this article a read.

Kimchi: What is this?

Kimchi or gimchi is a traditional fermented probiotic kind of food, which is a staple to various Korean side dishes. For hundreds of years ago, there are dozens and dozens of different recipes for making kimchi. Nonetheless, almost all have various seasonings and vegetables in mutual that may give it its very own signature taste.

Moreover, some of the major ingredients of the kimchi include red chili paste, cucumber, scallion, radish, and napa cabbage. Some other main components that are famous to be healthy and functional foods include red pepper powder, ginger, and garlic.

In today’s day and time, they say that kimchi is the national dish of Korea. As a matter of fact, on an average, Korean people consume about 40lbs. of kimchi each person, every year. If you like cultured vegetables and fermented foods like the sauerkraut, you will probably love kimchi too. It actually tastes sour and spicy because of the fermentation process, which produces the live and active probiotic cultures. These are responsible for some of the health benefits of kimchi, including the increase in immune function and improvement of the digestion.

Kimchi: What makes it valuable?

Kimchi goes through a traditional fermentation process inside a tightly sealed glass jar, which takes place wherever from some days to some months. All throughout this time, the texture, taste, and health benefits of kimchi drastically improve and change. This is the reason why kimchi is now becoming more and more popular all over the world as a kind of superfood.

According to a particular report in 2014, the fermentative byproducts that are formed during the process of fermentation, and the functional ingredients used in making kimchi considerably boost the benefits as these are responsible in forming the probiotics. These health benefits of kimchi will be discussed later in this article.

A few years ago, when the SARS epidemic started to spread all throughout the world, the press started to assert that kimchi might have been beneficial in protecting the Koreans because of its positive impacts on the immune system. Furthermore, some also claim just recently that it has the capacity to prevent the onset of bird flu. This particular superfood has been in association with much lower rates of obesity in the country of Korea and aiding in keeping the Koreans be more energized.

Kimchi: Nutritional Value

About 280 grams or ½ cups of the kimchi may contain the following essential nutrients:

Health Benefits of Kimchi

Here are some of the most incredible health benefits of kimchi:

• Helps in providing antioxidants that may help in preventing cancer. The ingredients in making kimchi alone have the capacity to promote the overall better health and prevent cancer. Furthermore, various studies state that the capsaicin in the red hot pepper in kimchi is essential in reducing the possibilities of developing lung cancer. The allicin in the garlic is also beneficial in reducing the probability of developing thyroid, stomach, and liver cancer.
• Has low calories and may help reduce cravings. A lot of people claim that consuming fermented foods is beneficial in improving the digestion and help with the regulation of appetite. If you want to lose weight with kimchi, it’s all good! Kimchi is low in calories but high in essential nutrients and satiating fiber. It may also be beneficial in improving the metabolic function.
• High in fiber content. Since kimchi is made mainly of vegetables, it is a very good filling and is good for the heart and digestive health. Diets that include more fiber-rich foods, especially vegetables, are in connection to a lower blood pressure levels and serum cholesterol levels.
• Help increase the immunity. Since about 75% of the immune system is in the gut, probiotic-rich kimchi may help in fighting viruses, bacterial infections, serious chronic conditions, and common illnesses. The probiotics have also been in connection to lower the rates of the following conditions:
  • Cancer
  • Obesity
  • Respiratory and dental infections
  • Bacterial vaginosis
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Ulcer symptoms
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Seasonal or food allergies
• Helps in providing probiotics. The probiotics in kimchi are essential in treating various common digestive issues like serious conditions like autoimmune disorders, leaky gut syndrome, candida virus, and even constipation.