Probiotics have become extremely popular in the natural health and wellness community and among those probiotics at the top of their list is a Korean dish known as kimchi. Whether you are familiar with it or not, the amazing kimchi health benefits are impressive and almost countless.
We’re going to lay out 13 of those benefits in this article. But we’ll need to introduce what it is and its nutritional value first.
Obviously, the nutritional profile for kimchi is going to vary according to the recipe used to prepare it. But generally it is a good source of:
Most of these nutrients only appear in moderate levels of less than 10% of daily value (DV). But the greater benefits of kimchi are found in its probiotics value. Doctor’s Health News has a great nutritional breakdown chart for kimchi.
At the top of any list of kimchi health benefits is its use as a digestive aid, as this function is important for staying healthy.
What to do:
How it works:
Kimchi promotes complete digestion of foods and their absorption into your blood stream. However, its high fiber content also helps to flush out waste in a balanced manner. This way it is ridding you of many of the common issues involving your colon.
Kimchi will make you breathe easier is its use in the treatment of asthma and allergies.
What to do:
How it works:
Showed a significant inverse relationship between kimchi consumption and the prevalence of asthma.
Glowing, viable and healthy skin is another item on the long list of kimchi health benefits.
What to do:
How it works:
The presence of both selenium and vitamin C in kimchi helps to reconstitute and conserve healthy skin tissue cells.
Kimchi can change your blood sugar level just after you consume it with condiments.
What to do:
How it works:
Another study in Korea pointed to kimchi as having the potential cause of lowering fasting glucose levels in those with type 2 diabetes.
Kimchi is the food that can work directly with your body’s antibodies.
What to do:
How it works:
Kimchi causes antibodies to be more abundant in the blood and the activity of immune cells. These increase and become more aggressive at fighting off invading organisms.
Some specialists declare that the kimchi health benefits include a possible prevention of cancer, due to its actions upon the liver.
Cancer prevention is another prized use on the list of kimchi health benefits.
What to do:
How it works:
Isocyanate and sulfide, found in kimchi are helpful in detoxifying heavy metals found in your liver, small intestine and kidneys. The removal of heavy metals is a major step in preventing the onset of cancer.
Kimchi contains selenium and allicin, which are other beneficial substances – let’s see why.
What to do:
How it works:
Selenium and allicin, which are in the garlic used in kimchi, help reduce the plaque buildup and arterial hardening associated with arteriosclerosis.
Kimchi can keep your mind healthy by enhancing the cognitive function of the cells.
What to do:
How it works:
A Harvard study has linked the increased presence of beneficial intestinal microbiota to improved mood, behavior and cognitive function.
Kimchi also works as a preventive treatment for peptic and gastric ulcers.
What to do:
How it works:
Lactobacillus bacteria encouraged and strengthened by the consumption of kimchi are antagonistic toward the harmful pathogens connected to the development of ulcers.
Kimchi can also reduce inflammations by working on the specialized enzymes.
What to do:
How it works:
Kimchi also helps to inhibit the function of inflammatory enzymes because of allicin and capsaicin present within the ingredients used to prepare it.
Anti-aging benefits must also be on our list of kimchi health benefits. This is because they are of major interest to our overall health.
What to do:
How it works:
The anti-oxidants and vitamin C found in kimchi are major factors in the fight against aging. Not to mention that better digestion and nutrient absorption allows you to get the most out of all of the foods you eat.
Kimchi health benefits has the ability ability to help with weight control and weight loss.
What to do:
How it works:
A host of kimchi benefits combine to aid in weight control and weight loss among them are: fiber regularity, balanced blood and insulin levels, and satiety.
The final, but in no way the least on our list of kimchi health benefits is its ability to help improve your eye health. This is due to one of the vitamins we mentioned at the top of this article.
What to do:
How it works:
Kimchi is a good source for vitamin A. So be sure you get plenty of benefits to your vision from this essential nutrient.
Kimchi is sort of like sauerkraut. It is made by fermenting red cabbage (or sometimes radishes) with a mixture of salt, vinegar, garlic, chili peppers and other spices. In Korean households it is served with noodles, rice or soup and sometimes with meat.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria which reside in the intestines and help to promote healthy digestion and the absorption of nutrients into the blood stream. When these healthy bacteria become depleted, they need to be replenished. The consumption of fermented foods are one of the best ways to replenish beneficial bacteria and kimchi is a great way of doing that.
The precautions surrounding kimchi have to do with the fermentation process. Done correctly, fermentation can help develop the beneficial bacteria we discussed above. But done improperly, you have a high potential for food poisoning. If you are going to attempt the recipes in this article, make certain that you follow the ABCs of Fermenting Foods.
The 13 amazing kimchi health benefits listed below are a great addition to your health. But they are not to be seen as all inclusive cures. Health conditions, especially the most serious ones, need to be discussed with a health care professional.
The 13 amazing kimchi health benefits we’ve listed should have you itching to try it out. We’ve only scratched the surface when it comes to kimchi recipes. But our list will certainly give you a good start on incorporating more kimchi and its health benefits into your diet.
Give kimchi a try when you prepare your next meal! Then, be sure to comment about it or add your favorite recipe in the comments section below.
The images are from depositphotos.com and pixabay.com.
