Kimchi isn't just delicious, studies show the traditional Korean dish loved by all is also very healthy--whether it's kimchi powder or in its original raw form.
Over the years, studies have found that regular consumption of kimchi has many health benefits, including reducing body fat and potentially combatting obesity. Now, recent research has shown that not only does it have anti-obesity effects, but it also improves gut health.
A new study led by Dr. Sung-Wook Hong of the Kimchi Functionality Research Group and the Pusan National University Hospital in South Korea tried to find out the impact of the dish on obesity and gut microbiomes by analyzing the data of 55 overweight adults with a BMI between 23 and 30 kg/m².
The participants were given three kimchi capsules per meal for three months--each capsule contained kimchi powder made from freeze-dried cabbage kimchi fermented for two weeks.
The researchers then studied the changes in the adults' anthropometric measurements, blood biomarkers, and gut microbiomes. They found that those who consumed kimchi had a 2.6% decrease in body fat, while those who didn't had a fat increase of 4.7%.
They also saw an increase in the good gut bacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila, and a decrease in Proteobacteria, a group of bacteria linked to obesity, among those who took the capsules.
The study supports previous research suggesting regular consumption of kimchi can help alleviate obesity symptoms and control gut microbiomes.
Obesity has become an epidemic in the U.S.--about one in five adults is obese. A recent study also predicted that by 2050, 260 million Americans will be overweight or obese if current health trends continue.
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