Kimchi Has Many Health Benefits, but Also a Significant Drawback | Livestrong.com (2024)

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Kimchi Has Many Health Benefits, but Also a Significant Drawback | Livestrong.com? ›

Downside: High Sodium Content

Kimchi is high in sodium, with about 500 milligrams per cup. That's more than 20% of all the sodium that you're supposed to get in a day. Too much sodium can raise your risk of high blood pressure. If kimchi isn't prepared or stored properly, it can cause food poisoning, especially in people who are immune compromised.

Because it's a fermented food, it boasts numerous probiotics. These healthy microorganisms may give kimchi several health benefits. It may help regulate your immune system, promote weight loss, fight inflammation, and even slow the aging process. If you enjoy cooking, you can even make kimchi at home.

Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that eating kimchi on a daily basis could help to improve some digestive problems.

Kimchi contains very high levels of lactic acid–producing bacteria (108–109 CFU/g) (Chun, Kim, & Woo, 1999) such as Le. mesenteroides, L. brevis, L. plantarum, P.

Participants who ate more than five servings of kimchi per day were more likely to be at a risk for obesity. That is because kimchi contains a high level of sodium, Jaelin said. “If you're eating three meals a day — maybe you're having kimchi on the side — that's great.

Bloating

The most common reaction to fermented foods is a temporary increase in gas and bloating. This is the result of excess gas being produced after probiotics kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi. Probiotics secrete antimicrobial peptides that kill harmful pathogenic organisms like Salmonella and E. Coli.

Kimchi spoilage and over-fermentation

It will continue to ferment at a cool temperature. If kimchi over-ferments, it will have a very vinegary odor and taste. It is not pleasant to eat raw, so it is often used for soups and stews. If any fermentation gets soft and slimy, then it is a sign of spoilage.

These results suggest that consuming low sodium kimchi may not adversely affect blood pressure and cardiac function even under a hypertensive condition.

That saucy cabbage we know as kimchi may help you in your weight loss journey with a new study in BMJ Open suggesting that three servings of it in a day is linked to a lower rate of obesity, particularly abdominal or belly fat.

Is kimchi a junk food? ›

Kimchi is a healthy food option. It is low in calories and high in many key nutrients. The process of making it gives it a high amount of good bacteria known as probiotics.

Homemade kimchi must be kept refrigerated and will last for up to 1 month. Store-bought kimchi that remains unopened can be kept at room temperature for 1-3 months. If you have store-bought kimchi that's been opened, it will be good for 3-4 days at room temperature and up to 6 months when refrigerated.

You might be sensitive to FODMAPs

Some probiotic foods, like kombucha, happen to have these FODMAPs, says Shapiro. Kimchi and sauerkraut are part of this family of FODMAP foods, too, as they are cruciferous vegetables and many people have a hard time breaking down their carbohydrate chains, she adds.

Kimchi has become a unifying emotional link among Koreans because many ate it during their childhood. This explains why there are still many people who head to their hometowns to make their own kimchi before the winter, even though it is easy to buy cheap kimchi at local markets and on the internet.