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Kimchi is a fermented food that has been a staple in Korean diets for thousands of years. While originally used to preserve salted vegetables, beans, and seafood in earthenware jars to provide food during the long winters, kimchi is gaining in popularity around the globe.
According to New Atlas, this is due to the spread of Korean culture, known as the “Hallyu” wave, when K-pop, K-dramas, food, and fashion gained a huge following. But kimchi is not only trendy, it’s really good for your health. Here are five healthy reasons to add kimchi to your diet.
Full of Nutrients
Kimchi is packed full of healthy nutrients, according to Healthline. That’s because the fermented dish usually contains Chinese cabbage that is rich in vitamins A and C, bamboo shoots, radishes, scallions, chili peppers, and other healthy vegetables. Kimchi is also rich in vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, riboflavin, potassium, and iron. While kimchi is high in sodium, the potassium it contains actually makes it heart healthy.
Probiotic Rich
The fermentation process that kimchi undergoes is called lacto-fermentation which uses bacteria to break sugars down to form lactic acid which gives the dish its sour taste. The fermentation also allows good bacteria to thrive including probiotics that could offer health benefits like treating diarrhea, allergies, colds, and some types of cancer.
Good For Gut Health
The probiotics in fermented foods like kimchi are also very good for your gut health because of the friendly bacteria they contain, stressed the Cleveland Clinic website. This contributes to a healthy gut microbiome, improved digestion, and could help with the symptoms of IBS. Kimchi also contains fiber which can help you avoid constipation and support your gut health.
Promotes Heart Health
Eating a heart healthy diet is one of the best ways to prevent heart disease and strokes. Adding kimchi to your diet can help by lowering your bad LDL cholesterol. A randomized trial, published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that kimchi not only decreased LDL but also lowered overall cholesterol levels.
Kimchi has also been found to lower blood pressure despite being high in sodium, according to New Atlas. That is due to its high potassium content and the lactic acid bacteria that was produced during fermentation also helps to flush out sodium.
Could Boost Your Immune System
These same bacteria could help boost your immune system too. That’s because it has been linked to improved immune function and lower levels of inflammation, explained WebMd. The high levels of Vitamin C can also help prevent or shorten the duration of colds and other viruses.
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