Kimchi is made of various vegetables and contains a high concentration of dietary fiber while being low in calories. Because of the fermentation process, kimchi contains the good microbial. Most of the clones (347 out of 348) belonged to lactic acid bacteria and included several species of the genera Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc and Weissella (Kim and Chun, 2004).
The organic acid, lactobacilli, and lactic acid--which are produced during the fermentation of Kimchi--suppress harmful bacteria and stimulate beneficial bacteria, prevent constipation, clean intestines and prevent colon cancer. (Prof. Kun Yung Park (Department of Food & Nutrition, Pusan National University). This beneficial bacteria do the same role as the bacteria in yogurt for the healthy properties.
Kim, et al., 2011 hypothesized that consumption of fermented kimchi would have more beneficial effects compared with that of fresh kimchi on metabolic parameters that are related to cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome risks in overweight and obese subjects. Twenty-two overweight and obese patients with body mass indexes greater than 25 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to two 4-week diet phases separated by a 2-week washout period (crossover design). During each diet phase, the subjects consumed either fresh or fermented kimchi.
Anthropometric data showed significant decreases in body weight, body mass index, and body fat in both groups, and the fermented kimchi group showed a significant decrease in the waist-hip ratio and fasting blood glucose. Net differences in the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, percent body fat, fasting glucose, and total cholesterol in the fermented kimchi group were significantly greater than those in the fresh kimchi group. There was also a tendency for a decrease in fasting insulin after consumption of fermented kimchi.
Therefore, the ingestion of fermented kimchi had positive effects on various factors associated with metabolic syndrome, including systolic and diastolic blood pressures, percent body fat, fasting glucose, and total cholesterol, compared with the fresh kimchi. These results suggest that the maturity of kimchi (fresh vs fermented) may affect obesity, lipid metabolism, and inflammatory processes.
So, starting eating Kimchi for the better future.
source:
Kim, Eun Kyoung; Lee, Min-Seok; Kim, Tae Ho; Lee, Hye-Kyoung; Hwang, Won Sun; Choe, Sung Jung; Kim, Tae-Young, Han, Seung Jin; Kim Hae Jin; Kim, Dae Jung; Lee, Kwan-woo, 2011. Nutrition Research Volume 31, Issue 6 , Pages 436-443, June 2011
Kim, Myungjin, and Chun, Jongsik, 2004. International Journal of Food Microbiology 103 (2005) 91– 96
Park, Kun Yung (Department of Food & Nutrition, Pusan National University)
Sook-he, Kim, Kimchi "Traditional Korean Food". Korea: Ewha Womans University Press