Kimchi is Healthy
and Nutritious
In today's health conscious society, people are increasingly careful about what food they put into their bodies. Kimchi is a smart dietary choice for anyone that is even mildly concerned about his or her eating habits. It is naturally nutritious and tasty, yet still low in calories and carbohydrates.
A smart choice for health.
Ingredients like garlic, peppers, and cabbage provide numerous health benefits that make kimchi an excellent addition to a healthy diet. The garlic contained in kimchi reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Garlic is also responsible for clearing cholesterol off arterial walls, and is capable of keeping hair healthy and wrinkles at bay. Additionally, garlic protects the body from allergies, reduces stress, and regulates blood sugar levels in diabetics.
With naturally healthy ingredients, kimchi is a great source of Vitamins A, B, C and Beta Carotene. It is also high in calcium, iron and fiber and even contains more lactic acid that yogurt! It is also naturally low in fat, cholesterol and calories.
Spice for life.
Another important ingredient present in kimchi is pepper. The concentration of Vitamin C found in hot peppers is the highest of any food, including oranges. The high levels of Vitamin C help to convert cholesterol to a digestible form and relieve arthritis. Spicy foods that contain pepper have also been thought to increase the body's metabolism, which helps you burn calories and fat at a higher rate.
The value of cabbage
The main ingredient of kimchi is cabbage. Cabbage, like the rest of the components of kimchi, is extremely nutritious. Once cabbage goes through fermentation it is capable of producing nutrients your body needs to smoothly digest food. The fermented cabbage also serves as grazing material for the beneficial bacteria in the digestive system that is responsible for the absorption of vitamins and nutrients. Kimchi can help the body process difficult-to-digest foods like dairy and meat products.
Can kimchi cure bird (avian) flu or SARS?
Both the BBC and the Wall Street Journal have reported that scientists at Seoul National University say they fed an extract of kimchi to 13 infected chickens - and a week later 11 of them had started recovering. The researchers said the results were far from scientifically proven and if kimchi did have the effects they observed, it was unclear why. South Koreans are reported to be eating more kimchi as a result of the study. Continuing research, led by Prof. Kang Sa-ouk and Prof. Mo In-pil of Chungbuk National University, is being initiated with full-scale experiments on animals.
The BBC also noted the sharp increase in kimchi consumption two years ago, when thousands of people in Asia contracted SARS. The food was thought to have helped prevent SARS, though the claim was never scientifically proven. Korea did, however, have one of the lowest incidences of SARS in Asian countries.
Hot peppers have been shown to produce cardiovascular benefits.
Garlic can reduce blood clots and reduce
blood pressure.