A study published in the Journal of Functional Foods has discovered the ‘superfood’ potential of kimchi, as it can help to fight obesity.
The research, which was conducted by the World Institute of Kimchi, found that kimchi intake is linked to a decrease in body fat when taken daily in supplement form.
To discover the potential of kimchi as a gut health-boosting and obesity-managing functional ingredient, researchers freeze-dried kimchi that was fermented for two weeks.
Kimchi as a nutraceutical
Previous studies have alluded to the benefits of kimchi in weight management and metabolic health, with a preclinical investigation in an animal obesity model revealing a 31.8% reduction in body fat in those fed a kimchi diet.
Analysis of a large population dataset spanning 13 years showed a similar effect, with kimchi intake correlating with a 15% reduction in BMI and a 12% decrease in the prevalence of obesity amongst middle-aged men.
To further determine the validity of these studies, researchers from the Kimchi Functionality Research Group, in collaboration with the Pusan National University Hospital, looked at the impact of kimchi intake in South Korean individuals.
55 male and female overweight adults were given three kimchi capsules per meal — which equates to 60g of kimchi per day — for three months.
Notably, during the study period, those given kimchi experienced a 2.6% decrease in body fat, whereas the control group gained 4.7% more fat in this period on average.
Kimchi also exhibited its capacity to modulate the gut microbiome, as consuming the fermented food product caused an increase in the abundance of ‘good’ gut bacteria.
Researchers believe that kimchi could exhibit its impacts on metabolism through encouraging the growth of Akkermansia muciniphila, in the gut, while also reducing the prevalence of Proteobacteria, which have been previously associated with obesity.
Dr Hae-Choon Chang, Director of the World Institute of Kimchi, said: “The results of these studies have systematically verified the anti-obesity effects of kimchi, laying the foundations for the ingredient as a health food.”
References
1 Kimchi Intake Alleviates Obesity-Induced Neuroinflammation by Modulating the Gut-Brain Axis (Food Res Int., IF 7.425) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111533
2 Effect of Kimchi Intake on Body Weight of General Community Dwellers: a Prospective Cohort Study (Food & Function, IF 6.317), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO03900A