A new study reveals that kimchi, a popular Korean dish, helps fight obesity and belly fat.
- Study finds kimchi helps fight obesity and belly fat.
- To benefit from these beneficial effects, you should eat this Korean fermented dish up to three servings per day.
- On the other hand, consuming more than three servings per day is associated with an increased risk of obesity.
Hallyuthe Korean wave, made films, K-dramasK-pop… but also the kimchia dish of spicy fermented cabbage or radish. And that would be a good thing, if we are to believe a South Korean study published in the journal BMJ Open on January 30, 2024.
This dish – made by fermenting vegetables with various seasonings like onion, garlic and fish sauce – would help fight obesity and abdominal fat.
Obesity : THE kimchi helps fight extra pounds
Previous studies had shown that lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus brevis And L. plantarum present in the kimchi had an anti-obesity effect. The researchers wanted to verify and measure more precisely the link between the dish and a reduction in the risk of overall obesity and/or abdominal fat.
To do this, they studied the data of 115,726 people aged 51 on average who participated in the study. Health Examined (HEXA). Their diet was assessed using a questionnaire containing 106 foods. Volunteers were asked how often they ate a serving of each (from never or rarely, to several times a day). Additionally, the size, weight,BMI and waist circumference were measured for each participant. At the start of the study, 36% of men and 25% of women were considered obese.
After accounting for potentially influential factors, analyzes showed that eating up to 3 daily servings of kimchi reduced the risk of obesity by 11% compared to less than one serving per day.
There are several forms of kimchi and the effects of the fermented dish varied a bit, depending on the recipe. For example, men who took 3 or more daily servings of kimchi cabbage had a prevalence of overall obesity 10% lower than the others. The risk of a “belly” decreased by 10%. In women, 2 to 3 servings of the dish per day lowered the risk of overall obesity by 8% while 1 to 2 servings/day was associated with a lower risk of abdominal obesity by 6%. %.
At the same time, people opting for a kimchi of radishes showed a reduction in the risk of obesity of around 9% in both sexes. Consumption of 25 g/day for men and 11 g/day for women was associated with a reduction in fat risk of 8% and 11%, respectively.
Kimchi : avoid exceeding 3 servings per day
If eating at least three servings of kimchi seems to be an effective tool to combat weight gain, there is no need to double the quantities. Experts said people who consumed a larger dose also tended to take more fattening foods like rice and meat. There were then no more profits displayed on the scale.
“Since all results observe a J-shaped association, excessive consumption suggests the potential for an increased prevalence of obesity. And like the kimchi is one of the main sources of sodium intake, a moderate amount should be recommended for the health benefits of its other components”write the authors in their article.
