Eat Your Way To Resilience: How This Fermented Food Can Boost Your Immune Health
Do you find yourself getting sick frequently? Chances are this superfood can help you strengthen your immunity.
Do you find yourself getting sick frequently? Chances are this superfood can help you strengthen your immunity.
In an era where immunity is a key health concern, simple and natural ways to boost our body's defenses can be built into our daily routine. Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented dish, is now gathering scientific evidence that explains how it can support our immune system.
1. High concentration of healthy bacteria
Kimchi consists of vegetables fermented over time. This fermentation process is an essential driver of kimchi’s health benefits. During this process, vegetables, typically cabbage or radish, are naturally enriched with probiotic bacteria like lactic acid bacteria, leuconostoc, prevotella and many others.
These beneficial bacteria support the health of the gut microbiome, which, in turn, is intricately linked to our immune function. By populating the gut with friendly microbes, kimchi can help our body defend itself against pathogens, thereby enhancing our resilience to infections.
2. Variety of nutrients
Beyond the healthy bacteria, kimchi contains lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which in turn support the immune function. Rich in vitamin C from cabbage and other veggies, kimchi can help ward off colds and the flu. Additionally, kimchi contains vitamin A, which helps maintain the mucosal barriers—the body's first line of defense against external pathogens.
Kimchi also contains potassium, iron and antioxidants, like flavonoids and phenolic compounds that support various immune processes. Best of all, these components come from natural sources like garlic, ginger, and chili peppers.
How to add kimchi to your diet
Kimchi is a special taste, especially for the Western palate, but it is also an acquired taste. In no time, you will be used to its tangy and spicy flavor. The best results are achieved when you eat it raw in salads or on kimchi avocado toast, but you can start by having it in warm dishes like fried rice, stews or a kimchi burger. You will then find that the possibilities are endless and will even start craving the spicy flavor of kimchi in your daily life.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24456350/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4135247/#:~:text=Kimchi%20has%20been%20reported%20to,lymphocytes%20of%20rats%20%5B14%5D