Researchers showed that people who ate 1 to 3 servings per day of this fermented food were less likely to develop abdominal obesity.
Kombuchakefir, pickles, sourdough bread…Fermented foods are very trends. For good reason: rich in “good” lactic acid bacteria – the famous probiotics – in fiber, vitamins and polyphenols, they are excellent for the intestinal microbiotafood digestion, the immune system and even help reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Less risk of a big belly
A little less known in France, kimchi, a slightly spicy and tangy Korean dish made from fermented vegetables (mainly cabbage or radishes) would also have benefits for weight maintenance after 40 years. In any case, this is what Korean researchers from Chung-Ang University suggest on January 30, 2024 in the journal BMJ Open. They studied more than 115,000 men and women aged 40 to 69 (68% women32% men,average age of 51 years). Among them, a little more than a quarter were obese (knowing that among Asians, obesity is defined as a BMI greater than 25, while it is 30 for Europeans). All participants were then classified into different groups based on their total kimchi consumption per day (<1 serving/day, 1–2 servings/day, 2–3 servings/day, 3 to 5 servings/day and ≥5 servings/day). Results :
► People who eat 1 to 3 servings of kimchi per day are less likely to be obese, compared to those who eat less than one serving per day.
► In women: consume 1 to 3 servings of radish kimchi per day was associated with a risk of -11% to have abdominal obesity (defined by a waist circumference greater than or equal to 85 cm for Asian women) compared to non-consumers.
► In humans: consume 1 to 3 servings of cabbage kimchi per day was associated with a risk of -10% to have abdominal obesity (defined by a waist circumference greater than or equal to 90 cm for Asian men) compared to non-consumers.
The opposite effect if we exceed 5 servings
In their study, the researchers considered that one serving of kimchi represented 50g. Kimchi remains a very low-calorie side dish (16 calories per 50g), but very salty since it is marinated in brine (salt water to which spices are added). So one serving provides 11% of daily salt intake. You should therefore not eat too much either, recommend the researchers, because conversely, an excess of kimchi (more than 5 servings per day, i.e. more than 250g) was associated with a high prevalence of obesity. This is explained by a higher intake of total calories, carbohydrates (because kimchi is generally eaten with rice), fat and salt, which could cause weight gain. The researchers would like to point out that their study is observational and cannot, to date, allow us to conclude any causality. Further studies are needed to confirm these protective effects of kimchi against obesity.