Kimchi has been shown to reduce body fat and improve gut health, supporting its potential as a dietary strategy to address global obesity, based on various studies and clinical trials.
Obesity has become a global epidemic, with approximately 16% of the world’s population, or about 890 million people, suffering from this condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized obesity as a significant health issue, emphasizing its detrimental effects on individuals’ quality of life and overall health.
In response, the World Institute of Kimchi in South Korea has published a series of articles in international journals on the anti-obesity effects of kimchi. These articles, based on research studies on the subject, indicate that regular consumption of kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, effectively reduces body fat and may serve as a promising dietary strategy to combat obesity.
Research Findings on Kimchi’s Health Benefits
New research into the effects of kimchi on obesity has yielded compelling evidence supporting its efficacy. Notably, preclinical experiments in animal models of obesity revealed a substantial 31.8% reduction in body fat among those fed a kimchi diet.[1]
Additionally, an extensive analysis of data collected over 13 years from the Korea Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES), a large population-based study, found that appropriate kimchi intake is associated with a 15% reduction in body mass index (BMI) and a 12% decrease in obesity incidence among middle-aged males. This study was published in Food & Function[2] and BMJ Open[3] (a British medical journal published by a subsidiary of the British Medical Association).
Clinical Study Insights
Continuing this line of inquiry, a study conducted by a team led by Dr. Sung-Wook Hong from the Kimchi Functionality Research Group at the World Institute of Kimchi, in collaboration with the Pusan National University Hospital, South Korea, focused on the anti-obesity effects of kimchi and its impact on gut microbiomes. This study investigated the changes in anthropometric measurements, blood biomarkers, and gut microbiomes of 55 overweight adults, comprising both males and females, with a BMI ranging from 23 to 30 kg/m2. The participants consumed 3 kimchi capsules per meal (60g of kimchi per day) for 3 months. The kimchi capsules contained kimchi powder produced by freeze-drying cabbage kimchi fermented at 4℃ for 2 weeks. The research team analyzed the changes in the body fat composition of the participants and found that the group that consumed kimchi showed a 2.6% decrease in body fat, but the control group that did not take the kimchi capsules exhibited a 4.7% increase in body fat, showing a statistically significant difference between the two groups.
Further, the analysis of the participants’ microbiomes revealed that kimchi consumption increased the abundance of the beneficial gut bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila and reduced the number of Proteobacteria, which are associated with obesity.
Akkermansia muciniphila is a species of gut bacterium that has been reported to reduce inflammation and improve the markers of metabolic syndrome and obesity through the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
Global Impact and Future Research
The successful completion of this clinical trial on the body fat-reducing effects of kimchi indicates that a steady consumption of kimchi is effective in alleviating obesity symptoms through the modulation of the gut microbiota.
Dr. Hae-Choon Chang, Director of the World Institute of Kimchi, said, “The results of a preclinical study and a clinical trial have systematically verified the anti-obesity effects of kimchi, and present scientific evidence that would help to make the excellent properties of kimchi widely known, thereby laying the foundation for the growth of kimchi as a health food well recognized around the world.” She also said, “We will continue to devote our time, effort, and resources towards scientific research to reinforce the health-functional properties of kimchi, in improving gastrointestinal health in addition to its immune-enhancing and anti-cancer effects, thus firmly establishing the role of kimchi as a global health food.”
The clinical trial on the anti-obesity effects of kimchi was published in the October 2024 issue of the Journal of Functional Foods.
Meanwhile, in Korea, the country where kimchi originated, November 22 was officially designated as a national commemorative day for kimchi and named Kimchi Day in 2020. Kimchi is the first Korean food to be recognized in this manner for its unique health properties. Since then, Kimchi Festivals have been celebrated on Kimchi Day in the U.S., U.K., Argentina, and Brazil on November 22.
References:
- “Kimchi intake alleviates obesity-induced neuroinflammation by modulating the gut-brain axis” by Namhee Kim, Jieun Lee, Hye Seon Song, Young Joon Oh, Min-Sung Kwon, Misun Yun, Seul Ki Lim, Hyo Kyeong Park, Young Seo Jang, Sulhee Lee, Sang-Pil Choi, Seong Woon Roh and Hak-Jong Choi, 21 June 2022, Food Research International.
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111533 - “Effect of kimchi intake on body weight of general community dwellers: a prospective cohort study” by Li-Juan Tan, Ye-Rang Yun, Sung Wook Hong and Sangah Shin, 8 February 2023, Food & Function.
DOI: 10.1039/D2FO03900A - “Association between kimchi consumption and obesity based on BMI and abdominal obesity in Korean adults: a cross-sectional analysis of the Health Examinees study” by Hyein Jung, Ye-Rang Yun, Sung Wook Hong and Sangah Shin, 1 February 2024, BMJ Open.
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-076650 - “Effects of kimchi consumption on body fat and intestinal microbiota in overweight participants: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center clinical trial” by Wooje Lee, Min-Sung Kwon, Ye-Rang Yun, Hasun Choi, Mi-Ja Jung, Hyelyeon Hwang, Myung-Jun Shin, Jong-Hwan Park, Du-Ri Kim, Ji Yoon Chang, So Young Moon, Ho Jae Lee, Tae-Woon Kim, Tae Woong Whon and Sung Wook Hong, 15 August 2024, Journal of Functional Foods.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2024.106401
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7 Comments
eyeroll. explain why korea is showing an increase in obesity?
gimchi and yes Gimchi 김치 not kimchi 키친 is no more a miracle weight lose food than any other foods.
eat heavily processed foods you are NOT doing yourself any favours.
What brand of kimchi capsules were used in the study and where can u purchase them?
Given that there are many kinds of kimchi (cabbage, radish, carrot, cucumber etc.), I wonder if basically all types or only a certain type has such an effect.
Sauerkraut can do the same? Where does one get kimchi capsules?
The hot red pepper powder is in Kim chi, so it is different from sauerkraut
What brand of kimchi capsules were used in the study and where can u purchase them?
The only food that doesn’t make you fat is the food that stays in the plate