Posted on 09/24/2025 6:07:23 AM PDT by Red Badger
Recent research suggests fermented kimchi may improve key markers like blood sugar and blood pressure, hinting at unexpected health benefits hidden within this traditional Korean food. Credit: Stock Research shows that eating fermented kimchi can help improve fasting glucose, lower triglycerides, and reduce high blood pressure.
Researchers at the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) conducted a review examining the health effects of kimchi, a traditional Korean dish that has seen rising popularity worldwide.
Kimchi is typically prepared from fermented cabbage and radish, seasoned with salt, chili powder, garlic, and ginger. Although it was once relatively uncommon in the United States, it is now widely available in many grocery stores across the country.
The review, published in Nutrition Reviews, summarizes findings from existing studies on the health benefits of kimchi, making this information more accessible for researchers in the United States. The project was led by Seoeun Ahn, a postdoctoral researcher and visiting scholar in the lab of Ock Chun, professor of nutritional sciences and interim associate dean for research and graduate education.
The analysis drew on nine studies conducted between 2011 and 2023 that investigated the effects of fermented kimchi in human participants.
Findings on glucose, triglycerides, and blood pressure
Results showed that consuming fermented kimchi was linked to improvements in fasting glucose, triglycerides, and blood pressure. Compared with control groups, participants who ate kimchi had fasting glucose reduced by 1.93 mg/dL, triglycerides lowered by 28.88 mg/dL, and decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 3.48 mmHg and 2.68 mmHg, respectively.
“That’s a really good number,” Chun says. “In clinical settings, even a reduction of 5 mmHg in systolic blood pressure is considered a meaningful improvement. So, seeing comparable reductions from a dietary intervention, not medication, is a very promising result.”
Sodium levels and surprising results
The fact that kimchi reduced blood pressure was surprising as it is high in sodium – a factor that normally contributes to high blood pressure.
“This suggests that other components of kimchi, such as beneficial bacteria, offset the hypertensive effect of sodium,” Ahn says.
The researchers included only studies that looked at fermented kimchi, as opposed to just studying the impact of the unfermented ingredients to have a consistent source for comparison.
Global implications and future research
This paper not only provides a meta-analysis of existing research on fermented kimchi, but also helps introduce this traditional Korean food to a broader scientific audience.
Since all the included studies were conducted in Korea among Asian populations, the results may not yet apply to other groups. Still, the work lays a foundation for future research in the U.S., where dietary habits and population diversity differ.
“It would be very meaningful to conduct an intervention study in the U.S.,” Ahn says. “That way we could see if the findings of this metanalysis can be generalized to more diverse populations.”
Reference:
“Effects of Fermented Kimchi Consumption on Anthropometric and Blood Cardiometabolic Indicators: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies and Prospective Cohort Studies”
by Seoeun Ahn, Manije Darooghegi Mofrad, Briana M Nosal, Ock K Chun and Hyojee Joung, 14 November 2024, Nutrition Reviews.
DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuae167
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-easy-kimchi-at-home-189390
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-kimchi
I prefer sauerkraut! I make my own and it is fantastic!
All well and good, as long as I don’t get caught in deep kimchi.
Gag me
I have found that it goes especially well with a cold beer.
Kimchi supposedly also increases risk of stomach cancer.
I joked with the missus that if the SHTF we might need to learn how to make recipes from kudzu. We’d never go hungry. LOL
It’s an acquired taste..................
Had a co-worker that talked about some weird sounding Korean Tacos with kimchi. Then my local grocery store started carrying it so I grabbed a bag. Been using it as a topping along with brown mustard on bun sized smoked brats. Good stuff.
Thanks for the recipe links. I don’t do sauerkraut because all I taste is the vinegar. Kimchi’s a good alternative.
I lived in Fayetteville NC for 20 years. Lots of Koreans. The kimchi smell coming out of their pores was absolutely hideous. Ugh.
Just like garlic, if everybody eats it, you don’t smell it.
Bkmk
You can have my share ,LOL
I have a Korean buddy. He takes his Kimchi very seriously.
There are many different flavors and types.
You grabbed “a bag” of what exactly? A bag of kimchi tacos?
I fermented a batch... it was called emergency kimchee on a YouTube channel... non trad ingredients... turned out pretty good and not nearly as pungent. I liked it. The channel was a Korean lady named Maangchi. She also a Korean country beer recipe using ongee crockery. I don’t have ongee but I improvised and it turned out differently but okay. Real simple.
https://youtube.com/@maangchi?feature=shared
Its fermented in the ground in Korea for good reason. We fermented it in the fridge ONCE and it took months to rid the odor.
Korean radish or daikon radish (unobtainium)
Korean red pepper flakes (unobtainium but regular red pepper flakes ought to do)
fish sauce (walmart 40 miles away might have it)
The bag I have of Cleveland brand kimchi does have Korean Red Pepper aka Gochugaru pepper. All other ingredients are readily available and one ingredient not in the recipes is apple.
Guess I'll hunt for a recipe with more readily available ingredients or just keep buying it pre-made. It's lasted me over a month so far.
Many recipes are like this; 
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