Is kimchi really effective for dieting? Have a pickle.The evidence isn't very good – connect with UniSA

Fermented foods have been attracting attention in recent years, and one of the reasons is that perceived health benefits.

For example, there is some evidence that eating and drinking fermented foods may improve symptoms. blood sugar control For diabetics.they can lower Blood lipid (fat) levels and blood pressure in people with diabetes or obesity.Fermented foods can also improve diarrhea Symptoms.

But do they help you lose weight? recent research Are you suggesting? Let's look at the evidence.

What are fermented foods?

fermented food It is prepared when microorganisms (bacteria and/or yeast) ferment (or digest) food ingredients to form new foods. Examples include yogurt, cheese, kefir, kombucha, wine, beer, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

As a result of fermentation, food becomes acidic and has a longer shelf life (under these conditions, microorganisms that spoil food are less likely to grow). This makes fermentation one of the earliest forms of food processing.

Fermentation also creates new nutrients. Beneficial microorganisms (probiotics) digest nutrients and components in food to produce new bioactive components (postbiotics). These postbiotics are thought to contribute to the health benefits of fermented foods, along with the health benefits of the bacteria themselves.

What does the evidence say?

a study A paper published earlier this year provided preliminary evidence that eating kimchi, a popular fermented food in South Korea, is associated with a lower risk of obesity in some cases. However, the results were mixed.

The South Korean study involved 115,726 men and women aged 40 to 69 who reported how much kimchi they had eaten in the previous year. The study was funded by the Kimchi World Institute, which specializes in researching this country's national dish.

Eating one to three servings of any type of kimchi a day was found to reduce the risk of obesity in men.

Men who ate three or more servings of Chinese cabbage kimchi (baechu) a day were less likely to develop obesity or abdominal obesity (excess fat accumulation around the midsection). Women who ate bechu two to three times a day were also less likely to develop obesity or abdominal obesity.

Eating more radish kimchi (kakdugi) was associated with decreased abdominal obesity in both men and women.

However, those who ate five or more servings of any type of kimchi gained weight, had larger waist sizes, and were more likely to be obese.

This study had limitations. The authors acknowledged that the questionnaire they used may have made it difficult to say exactly how much kimchi people actually ate.

The study also relied on people reporting their past eating habits. This can make it difficult to remember exactly what you ate.

Also, this study design only tells us if something is related (kimchi and obesity), not if one thing causes another (kimchi causes weight loss). Therefore, it is important that researchers look to studies in which they change people's diets and look at the results.

What about the evidence from trials?

Kefir, a fermented milk drink, reduced people's appetite.

There have been several studies that have looked at how much weight you lose after eating different types of fermented foods. Other studies have looked at markers or measures of appetite, but not weight loss.

One study showed that the stomachs of men who drank 1.4 liters of fermented milk during a meal took longer to empty (compared to men who drank the same amount of whole milk). This is associated with feeling full for longer, which can reduce your appetite for more food.

another study Researchers found that drinking 200 milliliters of kefir (a small glass) reduced participants' appetite after a meal, but that's because fast-digesting foods, which are more likely to cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, Only if included in the diet. Changes in body weight were not measured in this study.

another study We focused on obese young Indonesian women. Eating tempeh (fermented soybean product) caused changes in appetite hormones. However, this did not affect their appetite or satiety. Body weight was not measured in this study.

a study In South Korea, citizens are urged to consume about 70g of fermented soybeans a day. Improvements were seen in several indicators of obesity in women, including body fat percentage, lean body mass, waist-hip ratio, and waist circumference. However, there was no change in body weight for either men or women.

a systematic review Of all the studies that looked at the effects of fermented foods on satiety (feeling full), no effects were shown.

What should I do?

So far, the evidence supporting or recommending fermented foods for weight loss is very weak. These studies were short in duration and many did not report changes in body weight.

So far, most studies have used different fermented foods, so it is difficult to generalize everything.

Nevertheless, fermented foods are still useful as part of a healthy, diverse, and balanced diet. dietEspecially if you're having fun.they are rich in health bacteria and nutrients.

Are there any drawbacks?

Some fermented foods, such as kimchi and sauerkraut, have salt added. According to the latest kimchi research, the average amount of kimchi eaten by Koreans has about 490 mg of salt per day.For Australians, this is about 50% Recommended dietary goal values ​​for optimal health.

Too much salt intake Increased risk high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, etc.

This article is republished from conversation Under Creative Commons License. Read original article.