Chef Lee Byung-woo is a huge fan of kimchi, a central part of the Korean diet. Although there is no scientific evidence to support the direct relationship between eating kimchi and immunity from the H1N1 virus, according to Chef Lee of the COEX Intercontinental Hotel, "Kimchi is helpful for the body." (JoongAng Daily) Eating kimchi regularly could have helped to ward off the negative effects of SARS infections in the area, as compared to other areas in Asia such as Hong Kong. Possibly it is helping to protect people today from the H1N1 virus.
What is kimchi?
Kimchi is a spicy, intensely-flavored dish made from fermented vegetables. It is often served at every meal, and many Koreans eat kimchi every day. Many cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and garlic are included, as well as radishes, cucumbers, chili peppers, garlic, and varieties of onions and green leafy vegetables. Oysters and pickled fish paste are also ingredients in kimchi.
What are the health benefits of kimchi?
This combination of vegetables alone is a a powerhouse blend of healing foods. Cabbage is a nutrient-rich cleansing foods, garlic and ginger provide stimulating volatile oils, cucumbers are rich in silica and are wonderful for digestion, radishes are rich in anti-cancer phytochemicals. It is not only the regular consumption of these foods that make kimchi so healthy, but the fermentation process involved. Kimchi can provide as much or more beneficial bacteria, aka probiotics, as yogurt. Probiotics are a foundational component of a healing diet. They increase healthy intestinal flora, and create an environment undesirable to harmful bacteria and pathogens. Kimchi is also an excellent source of amino acids and B-complex vitamins.
Kimchi and H1N1
While kimchi is probably not a cure all, it could not hurt developing a taste for this popular Korean dish. Kimchi will definitely increase the body's defenses against disease, improve digestion, circulation, and natural cleansing processes.
Comments
I lived in Korea for a year and my coworkers swore by kimchi. They claimed that it prevented them from getting H1N1 and made them stronger to withstand any kind of illness.
No one ever got swine flu but we all (foreign and Korean alike) definitely got sick a few times despite eating mounds of kimchi.
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