I heard recently that the large amounts of kimchi in people's diets is putting them at a high risk of different types of stomach cancers. Anyone have information on the truth to this? Kimchi is one of my favorite Korean foods and I would really miss it.
http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com/cut-the-kimchi/
Interesting article related to your question. If you google "kimchi and cancer" you will find many results.
Mild to moderate consumption of Kimchi regularly will provide essential vitamins, fiber, and healthy bacteria to your body. After all, Kimchi was one of the top 5 healthiest foods in the world chosen by Health magazine.
For your reference some of the websites are listed below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi#cite_note-16
http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410300,00.html
http://park.org/Cdrom/Pavilions/Kimchi/ekim0304.html
http://themasticator.blogspot.com/2006/06/kimchi-against-cancer.html
I love kimchi, and because it's naturally fermented it can't possibly be bad to you. Even chilli has a healing effect.
I love Kimchi. I believe it is good for you. As with anything, however, moderation is the key.
While I've never tried the famous dish, I would assume that as with any other foods, excess is detrimental to one's health. This is particularly true here in the U.S. where we've become one of the most obese nations in the world. Korea, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have this problem precisely because of moderation and healthful diet they follow.
What are they talking about, commercially made Kimchi or home made? If their talking about the stuff you buy in the store, I wouldn't trust it. Who knows what they put in it. I make my own and I know what I put in it. It's one of the simplest things to make, why would you buy it? On top of it, home made Kimchi is by far the very best.
I don't watch Dr. Oz but I recently watched a show on KBS - International about the high rate of H. pylori infections in S. Korea. Much of it is attributed to the cultural practice of "sharing" the same bowls/foods when eating.
The literature I have read suggest that Kimchi is a very healthy food. Koreans eat up to 40 pounds of Kimchi per person each year. It is loaded with vitamins A,B,and C, and I read that it's biggest benefit is it's healthy bacteria called " lactobacilli" also found in fermented foods like yogurt. It helps the digestive system.
Kimchee is the national symbol more sacred than anything else for Koreans. I’d like to point out that alcohol abuse and stress is the leading cause of stomach cancer among Korean men rather than eating Kimchee. The over use of salt and carcinogens in diet comes from eating out and eating poorly. Properly prepared food should not be bad for you.
I agree with fmax168 in that there's a huge difference between commercially made/store bought and homemade kimchi. We buy kimchi from the store often but one time a mom in my class found out that my family is full of kimchi fans and brought us 3 different kinds she made. WOW, the difference was HUGE! It was so fresh, flavorful, and it BLEW the store-made stuff out of the water. Sometimes we will even buy kimchi freshly made from the market, but who knows what kinds of preservatives go in there. There is nothing like the homemade stuff!
I love Kimchi too. If you would ever be interested in teaching your students about the South Korean Culture and how Kimchi, a national food of the Koreans, consider checking out the Bizzare food episode where he goes to South Korea. They actually go to a factory where they mass produce Kimchi. I use some of these episodes in my sociology class when we learn about culture and how important it is to drop our own bias of other cultures in order to appreciate and understand others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkZs5OYA5NA
I've always know kimchi to be excellent for you. The fermented foods help the body. But I agree all things in moderation.