I Ate Kimchi Daily for a Week—Here’s the Surprising Outcome

I Ate Kimchi Daily for a Week—Here’s the Surprising Outcome

Is kimchi good for you? Science sure leans that way. Data in 2024 suggested that Koreans live to age 84 on average, giving them a six-year longevity advantage over the average American. Kimchi happens to be one healthy staple of the Korean diet, with many citizens eating a reported 40 pounds per year. Kimchi is made by fermenting what we know as Napa cabbage with garlic, ginger, chili flakes, scallions, and, perhaps most distinctively, fish sauce. The result is a one-of-a-kind side dish that develops due to a fermentation process that enhances the food’s health benefits—but interestingly, also preserves the food’s functional effects. “The main benefit [of fermented foods like kimchi] are probiotics, which research shows can lower inflammation, strengthen the gut microbiome and support a healthy immune system,” says Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, a registered dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition . As someone with a background in family medicine and national …