Eat Some Kimchi for a Better Night's Sleep (2024)

FAQs

Does kimchi help with sleep? ›

“Adding probiotic strains to your gut through fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and miso can also provide microbiome-boosting effects for your gut that reduce inflammation and promote mood and sleep through the production of serotonin.”

As far as timing? It's most optimal to eat enzyme rich fermented food at the beginning of the meal, so they can begin the work of helping digestion as soon as they land in the stomach.

That saucy cabbage we know as kimchi may help you in your weight loss journey with a new study in BMJ Open suggesting that three servings of it in a day is linked to a lower rate of obesity, particularly abdominal or belly fat.

In one study, 20 people with a history of digestive problems ate around half a cup, or 75 grams, of kimchi twice each day for 14 days. They reported significantly reduced symptoms, including less abdominal pain, heartburn, acid reflux, bloating, belching, and passing gas.

Numerous studies have shown that a diet high in fermented foods, such as kimchi, has proven health benefits, such as increasing microbiome diversity and reducing inflammation. Another study, published in April in the Journal of Ethnic Foods, found that kimchi can be an effective treatment aid for obesity.

The kimchi fermentation process is very short in comparison to making sauerkraut. Kimchi ferments at room temperature in only 1-2 days or more slowly in the refrigerator. For safety, kimchi should be stored refrigerated and is best eaten within 1 week, as the quality of kimchi deteriorates with longer fermentation.

Kimchi has an excellent nutritional profile. The dish is low in calories but packed with nutrients like iron, folate, and vitamins B6 and K.

Homemade kimchi must be kept refrigerated and will last for up to 1 month. Store-bought kimchi that remains unopened can be kept at room temperature for 1-3 months. If you have store-bought kimchi that's been opened, it will be good for 3-4 days at room temperature and up to 6 months when refrigerated.

The fiber and probiotics in kimchi can help you maintain a healthy digestive system. The probiotics in fermented food can help reduce the negative symptoms of many gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and colon inflammation.

However, there were a couple of downsides to eating too much kimchi, her team added. First, the popular side dish contains a lot of salt, which is never great for health. Secondly, beyond the one-to-three servings per day that did show a benefit, eating more kimchi was linked with obesity overall, the study found.

Is kimchi bad for fatty liver? ›

Kimchi also helped sustain healthy liver function. Levels of AST and ALT, which are indicators of liver damage, were both lower in the kimchi group. Elevated AST and ALT levels are generally associated with damaged liver cells caused by hepatitis, fatty liver, and hepatocirrhosis.

Kimchi spoilage and over-fermentation

It will continue to ferment at a cool temperature. If kimchi over-ferments, it will have a very vinegary odor and taste. It is not pleasant to eat raw, so it is often used for soups and stews. If any fermentation gets soft and slimy, then it is a sign of spoilage.

If you aren't sleeping well, be kinder to your gut. Eating prebiotics such as yogurt, sauerkraut or kimchi before bedtime could help overcome your insomnia, a new study has discovered. Compounds in prebiotics help restore deep sleep known as non-REM (rapid eye movement) and REM sleep, which reduces stress.

In short: it depends. Generally speaking, if your gut is in good shape and your body typically responds well to fermented foods, eating them on an empty stomach should be completely fine. “Fermented foods are typically fine to eat on an empty stomach since they help to support digestion,” Greenfield says.

For a good sleep, you need to be kind to your gut and eating fermented food such as yoghurt, sauerkraut or kimchi before bedtime could help overcome insomnia. During fermentation, lactic acid bacteria produce conjugated linoleic acids which have shown to have a blood pressure lowering effect.

South Korea features a bimodal healthcare system, wherein patients with insomnia have the option to receive covered care at Western medicine (WM) or Korean medicine (KM) facilities. KM treatments include acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy, herbal medicine, and KM psychotherapy.

The Korean fermented vegetable dish typically made with cabbage has long been credited with anti-stress properties. Full of good bacteria and high in vitamins and minerals, it's thought fermented foods are especially beneficial because of the impact they have on our gut microbiome.

Because it's a fermented food, it boasts numerous probiotics. These healthy microorganisms may give kimchi several health benefits. It may help regulate your immune system, promote weight loss, fight inflammation, and even slow the aging process. If you enjoy cooking, you can even make kimchi at home.