Once you conquer the quest of losing extra weight, it becomes a little tricky to maintain your new score on the scale and make sure it doesn’t exceed scary heights.

This makes it important for you to pay close attention to your choices when eating to avoid weight gain.

However, if you are not sure what you must add to your diet, you can start with kimchi, a staple food of South Korea that most Koreans consider their favourite. 

Kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish from Korea, is known for its potential to boost gut-beneficial bacteria levels. It typically includes vegetables like cabbage, radish, and onion, along with spices like red pepper powder, garlic, and ginger.

A study published in BMJ Open suggests cabbage kimchi may lower men’s obesity risk, while radish-based kimchi could help both men and women combat excess pounds.

The study involving 115,726 people aged 40 to 69 in Korea found that men who consumed one to three servings of kimchi daily had a lower risk of obesity by 11-12% compared to those who ate less than one serving per day.

According to the findings, men who consume cabbage kimchi up to three servings daily have a 10% lower risk of obesity and excess fat around their stomachs and abdomen, while women have an 8% lower risk.

Men and women who ate radish kimchi had around a 9% reduced risk of fat around the middle and abdomen.

Experts found no significant benefit in consuming more than three servings of kimchi daily, suggesting that those who consumed more tend to consume more other foods and are more likely to be obese.

The researchers noted concerns about the salt in kimchi, saying “as kimchi is one of the major sources of sodium intake, a moderate amount should be recommended for the health benefits of its other components”.