Kimchi, the traditional Korean dish of fermented vegetables, is quickly becoming a global favorite—and scientists say it may deserve a spot on the list of superfoods.
A new review study from the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources highlights its surprising health benefits, particularly for blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Kimchi is usually made from cabbage and radish, mixed with salt, chili powder, garlic, and ginger, and then fermented.
While once considered unfamiliar in the United States, it’s now a common sight in grocery stores and restaurants across the country.
Alongside its growing popularity, researchers are beginning to uncover how this traditional food may promote better health.
The new paper, published in Nutrition Reviews, analyzed nine studies conducted between 2011 and 2023 that specifically looked at the effects of fermented kimchi on human health.
The work was led by Seoeun Ahn, a postdoctoral researcher and visiting scholar, in collaboration with Ock Chun, associate professor of nutritional sciences and interim associate dean for research and graduate education.
The results showed that eating fermented kimchi can improve several important health measures.
People who ate kimchi had lower fasting blood sugar levels, lower triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood), and reduced blood pressure compared to those who didn’t.
On average, fasting glucose dropped by nearly 2 mg/dL, triglycerides fell by almost 29 mg/dL, and blood pressure readings decreased by about 3.5 mmHg for systolic and 2.7 mmHg for diastolic.
“These are meaningful improvements,” Chun explained. “In clinical practice, even a small reduction in blood pressure—around 5 mmHg—is considered important. To see similar results from a dietary change, rather than medication, is very promising.”
What surprised researchers most was the blood pressure findings. Kimchi is high in sodium, which is typically linked to higher blood pressure. Yet, the opposite was observed. This suggests that beneficial bacteria and other components of kimchi may counteract sodium’s harmful effects, offering an overall protective benefit.
The team focused only on studies that tested fermented kimchi, not its raw ingredients, to ensure consistency. Fermentation produces unique compounds and healthy microbes that seem to make all the difference.
Still, the researchers caution that most studies so far have been conducted in Korea, mainly among Asian populations. To know whether these benefits extend to people in the U.S. and other regions, larger and more diverse studies will be needed.
“Conducting intervention studies in the U.S. would be very meaningful,” Ahn said. “It would allow us to see whether these promising results apply to broader populations with different diets and lifestyles.”
For now, the evidence suggests that adding kimchi to your meals could do more than spice up your plate—it might also boost your heart and metabolic health, making it a potential new superfood.
