Kimchi: Salt and Spice and Everything Nice—or Not?

Kimchi, a pungent fermented cabbage, is a staple in the Korean diet and has gained popularity due to health claims about its anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-oxidative, and cholesterol-lowering effects (Park 2014). These potential benefits have been popularly attributed to lactic acid bacteria that undergo fermentation to produce compounds including vitamins, prebiotic factors, bacteriocins, and dietary fibers (Cheigh et al. 1994).

However, several studies (Nan et al. 2005) have raised questions …