Kimchi- How Diet May Protect Against Covid-19

Recent studies have shown that kimchi may be the reason fatality rates are so low in South Korea.

What does Kimchi do?

Kimchi and other fermented cabbages have shown to be able to decrease levels of ACE2 in the cell which is an enzyme in your cell that can be found most commonly in lungs. This enzyme is an entry point that the coronavirus uses in order to infect your body. By consuming fermented cabbage you could potentially decrease the number of ACE2 in your cells and thus making it difficult for the virus to enter and infect your body. Eating high amounts of fermented cabbage can help increase the likelihood of decreased levels of ACE2.

Kimchi and Covid-19 Death Rates

Dr. Jean Bousquet, a professor of Pulmonary Medicine at Montpellier University, led his research team to study fatality rates around the world and found that rates of fatality in countries that ate fermented cabbage such as South Korea with kimchi and Germany with sauerkraut, had significantly lower death rates. South Korea had a 2.14 percent death rate while Germany had a 4.55 percent. This is in comparison to the much higher death rate in countries where fermented cabbage was not part of their main diet such as the United Kingdom who had a high death rate of 15.43 percent.

Diet is Important

Diet plays an important role in the body not just to fight the coronavirus but to protect your immune system as well. Many types of food have proven to help improve your immune system and fight off various diseases and viruses. These foods include yogurt, citrus, and the aforementioned fermented cabbage.

“Little attention has been given to the spread and severity of the virus, and regional differences in diet, but diet changes may be of great benefit,” said Dr. Jean Bousquet, advising people to include fermented vegetables in their breakfast.

As Dr. Jean Bousquet says, fermented cabbage, if included in your diet, could help you fight off the virus. You have nothing to lose by adding a little kimchi to your diet as they are high in antioxidants and will help you boost your immunity even after the pandemic.

Sources- https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20200717/2122953/1/Kimchi-protects-against-COVID-19-a-study-says