Healthful and deadly
05/22/2006 @ 9:00 pm
How’s this for a contradiction?
The U.S. magazine Health touts kimchi as one of the five healthiest foods in the world, along with yogurt, olive oil, lentils and soy.
Yet studies have shown that heavy kimchi eaters have a 50% higher chance of contracting gastric cancers—and the rate for that cancer in South Korea is 10 times that in the United States.
To read all about it, and about the new form of kimchi created for astronauts, try this article by Barbara Demick in the LA Times.
Demick, by the way, mentions the Kimchi Museum in Seoul. How do you say, “That’s right down my alley!” in Korean?
Here’s an overview of the museum in English, with photos, and the museum site itself in Korean.
Poor Mari….she’s my favorite. If I ever become a j-pop singer and part of the...
I read that Demick story today in the Taiwan News here, was going to post on it to, but you beat me to the kimuchi-punch. I like to make scrambled eggs with kimichi added in, makes a good combo.
May 22nd, 2006 at 9:25 pmIt’s all that chili – it’s in nearly everything over there.
May 23rd, 2006 at 5:51 am“A diet rich in pickled vegetables, salted fish, excessive dietary salt, and smoked meats correlates with an increased incidence of gastric cancer.
A diet that includes fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C may have a protective effect.”
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic845.htm
That explains Korea and Japan’s high incidence of stomach cancers (which are roughly similar)… I think this also demonstrates the need to watch what you eat no matter where you are- though Japanese food is way more healthy than American food, on the whole.
May 23rd, 2006 at 6:03 amAnd should you be lucky enough to bag some “special” Chinese kimchi, you get a little added “bonus”(or two)
May 23rd, 2006 at 8:09 amLink: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200509/kt2005092719171211950.htm
Bon appetit!!
The restaurant owner has a point about saving money.
Plates of kimchi in a Korean restaurant are served like glasses of water everywhere else. They put it out there for you when you sit down, and bring more when asked, without (overtly) putting it on your bill.
May 23rd, 2006 at 8:59 am[...] (Via Japundit) [...]
May 23rd, 2006 at 9:04 amFunny, as the Chinese kimchi for export is made with Japanese seeds and tastes pretty good. Must be all that lead.
May 23rd, 2006 at 7:07 pm