Consumption of kimchi, a salt fermented vegetable, is not associated with hypertension prevalence

Abstract

a b s t r a c tBackground: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between hypertension and kimchi, a salt-fermented vegetable, intake. , and 2012. In the final analysis, a total of 20,114 Korean adults (men ¼ 7,815, women ¼ 12,299) was included. Daily energy, nutrient, and kimchi intake were assessed using 24-hour dietary recall. The odds ratios for hypertension, according to groups of quintiles of kimchi consumption by gender, were assessed using logistic regression and multivariable models. Results: Out of 20,114 participants, 11.3% were newly diagnosed as having hypertension. Although participants with higher consumption of kimchi were more likely to have an older age, higher blood pressure, and a higher BMI, as well as higher consumption of calories and sodium, there was no significant difference in the distribution of prevalence of hypertension across quintiles of kimchi consumption in men and women. In multivariate models by gender, higher consumption of kimchi was not associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension (odds ratio ¼ 0.87; 95% confidence interval ¼ 0.70 e1.08 for 216.5 g/day vs. <39.2 g/day; p for trend ¼ 0.7532, in men; odds ratio ¼ 1.04; 95% CI ¼ 0.80 e1.34 for 145.1 g/day vs. < 19.5 g/day; p for trend ¼ 0.2875, in women). Conclusion: High consumption of kimchi was not associated with an increased prevalence of hypertension in humans. Our results suggested that high potassium intake due to high consumption of kimchi may have helped neutralize the effect of elevated sodium intake on blood pressure levels.

Sodium intake and prevalence of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and stroke in Korean adults

“…It was also discovered that we also have to pay attention to the impact of potassium on the diseases which were used as covariables in order to control the impact of sodium on diseases. Such results are consistent with other studies, which revealed that blood pressure rise is more influenced by sodium/ potassium intake ratio that considered potassium intake than absolute sodium intake and [19] which high consumption of kimchi, fermented food using salt, is irrelevant to prevalence rate of hypertension [10].…”

“…Also, through the study on the risk of stroke and intake of potassium, which is known to be involved in sodium excretion, Bazzano et al [9] drew a result that the risk of stroke increases with less potassium intake. In addition, in the result of their recent study on nutritional epidemiologic survey of kimchi, Korea's representative fermented food and prevalence rate of hypertension, Song and Lee [10] found that there is no correlation between high consumption of kimchi and the prevalence rate of hypertension.…”

Kimchi and Other Widely Consumed Traditional Fermented Foods of Korea: A Review

“…Reduction of sodium chloride generally in fermented products has been extensively studied due to the correlation with elevated blood pressure and increasing occurrence of cardiovascular diseases (Lee S. M. et al, 2012 ). In the case of kimchi, Song and Lee ( 2014 ) reported that its consumption could not be correlated to hypertension prevalence. The latter results from both sodium excess and potassium deficiency in the body; since vegetables are a major source of potassium, the high intake may neutralize the negative effects of sodium intake.…”

A survey of consumer’ opinion about consumption and health benefits of fermented plant beverages in Thailand

“…The health promoting properties such as anticancer, antimicrobial activities are attributed to the residing natural microbes especially lactic acid bacteria (Anh, 2015). A detailed study on consumption of Kimchi, (famous Korean salt-fermented food and a good source of minerals, vitamins, fibers, and other trace nutrients) suggested that the intake of kimchi containing a large volume of salt was not associated with hypertension, indeed, high consumption of kimchi helps to neutralize the salt imbalance (Song & Lee, 2014).…”