Is it really healthier to be a sour citizen? Study says "eating more sauerkraut and kimchi" can reduce COVID-19 mortality
Germany and South Korea have lower mortality rates. Do eating more kimchi and sauerkraut help fight the virus?
According to the latest statistics from Hopkins University, the COVID-19 pandemic has killed 3.88 million people so far. The virus is also constantly mutating as it spreads, producing more contagious “dominant strains” to expand its spread. However, scientists found significant differences in mortality rates between regions. Judging from the data of the European epidemic outbreak on May 20 last year, the COVID-19 mortality rate reached 935 per million residents in France, only 10 to 25 in Switzerland, and only 7 in Germany. Scientists have therefore noticed whether the diet of different regions also affects mortality after infection with COVID-19?
An observational study published in the journal “ALLERGY” believes that from the distribution of COVID-19 epidemics, it can be seen that East Asia, Central Europe, and the Balkans have lower mortality rates. One of the common characteristics of these regions is that their daily diet contains a large amount of fermented foods. In particular, sauerkraut intake was most associated with lower mortality. Overall, in areas where sauerkraut and kimchi are consumed daily, the mortality rate from COVID-19 is significantly lower.
The research team analyzed the mortality rate and fermented food intake in European countries and found that increasing the intake of fermented vegetables by an average of 1 gram per day can reduce the risk of death from COVID-19 infection by 35.4%. How to explain this phenomenon? Scientists believe that the COVID-19 virus binds to cells through ACE2, and the antioxidant effect of Nrf2 can reduce the expression of ACE2 receptors. Sulforaphane in fermented vegetables can make the Nrf2 mechanism more active, possibly reducing the severity of infection.
However, studies have also found that the intake of animal fermented foods (such as yogurt) has no significant impact on mortality, while fermented vegetables (mainly cruciferous vegetables) may also bring benefits such as lactobacilli, probiotics, and sulforaphane. Clinically, it has also been found that many people infected with COVID-19 have insufficient probiotics in their bodies (intestinal probiotics also decrease with age) and have infection symptoms such as gastrointestinal disorders. It can be found that intestinal flora does affect immunity.
Intestinal flora affects immunity, eat more natural prototype foods
About 70% of the immune cells in the human body are in the gastrointestinal tract. The impact of microorganisms in the intestines on immunity can be imagined. In fact, scientists have long discovered that intestinal flora imbalance is related to the pathogenesis of various diseases, including allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, etc.
Scientists also believe that consuming fermented vegetables such as kimchi and sauerkraut can help reduce insulin resistance and inflammation. People with diabetes (insulin resistance is an important cause) have significantly increased severe illness and mortality from COVID-19, which may be why many Potential benefits of eating sauerkraut and kimchi. South Korea’s “World Kimchi Research Institute” also published a joint study with the University of Montpellier in France, pointing out that the sulforaphane, allicin, capsaicin and gingerol contained in kimchi can eliminate active acids produced by the COVID-19 virus .
The research team reminds that the mortality statistics methods of each country are different, and there are many error values that cannot be evaluated. Therefore, it cannot be directly inferred that eating kimchi and sauerkraut can reduce COVID-19 mortality. In addition, there is no data to support that supplementing with healthy foods such as probiotics will achieve the same effect.
According to the study authors, humans have been consuming fermented foods since the Neolithic Age and have evolved the body’s response mechanisms to various disease infections. It is possible that modern people have reduced their intake of fermented foods, which has caused dramatic changes in the microorganisms in their intestines, thereby increasing the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. To maintain normal immunity, it is recommended to eat more natural prototype foods.
