Over the past couple of years or so, I started to notice that there seemed to be a high incidence of older Asian people being afflicted with stomach cancer, including my own father who passed away last year. After doing some research, I found out the startling facts. If you are an Asian American/Pacific Islander or eat Asian food as a staple, read up:
• Asian American/Pacific Islander women have the highest rates for new cases of stomach cancer compared to women of all other groups. Rates of stomach cancer are three times higher than among white women.
• Asian American men are twice as likely as Caucasian men to have stomach cancer and
• Korean men in particular experience the highest rate of stomach cancer of all ethnic groups: five times the rate of Caucasian men.
So why is this? Some studies suggest that diets high in foods that are smoked, salted or pickled may be at an increased risk for stomach cancer. Those foods contain nitrates/nitrites, which are likely carcinogens. So basically, kimchi at every meal = very bad.
Oh what a sad day when I read about this. Foods that are smoked, salted or pickled, pretty much describes all the food I love to eat. I love Japanese “tsukemono”–pickled radishes, pickled cucumbers, pickled cabbage, pickled carrots, pickled anything, really. And here I thought smoked fish was good for you.
I’m sorry that I feel it is my duty to pass this news on to you, but here are some tips for preventing stomach cancer:
• You don’t have to cut cold turkey. Everything in moderation as they say. Treating yourself once a week to kimchi seems to be ok, according to Dr. Katz. The same goes for smoked foods.
• If a close relative has had stomach cancer, your risk is higher than average. You should be screened and treated for H. pylori infection.
• Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables of the unpickled kind. Broccoli sprouts seem to be particularly effective at preventing stomach cancer by defeating H. pylori.
• If you haven’t found a reason to quit smoking, here is reason #1,501.
H. pylori
wow. talk to any Korean and they’ll tell you that Kim Chi is the main reason that SARS/Bird Flu was thwarted on the Korean nation.
that being said, i agree with your thoughts. now i can’t go to korean town for a month
Kimchi is just a side dish. Just a small portion per a meal. Of course, whoever eats nothing but kimchi in a big bowl, it will be a problem and permeante(?) your stomach eventually like you wish. I better cut off eating american fast foods or avoid eating sashimi because of parasites in raw fishes or fatty chinese fast foods.
Well I am incredibly offended and outraged by this piece. To say shit about kimchee, you’re offending all Koreans! It’s the national symbol more sacred than anything else. Also kimchee is not pickled (food wise, pickling involves brine), rather it is cultured (fermented) just like yogurt (kimchee’s nutritional cousin). Kimchee contains more antioxidants therefore actually cures/prevents cancer. Really! Eat more! Everyday, every meal!
I’d like to point out that alcohol abuse and stress is the leading cause of stomach cancer among Korean men. The over use of salt and carcinogens in diet comes from eating out and eating poorly. Properly prepared food should not be bad for you. Korean men are stress eating, eating too much, eating too much meat and then drinking too much. To suggest that spicy food is carcinogenic is incorrect. It can be an irritant to an existing condition such as stomach ulcers (caused by stress and alcohol abuse) and worsen it however.
There is also a gluttony problem as well. Food portions in America are way too big. It has transcended to Korean restaurants along with the old Korean mentality of sharing in the bounty. What is a once a month meal has become an every other day feast in LA. It is truly unfortunate that outsider’s impression of Korean food has become salty over-seasoned smorgasbord. The essence of anything Korean is balance and harmony. And it is especially reflected in food more so than other neighboring cultures. Eat your bap (rice (also means meal)) with your banchan (sides). Thanks.
Roger, looks like I won’t be going to Korea town anytime soon, but not because of the food, because I’ll be banished forever! Ha ha!
Sorry you feel offended Edward. I love Korean food and kimchi and will continue eating it. I also realize that kimchi is a source of national pride. But South Korean researchers have also written about kimchi and cancer, so I’m not making this stuff up. Please read “Kimchi and soybean pastes are risk factors of gastric cancer.” http://www.wjgnet.com/downpdf.asp?url=/1007-9327/11/3175
Like I said, the key is moderation.
Well, after having a grandmother and uncle die of stomach cancer and another aunt diagnosed with it, this is just…a bummer. I’m going to gnaw on some broccoli sprouts now…
I can’t remember where I heard this, but according to research that was done at Harvard or some Ivy League college, kimchi is actually quite a healthy dish. Still, consuming too much of anything isn’t good for you. Especially alcohol which Koreans drink in droves. A Korean friend of mine drank so much he winded up in the hospital. The doctor warned him that he needs to curb his drinking habit or else it could turn fatal. Well guess what? Within a month my friend was drinking again! When I asked him why his response was that he cannot go without drinking. Its just part of the Korean social culture.
dang, got to stop hitting the kalbi taco truck…
Wow, some of the comments to this blog entry remind me of a previous entry that Philip wrote: http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com/chinky-or-not-chinky-are-koreans-less-tolerant-toward-criticism/
In the meantime, Iris also raises questions re: the typical Japanese breakfast too.
[...] society (as can be said about most bureaucrats). Ironically, it’s only after learning that he has stomach cancer with less than a year to live that he finally comes to life and attempts to find meaning in what [...]
to say shit about kimchi?? Where the hell in this article did it say shit about kimchi?! everything in this article is true…FOR ALL THOSE IGNORANT PEOPLE: TRY SEARCHING THE TOPIC BEFORE CUSSING AND GETTING ALL DEFENSIVE.
although i’m not a Korean, but i couldn’t agree more with edward. if kimchi can cause cancer, then the whole world should stop consuming all fermented products such as cheese, yogurt and fermented tofu as they use the same group of bacteria during the production – Lactobacillus.
however, Iris is right about one thing – moderation is the key. you can’t eat too much on everything, even vegetables.
I just started eating kimchi two months ago. I am africian american. I do know what to do. I love Kimchi. I am shocked about this! I though i prevented cancers. I started eating it at least 3-4 time a week.
Hi, I was just diagnosed with an ulcer in the esophagus, with gastritis and duodenitis. I am 55 and this is the first time I am having serious digestive problems. More than likely, further test may reveal “helicobacter pylory’. We haven’t discussed a treatment plan but I am eagerly reading all the medical, natural and alternative treatments suggestions. I found several statements supporting the usage of broccoli sprouts as well as several, contradicting your advice, using as well Kimchi as another natural treatment. I have no experience or knowledge and I won’t express any pro or con opinion but will continue to do more inquiries. I do encourage your readers to do the same. I first visited the website Wikipedia for “Helicobacter pylori” and under “prevention” a recommendation for eating Broccoli sprouts and for <> I don’t know if you are right, partially right, or if this article is right or partially right but I would urge the readers of any advices to make further inquiries before making any major changes in their dietary habits. I would recommend to any non authority people from abstaining from dispensing any authoritative order like “Cut the Kimchi” with one less absolute that would be encouraging readers to search for more options before making up their mind. Perhaps, a title like “Is Kimchi, the traditional Korean staple, one of the factors in the increasing numbers of gastric cancers as some are claiming or on the contrary, one of the best protection against Helicopter Pilori “. We are bombarded with often contradicting health advices that are often more confusing that enlightening I.E: “according to a new study, “Caffeine is good for your mental alertness” or “According to a new study, “caffeine increases your risks of breast cancer”. Before giving up your morning coffee, try to find as much details about the “study”. How many participants, age, race, sex, and duration of the study? As a rule, at least for me, any study less than 6 months duration or less than 200 peoples I completely ignore. It is also good if you can find the sponsor for the study. Any good news can boost sales of a product and vice versa. It has been revealed that even with some serious and lengthy pharmaceutical studies, good news that can boost sales are released promptly, while less good news are released year later if ever.
Please, remember that in the end, it is not the people dispensing their advice who will have to live with their consequences. Thanks!
There was a really interesting presentation posted on slideshare recently highlighting some recent studies on gastric cancer:
http://www.slideshare.net/NicoleGeurin/nitrites-nitrates-antioxidants-and-their-association-with-gastric-cancer
These are more recent than the 2005 study published in World of Gastroenterology mentioned above. In one study they conclude that it is the nitrites/nitrates from animal sources that was associated with risk of gastric cancer, while nitrate consumption from plant sources was associated with decreased risk. In another, they found it was not the overall level of nitrates consumed but rather the ratio of nitrates:antioxidants and vitamins (i.e fresh fruits and vegetables) that was related to gastric cancer risk.
I wrote a brief article looking at this data and the 2005 study to draw some conclusions about whether we should be worried about kimchi:
http://www.suluku.com/?p=541
I am an African American female that loves kimchi. I’ve eaten it for the past 15 yrs. I have had H-pylori twice and suffer from horrible stomach pains all of the time. I have finally found a link between my stomach pain and current diagnosis. I have requested that an endoscopy be done by my doctor. I’ll keep my fingers cross that everything is okay. But for the skeptics here, I would take this very serious.
Deaundre, I’m so sorry to hear about your stomach pains. I will also keep my fingers crossed for you that you don’t discover anything serious.
The problem here is that people confuse pickled with fermented. Now I’m not saying all fermented foods are good for you, but there is a world of difference between say a pickled piece of ginger and fermented sauerkraut or Kimchi.
The big difference being one is made with vinegar (aka- pickling) and one is maybe by a fermentation process. Many commercially used vinegars in pickling are “white distilled vinegars” which are carcinogenic. Many people confuse the two forms of food preservation.
Most stomach cancers are linked to cronic infections, which are often exacerbated by stress, poor diet, drinking too much, and smoking.
Sorry- Kimchi is in no way the culprit AFAIK and have only read studies of its benefits in fighting off certain stomach pathogens known to cause cancer.
So really- you meant cut the PICKLED veggies down.
Stop spreading disinformation.
Vinegar can cause problems but it is not linked to cancer, only fermented foods like Kimchi and Saurkraut as well as fermented pickles are.
@edward – as much as i would love to agree you (im a big fan of kimchi, make 10 pounds each time and eat them everyday), i have to disagree that kimchi is merely fermentation and not brining. indirectly i believe it is considered brining as the cabbage has to be soaked in salt water for an hour or so, plus so many cups of fish sauce or salty fermented squid is used in making kimchi. its pretty high in sodium actually.
[...] 7) This is what I get for dismissing Offender Iris’ blog warning of the dangers of too much kimchi. [...]
Yes, Kimchi is associated with stomach cancer.
Eat a piece of raw broccoli at every meal if you choose to indulge in kimchi that day.
What does the raw broccoli do? Counteract the kimchi somehow?