“What do you think of kimchee? Koreans eat hot red pepper in their kimchee all the time with every meal. They seem to be real healthy hearty people and their food is applauded as healthy. What do you think?”

ANSWER: I do not recommend Kimchee. For one thing, it is very high in sodium. Then it contains hot peppers, which I do not recommend (as explained in the last few e-zines). Kimchee is fermented, and in the fermentation process several vinegar-like acids are produced. Although they supposedly have some benefits, they interfere with digestion greatly. Kimchee is also seasoned with fish oil. It looks and smells like a bunch of vegetables that sat in a dumpster for too long. I certainly have had my share of kimchee at some point during my raw experiment -- but I never felt good after eating it. It is habit-forming because of the high amounts of salt, spices and vinegar it contains.

ENZYMES & FERMENTED VEGETABLES

“Fred, thanks for addressing the Kimchee issue (last e-zine). I still have an idea that the fermented veggies are good for you due to the readily available enzymes that are said by some authorities to actually replenish your enzymes bank that depletes with age. I make kimchee with no salt (use culture granules from wildernessfamily.com), a little red pepper only,and with garlic, bok choy cabbage, a few onions and NO FISH. It's good actually. I use it for enzyme value and the vitamins and minerals readily available for absorption, as a side dish to some meals. You may want to look at the enzyme issue. The lack of enzyme activity in the body seems to be a major aging factor. It may even relate to Alzheimer's.”

ANSWER: I'd like to correct a few things:

The whole "enzyme bank" thing is a complete myth. Enzymes are not stored in the body. They are produced by the body when needed, just like hormones are. You are not born with a definite number of enzymes. You can produce enzymes all your life as long as your are healthy. Enzymes in foods are NOT used by the body for its metabolic activities. Enzymes in food are destroyed in the stomach. Raw foods are good for you, but not because of enzymes.

Another error: "lack of enzyme activity in the body seems to be a major aging factor."

A symptom is not the cause of another. Lack of enzyme activity is a symptom that health is failing, but is not the cause of aging or ill health.

So you do not benefit from the enzymes in kimchee. There are more vitamins and minerals in fresh vegetables, and they are less trouble to prepare!