\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n \tRelated story \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tFlesh-Eating Bacteria Is on the Rise. Here’s How to Keep Your Kids Safe This Summer\t\t<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n \t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/article>\n \t \n\tWell, maybe not quite. There is a lot we still don\u2019t know, says Avery Zenker<\/a>, a registered dietitian with MyHealthTeam who was not involved in the study. \u201cIt\u2019s important to keep in mind that this study was conducted in a lab on a bacteria derived from kimchi,\u201d she explained, \u201cwhich does not necessarily translate to direct effects in the human gut.\u201d However, she says, the results show real promise.<\/p>\n \n\tThe scientists looked at one strain of lactic acid bacteria which was isolated from kimchi. They found that, under laboratory conditions, this strain of bacteria removed 87 percent of microplastics. Under conditions that mimicked a human gut, that number dropped to 57 percent\u2014still significantly better than a different strain of bacteria tested for reference, which dropped from 85 percent to 3 percent.<\/p>\n \n\tA few more words of caution: this study wasn\u2019t performed directly on humans (rather, using bacteria in a lab and under conditions similar to a human gut), and it didn\u2019t find that kimchi itself reduces microplastic absorption, as Zenker points out. Instead, it focused on \u201ca bacterial strain commonly found in kimchi that showed potential,\u201d she explains. \u201cMore research is needed to uncover the impact of kimchi consumption specifically.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tStill, she says there\u2019s potential here\u2014and it\u2019s welcome news for many of us who are concerned about the effects of microplastic on our health. These tiny particles of plastic\u2014less than one micrometer long\u2014have been found in our brains, hearts, stomachs, placentas, and genitals. They\u2019ve been detected in urine, breast milk, semen, and even meconium, a newborn\u2019s first stool, per Stanford Medicine<\/a>. Research is ongoing into how exactly microplastics play into health issues, but studies have linked them to inflammation, abnormal organ development, cell damage, and cancer. <\/p>\n \n\tSo, hearing that a bacteria found in a common food could help the body get rid of these tiny bits of plastic? Very exciting. \u201cThe degree to which this probiotic strain was able to bind to microplastics is quite profound,\u201d Zenker agrees.<\/p>\n \n\tAnd the fact that it\u2019s found in kimchi is also a positive, because we know that kimchi, along with other fermented foods like sauerkraut and kefir, are great for your health to begin with. \u201cResearch suggests fermented foods may support microbial diversity, digestion, immune function, and overall gut health<\/a>,\u201d says Zenker. Fermented foods contribute \u201cgood\u201d bacteria (aka probiotics<\/a>) to our gut microbiome, which \u201cimpacts every body system, including brain, heart, bone, immune, and metabolism.\u201d <\/p>\n![\"Rearview](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-sheknows-2020\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/section>\n<\/p>\n