Kimchi is a Korean dish made from fermented vegetables — usually cabbage and radishes along with garlic and hot chilies, though one website says there are 180 varieties. It's been a favorite complement to breakfast, lunch, and dinner since 935 B.C.

But kimchi delivers more than flavor. It's loaded with gut-friendly pre- and probiotics, fiber, vitamins C and B, and minerals such as iron, potassium, and calcium.

That may be why a study in the journal Food Research International reveals that kimchi helps prevent obesity and tamps down obesity-fueled inflammation — which damages your heart, brain, and metabolism.

The World Institute of Kimchi says their research on lab rats shows that the dish can trigger substantial reduction in body fat (almost 32% in the lab animals), cut obesity-related inflammation of nerves, and help protect the blood-brain barrier. Plus, it lets health-promoting gut bacteria thrive. The animals in the study ate the kimchi six days a week.

And you can make it at home. Brine the veggies with spices; monitor the temperature of the mixture so you get good growth of Weissella, Lactobacillus, and other gut-loving bacteria that contribute to the fermentation process. Then, let it sit for a day or two at room temperature until the mixture hits a pH of 4.2. Store in the fridge and eat within the week.

It might be worth a try, along with the 33 age-defying steps you can take to restore your health and reverse diabetes and obesity that are outlined in "The Great Age Reboot."