The 2025-2026 flu season is underway, and experts are already concerned about a mutated flu strain, A(H3N2)that is causing severe surges in Canada, the UK, and Japan. While there is no single cure for the flu, researchers in Korea say they may have a way to influence your immune system, which could help you fight off the flu effectively. And it’s a tasty solution to boot.

In November, researchers from the World Institute of Kimchi, a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, published their work in the journalnpj Science of Food.The study examined how kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish made with salted and fermented vegetables such as cabbage and radishes, can support human immune cells and help maintain “overall immune balance.”

To assess its effects, the researchers recruited 39 adults who were considered overweight and randomly assigned them to three groups of 13 participants each. Each group consumed either a placebo, a kimchi powder produced through natural fermentation, or a kimchi powder fermented with a starter culture for 12 weeks.

After 12 weeks, the team collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells, immune cells in the blood that play a critical role in fighting infections. They then analyzed these cells using “single-cell RNA sequencing,” a sophisticated technique that turns specific genes on or off in individual immune cells.

By using this method, the team explained, they uncovered subtle immune changes that other tests might miss. The researchers found that participants who consumed kimchi showed increased activity in antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which help immune cells better recognize potential threats and coordinate responses. The kimchi eaters also showed a balanced T-cell response (cells that play a central role in coordinating our immune system), meaning they could better regulate the immune system so it doesn’t overreact and cause unnecessary inflammation.

There is, however, a caveat to the findings: Although both types of kimchi powder had a positive effect, the starter-culture kimchi showed a stronger response. “Our research has proven for the first time in the world that kimchi has two different simultaneous effects: activating defense cells and suppressing excessive response,” Dr. Woo Jae Lee of the World Institute of Kimchi, who also led this research team, said in a statement. “We plan to expand international research on kimchi and lactic acid bacteria in relation to immune and metabolic health in the future.”

While it’s no substitute for vaccination or medical care, this research suggests that keeping kimchi in regular rotation could give your immune system a flavorful edge this flu season. Now all that’s left to do is make Food & Wine’s traditional Napa Cabbage Kimchi to help your immune system chug along all flu season long.