Kimchi, a traditional Korean dish, could be the answer for people with thinning hair, a new South Korean study claims.

Made from fermented cabbage mixed with select spices, the dish was reportedly found to contain properties that could reportedly reverse hair loss, reports The Sun.

South Korean scientists at Dankook University have found that a local kimchi drink in South Korea has helped thicken the hair of research participants and even helped them grow new hair within weeks.

In the study, 23 men in different stages of hair loss were instructed to have a kimchi drink before breakfast and at bedtime over the course of four months. The average number of hairs had risen from about 85 per square centimeter of the scalp to 90 in the first month alone. Four months of drinking the liquid saw the hair increase to 92 hairs per square centimeter.

According to the scientists, the growth showed a significant increase, apparently even reversing hair loss in most of the men.

Published in the World Journal of Men’s Health, the study highlighted the impact of findings on current medication which have been found to cause adverse side effects.

“Current drugs can have adverse effects so their use is usually temporary,” the researchers were quoted as saying. “We found kimchi could promote hair growth and reverse baldness. It is a safer treatment strategy for patients.”

A staple of Korean cuisine, Kimchi is already popular among health-conscious consumers due to its probiotic qualities. Previous research has also found that kimchi, alongside other fermented foods, could help to reduce anxiety in young people.

Meanwhile, in 2017, South Korean researchers have also claimed to have found a cure for baldness via a potential drug that targets the protein that blocks hair follicle growth.

Featured Image via Pixabay/ally j and kalhh