Health Report - aug 22 - I Love Kimchi!

I love kimchi! That's right. I love it! I can't wait until my next dish! For me kimchi was an acquired taste, that became an important part of my diet. What is kimchi? It's a fermented vegetable dish from Korea. Did you know that Health Magazine wrote kimchi is “One of Top Five Healthiest Foods of the World?" That's right.

What are the ingredients?
There are many kinds of kimchi. The most common is Napa Cabbage kimchi, but there are over 100 different varieties of kimchi. I am aware of nine different types of Kimchi: Gat kimchi, Baech'u Keot'cheoli, Oi Sobaki, Muuch'ae Kimchi, Nabak Kimchi, Bossam kimchi, Ch'ongak kimchi, T'ong Baegu'u Kimchi, Bae Kimchi, Bossam kimchi, Ch'ongak kimchi, and T'ong Baegu'u kimchi. Talk about tongue twisters!! If you are not Korean, then there is a good chance you will struggle with pronouncing these dishes.

My favorites are Napa Cabbage Kimchi(without fish sauce) and Cucumber Kimchi(without fish sauce), but I am sure that I will find another kimchi that can be added to my favorites list. Temple Kimchi is another type of kimchi that is served to Buddhists and a like(me!). Buddhists do not add fish sauce, oysters, or as many spices when making their kimchi which is suitable for Vegans.

What are the ingredients for kimchi using fish paste?

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
2 heads Napa cabbage, cut into quarters or 2-inch wedges, depending on size of cabbage
1 bulb garlic, cloves separated and peeled
2-inch) piece of ginger root
1/4 cup fish sauce or Korean salted shrimp
1 Asian radish, peeled and grated
1 bunch of green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 cup Korean chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Sesame oil (optional)
Sesame seeds (optional)

What are the ingredients for Kimchi without fish paste?

Dr. Ben Kim's recipe for kimchi without fish paste is as follows:

Napa cabbage - approximately one pound
4 cups of cold water
3 tablespoons of sea salt
1 tablespoon of fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh green onions (scallions), finely chopped
1 teaspoon of dried red chili pepper flakes (more if you like things spicy, less if you don't)
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of sugar

What do experts say about kimchi?

According to the Japanese, kimchi became a dish that could prevent disease and improve health.

Under “nutrition and eating well” column, Healthy Magazine states:

Kimchi (or kimchee) is loaded with vitamins A, B, and C, but its biggest benefit may be in its “healthy bacteria” called lactobacilli, found in fermented foods like Kimchi and yogurt. This good bacteria helps with digestion, plus it seems to help stop and even prevent yeast infections, according to a recent study. And more good news: Some studies show fermented cabbage has compounds that may prevent the growth of cancer.

Furthermore, foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles are healthy because they are part of a group of foods known as fermented foods. Health Magazine states:

Recent research validates that fermented foods aid in digestion, support immune function, and increase overall nutritional status by adding B vitamins and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.Consuming foods that contain live lacto-bacteria has protective benefits against harmful, pathogenic microorganisms.

NutritionData.com confirms that foods like sauerkraut are low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Calcium and Magnesium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Sauerkraut is great for weight loss, optimum health, and minimal weight gain. Since sauerkraut is fermented cabbage as is Kimchi, one can safely conclude they are very healthy.

Does Kimchi cause flatulance?

I have experienced first-hand increase flatulance due to kimchi consumption. But not all kimchi types cause flatulance, it depends on the vegetable. Cabbage is known to be a flatulance causing vegetable; therefore, be careful when eating cabbage kimchi and make sure you chew your cabbage well. Because when cabbage passes through the stomach and small intestine and gets into the colon which combines with bacteria to manufacture some very malodorous gases. If you are not sure which kimchi to eat, then it's a matter of trial and error. Hopefully, you can find a safe kimchi!

In conclusion, Kimchi is for everyone!
There are many ways to make kimchi for all diets from the Standard Food Diet to the raw Vegan diet. I prefer the Temple Kimchi on the spicy side, which is great on a cold winter’s day. Whatever you do just give it a try, you just might like it, and receive the health benefits that we all need.

Axel Pantelmann
Axel is an English Teacher and a vegan teaching English in South Korea. Writing about Korean culture is a great way to discover people and their traditions. He was on a juice feast/fast from April 12 2009 - July 1, 2009 totaling 80 days and lost 70lbs. To start, he weighed 250lbs and completed his fast at 180lbs. Today August 22, 2009, he still remains at 180lbs as a Vegan.