5 Myths About Kimchi
Kimchi is a staple food of Korea. It is vegan, spicy and crunchy which is super delicious and healthy. However, some of my friends had recently told me they heard there are some disadvantages of eating kimchi, such as “Kimchi is high in salt so it is bad for your heart health” and “kimchi is high in sugar” etc. It sounds like we'd better stay away from kimchi as it can be harmful. However, is it true? In this blog, I’ll reveal some of these myths for you!
Myth 1: Kimchi can cure gastrointestinal diseases as there are good bacteria inside.
Truth: Kimchi certainly cannot cure any diseases. It's not Panadol or Nurofen that cures “everything”, it's just a super tasty and nutritious fermented food.
The bacteria inside a jar of kimchi are called probiotics, which are mainly lactobacilli in kimchi. They can’t cure anything by themselves. However, they can help with improving gut health conditions as they kill harmful bacteria in your gut.
As for kimchi itself, it is high in fibre so it can act as a prebiotic, which is food for the probiotics. Having kimchi means you are intaking probiotics and providing them with high-quality prebiotics at the same time. Probiotic kimchi is a great complement to your diet which improves the gut health.
Myth 2: Kimchi is flavourful, so it is high in calories.
Truth: The truth is one cup of kimchi only contains around 23 calories, which is equivalent to 1/4 of an apple. The reason why kimchi is so low in sugar is that the fermentation process consumes sugar. When fermenting, the lactobacilli convert sugar into lactic acid for generating energy to live and to increase their numbers. The sour flavour of kimchi also comes from this process.
Apart from the above reason, the ingredients (such as ginger and pepper) that give kimchi special flavours are full of phytochemicals but low in sugar and fat. They enhance the immune system rather than increase calories. So, you can enjoy kimchi freely!
Myth 3: Kimchi is made with rotten cabbage.
Truth: The main ingredient used for making kimchi is fresh cabbage, not rotten. The end product of kimchi is made through controlled lactic-acid fermentation, during which the sour flavour is generated. Those harmful bacteria that cause the rotten of cabbage cannot survive with the existence of numerous lactobacilli in kimchi.
Even in ancient times, kimchi was made for preserving fresh food rather than was made with rotten vegetables. Nowadays, most food makers like us use fresh organic cabbage to craft kimchi, so the quality is there.
Myth 4: Kimchi is high in salt, so it will cause hypertension.
Truth: When talking about the disadvantages of eating kimchi, the high salt content is often mentioned. Many people have heard that eating kimchi with much salt would result in high blood pressure and related heart diseases. However, scientific evidence shows that there was no significant difference in the distribution of prevalence of hypertension across quintiles of kimchi consumption.
If you want to learn more about this research, here's the link: Consumption of kimchi, a salt fermented vegetable, is not associated with hypertension prevalence
Myth 5: It is hard to find true Korean kimchi in Australia.
Truth: Kimchi is getting more and more popular in Australian markets and can be found in a variety of places, such as Asian markets and restaurants, local grocery stores, health stores and even supermarkets. You can also buy Australian kimchi from independent producers who make kimchi in their unique styles. We are proud as the first few artisan producers to handcraft kimchi in Australia with locally sourced ingredients. We inherit the ancient Korean fermentation techniques and wild ferment all our delicious kimchi products. Our kimchis come with unique flavours and textures. You can get them online or from your local stores.
ONLINE STORE: https://www.greenstkitchen.com/shop
STORE LOCATOR: https://www.greenstkitchen.com/store-locator
Here are the 5 myths of kimchi. I found them interesting and I hope you like this article! Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Keep tuned for more blogs and recipes!