If you’re into K-dramas, K-pop or even Korean otome games like Mystic Messenger, you’ll know what kimchi is. For the rest of you, salted, seasoned and fermented vegetables are classified as kimchi. Traditionally, napa cabbages and Korean radishes are used in kimchi, but with the passage of time, people started experimenting with more and more veggies to come up with their unique kimchi versions. It is seasoned traditionally with garlic, scallions, chili powder, ginger, salted seafood and sea salt.
Apart from being totally delicious, did you know that there are numerous health benefitsfor you? Well if you didn’t then buckle up! We have quite a long list for you.
Most anti-wrinkle creams work on the dead skin formed on the surface of your skin. However, the antioxidants and vitamin C present in kimchi help in the regeneration of new cells from underneath your skin.
Kimchi helps your bowel give smoother movements, and for those of you who didn’t know, a good bowel movement has shown to be directly connected to one’s metabolic processes.
A good bowel movement = a high rate of metabolism, and vice versa. This is why it’s great for weight loss.
It’s a tasty meal for those who are on a diet, but are tired of eating the same bland foods day in and out. It’s especially a great option for vegans and vegetarians. It’s low in calories, high in fiber and helps keep your stomach full for long periods of time.
The seasonings in kimchi (ginger and garlic) have a high number of phenolic components and flavonoids, which help make your immune system stronger, which is literally one of the best kimchi health benefitsout there.
Well, anything high in fiber is automatically good for your digestive system, and kimchi is no different. Fermented kimchi can be compared to yogurt, as it too contains lactobacilli (or healthy bacteria), which helps in your body’s digestive processes.
Often, your digestive system is filled with compounds that prevent it from functioning properly, by not letting nutrients be absorbed. However, kimchi acts as a catalyst and ensures an improved assimilation of nutrients by completely eliminating those compounds.
Koreans often eat kimchi on winter days or when they’re ill. That’s because unlike most homemade remedies (that are nothing but old wives’ tales), kimchi’s plethora of properties help fight viral as well as bacterial infections.
Kimchi is high in two things – Selenium and Allicin, both of which have found to be good for your heart. However, if you have high blood pressure then you might need to put less (or no) salt in your kimchi, as Sodium is known to increase your BP.
The thing is kimchi health benefitsaren’t restricted to what’s inside your body – they include benefits for what’s on the outside too! Garlic contains selenium, which keeps both your hair and skin healthy (when consumed on a regular basis). Also, selenium is an important component of glutathione, which helps preserve vitamin C in your body, which by the way also lends to your hair and skin health.
Now that we’ve discussed Kimchi health benefits,it’s time to move on to some helpful tips that will ensure your first time making some kimchi isn’t a complete disaster.