How good is kimchi for the body? It is already a well known fact that kimchi has great nutritious value, but with the kimjang (pre-winter kimchi-making season) just around the corner, let us look another look at the merits of kimchi, a food that has a variety of healthful properties and functions. First of all kimchi is rich in various substances that combat hyperacidity, suppress the ageing process and eliminate geriatric disease-causing substances. Thus kimchi helps prevent geriatric diseases.
Dr. Yoon adds, "The ingredients used in kimchi are all medicine ingredients that have different functions. Substances that are activated in the process of the formation of lactic acid bacteria helps strengthen the immune system of people today who mainly eat meat and grains. Also, the lactic acid in kimchi is effective in preventing colon cancer and hardening of the arteries, leading numerous scientists at home and abroad to consider kimchi a food of the future.
According to resources from the kimchi lab of kimchi-making company 'Jonggajib Kimchi,' kimchi has a variety of functions such as helping to alleviate allergies, strengthening the body's immune system, preventing diseases and quickening recovery from illnesses.
Fermentation of kimchi is a process of generating mainly lactic acid bacteria, which kills of microorganisms and aids the fermenting process. The lactic acids generated in the process help clean the intestines and contains carotin, producer of vitamins A, B and C.
The most common type of kimchi is cabbage kimchi, but the types of kimchi made in all the different regions in Korea number more than 50 altogether. There are all sorts of dishes using kimchi that can be made to suit different tastes, such as kimchi rice cake, cabbage kimchi 'ssam' (Korean style of wrapping meat in vegetable leaves to eat), stir-fried kimchi on rice, kimchi sandwich and so on.
