(THECHOPSTICKLOUNGE)HaveyouevertriedtraditionalKoreanfood?No,Koreanfoodisn'tjustbarbecue,friedchicken,andsoju.TraditionalKoreanfoodisactuallysuperhealthyandcomeswithalitanyofsidedishescalled"banchan".Thesesidedishesusuallyconsistofvariousvegetables,leanmeatsandfish,andheartystews.However,noKoreanmealiscompletewithoutthemainstaroftheshow,Kimchi!KoreanshavebeeneatingKimchiforthousandsofyearsandwasrecentlynamedasoneoftheWorld'sHealthiestFoods.Today,IwanttodiscussthebenefitsofeatingKimchiandwhyitsconsideredtobepotentsuperfood.
WhatisKimchi?
Kimchiisaspicyfermentedsidedishthatistypicallymadeofcabbage.Now,forthosethatknowwhatKimchiis,youmightautomaticallythinkallKimchiisthewhitenapacabbageversion,butthisisnottrue!Kimchiisjustatermtodescribethewayasidedishispreparedandfermentedusingspicyredpepperpaste,groundpepper,salt,sugar,etc.Althoughthecabbageversionisthemostpopular,therearedozensofformsofKimchi,suchasKimchimadeofradish,scallions,leafygreens,cucumbers,etc.InordertomakeKimchi,youneedtoprepareitwiththeproperingredientsandthenitisfermentedinspecialfermentationjarsformonthsatatime.Thelongerthebetter!Thefinaltasteshouldbealittlesalty,spicy,andsour.Itworksastheperfectcomplimenttomeatandrice.
WhatMakesKimchiaSuperfood?
TheaverageKoreaneatsabout40poundsofKimchieachyear.So,whydoKoreansloveeatingthisspicyfermentedsidedishsomuch?Well,it'sgottobebecauseofitsamazinghealthbenefits!
AccordingtoHealth.com,KimchiispackedwithessentialVitaminsA,B,andC,butthatisn'tthemostimpressivepartaboutKimchi.Kimchiisprizedbecauseofitshighlevelsof"goodbacteria"orprobiotics.ThefermentationprocessofKimchicontributestotheformationoflacticacidbacteria,whichisknowntohelpwithdigestion,preventyeastinfections,reducestheriskofcertaincancers,suchascolonandbladdercancer,etc.
HereisalistofthenutritionalbenefitsofKimchifromLifehack:
·RichinVitaminsA,B1(Thiamine),B2(Riboflavin),andC
·Richincalcium,iron,anddietaryfiber
·Containsnaturalprobiotics
·Lowerscholesterol
·CanhelpwithimprovedeyesightduetohighlevelsofVitaminA
·KeepsyourskinandhairhealthyduetotheseleniumfoundinthegarlicinKimchi
·Helpspreventcancer
·Canhelpyouloseweightduetolowcaloriesandfat
·Canhelppreventpepticulcers
·StrengthensyourimmunesystemduetohighlevelsofVitaminC
·Manymore!
AfterreadingthehealthbenefitsofKimchiandwhyitisconsideredasuperfood,IhopeyouguysarewillingtotryandbuyajarofKimchiatyournextgrocerystorevisit!Enjoy!