South Korean Kimchi – Fighting the Flu Virus

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Saranghae Oppa!

Are you a K-drama fan? Did you know that South Korea also has something very wonderful to offer other than its K-drama and ginseng? Yes, it is the South Korean Kimchi. Kimchi, the well-known traditional fermented vegetables, has proven effective in fighting the flu virus.

Kimchi ABC

Basic ingredients of kimchi

Kimchi is a traditional side dish in Korean dating back to 37 BC ‒ 7 AD (period of the Three Kingdoms). It is made from salted and fermented vegetables, most commonly napa cabbage and Korean radishes, with a variety of seasonings including chili powder, scallions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal (salted seafood). There are many varieties of kimchi made with different vegetables and it was said that every family has their own unique recipe passed down for generations.

Nutrition and Health


Kimchi is made of different types of vegetables and it contains a high concentration of dietary fiber, and yet low in calories. One single serving of kimchi provides more than 50% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C and carotene. Most kimchi contain onions, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers. Kimchi is rich in vitamin A, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), calcium, and iron, and contains lactic acid bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria, green onion and ginger in kimchi are natural antiviral agents, highly effective in preventing influenza.

Korea Food Research Institute and the World Institute of Kimchi recently announced that their research team had proved that lactic acid bacteria and fermentation metabolites in kimchi inhibit the growth of influenza virus – proving that kimchi is effective against flu.

During the 2003 SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) pandemic in many parts of the Asia, including Singapore, very few people were infected with the virus in Korea. Some argued that kimchi has an antiviral effect and protected them from the infection though there was no scientific evidence to support this belief back then.

Meogja!


Meogja (Let’s Eat). Ready to dash to your favourite supermarket to grab some kimchi? How much should you be eating by the way?

Kimchi, the Koreans favourite side dish.

IF you have not tried kimchi before or does not tolerate spiciness well, you might want to start slow. There is not a fix optimal amount of kimchi one should eat. It all depends on how much you enjoy it, what are you eating with it, how spicy it is, how tolerant to spicy food you are and so on. A 100 grams of kimchi will geberally provide about 7 percent of an adult’s daily dietary fibre, and more than 50% of vitamin C requirements.

What’s your favourite brand of kimchi from the local supermarkets? Do comment below.

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