Kimchi, traditional Korean food made by fermenting vegetables, has gained worldwide popularity due to its health and nutritional benefits. Kimchi calories are influenced by raw materials, kimchi varieties, ingredients, and fermentation conditions. Traditional Kimchi is made by mixing cabbage, scallions, or radishes with garlic, ginger, chili pepper, and fish sauce in a saltwater solution, allowing the mixture to ferment.
Additionally, Kimchi is a good source of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, and low in calories and fat. There are about 132 kimchi calories in 500g of Kimchi. Kimchi is one of the world’s most famous fermented foods, renowned for its numerous health benefits.
Are Kimchi calories good for weight loss?
Kimchi is a low-fat and high-fiber meal. It helps you lose weight because 150 g contains only 40 kimchi calories, but it is not limited—kimchi aids in carbohydrate metabolism, which is beneficial for weight loss. Additionally, the capsaicin in the chili peppers in this Korean dish stimulates your metabolism and forces your body to burn excess calories, resulting in increased weight loss.
Other nutritional facts of Kimchi
Kimchi is high in enzymes which give us energy. A 100 gram serving of Kimchi has an 18% daily value of vitamin A if we consider the 2000 calorie per day diet.
| Nutritional Facts of Kimchi- 100g serving |
|---|
| Calories– 15- 0.75% |
| Carbohydrates 2g |
| Sugars 1g |
| Protein 1g |
| Fats 1g |
| Dietary Fiber 3g |
| Vitamin C 18% |
| Calcium 3% |
| Iron 14% |
| Sodium 30% |
Benefits of Kimchi
According to the American health magazine, Kimchi is an excellent source of many nutrients and has many health benefits, thus earning it a spot in the top five healthiest foods.
This beneficial bacterium helps in digestion as well, as It possesses antibacterial properties, preventing pathogenic bacteria from establishing a foothold in the body. Kimchi can help decrease the risk of cancer and expand the lifespan of those who eat it. It also lowers your cholesterol levels if you’re suffering from high blood pressure or high cholesterol amount in your blood.
Types of Kimchi
Over 160 varieties of Kimchi vary according to vegetables, other food ingredients, preparation methods, and region, with cabbage kimchi being the most widely consumed.
Baechu Kimchi
The most popular Kimchi, which most Koreans consume, comprises whole, uncut salted cabbage combined with chili powder, garlic, fish sauce, and other spices and allowed to ferment.
Kkakdugi- Diced Radish Kimchi
The essential ingredients for this type of Kimchi are similar to those for baechu Kimchi, except that radish is used instead of cabbage.
Nabak Kimchi- Water Kimchi
It is a milder version of Kimchi that incorporates both cabbage and radishes. Due to sliced fruits such as apple and pear, it tastes sweeter than other types of Kimchi.
Yeolmu Kimchi- Summer Radish Kimchi
Yeolmu kimchi is made and consumed during the summer months when cabbages are not yet ready for harvest. This Kimchi is made with young summer radishes and is flavored with Korean chili powder, green onions, and chives.
Oi Sobagi- Cucumber Kimchi
This Kimchi is best served in the spring and summer, as the crunchy texture and juiciness of the cucumbers create a refreshing variation on traditional Kimchi.
History of Kimchi
The first fermented cabbage was created by a soldier in Mongolia and China more than 2500 years ago. For nearly 2000 years, Kimchi has been consumed as a traditional Korean side dish. The history of Kimchi is originated from the three kingdoms of Korea in the 3rd century.
Early kimchis were very different from what we have now because there was no red pepper, and cabbage was not a very common ingredient then. Radishes dipped in paste or salted in brine were the main ingredients in early kimchis.
Then later, different types of vegetables were used in kimchis, such as cucumbers, bamboo shoots, etc., and the people started adding garlic and spices in kimchis. Kimchi has kept on changing throughout different eras. Still, it has become a prevalent food now, made with Chinese cabbage and different vegetables earlier. It used to be made with other cabbage types because Chinese cabbages were not available. Previously, the calorie count was a minor concern for all, but now people do look into the Kimchi calories chart to balance the diet they plan.
Typical dishes to eat with Kimchi
Whenever you get Kimchi, putting it into good use is essential because it is full of prebiotics, and it’s packed with full flavors, ready to use in dishes. These dishes where Kimchi is used are from some traditional Korean family recipes, such as Kimchi fried rice, kimchi pancakes, kimchi stew, Kimchi wrapped noodles, kimchi bibimbap, etc.
How to make traditional Kimchi?
Kimchi is a required component of Korean cuisine. Although it can be used as an ingredient in recipes, it is most frequently served as a side dish. Kimchi is typically made with fermented cabbage, but you can also make it with other fermented vegetables, such as radishes. There are numerous preparations and recipes. Nonetheless, the majority of Koreans make their Kimchi at home.
The advantage of making your Kimchi is that you can customize the taste, and it’s usually much cheaper. However, before preparing this delectable side dish, we recommend that you educate yourself on kimchi calories, nutritional facts, and health benefits. First, you need to have all the necessary ingredients and then cut the cabbage by cutting it lengthwise through the stem to make the traditional Kimchi.
Remove the cores from each of the pieces. Cut each quarter into 2-inch-wide strips crosswise. Sprinkle the salt over the cabbage in a large mixing bowl. Cover the cabbage with enough water to keep it submerged. Secure the top of the cabbages with a heavy object such as a plate, a jar, or a can of beans. Allow for 1 to 2 hours of resting time. Rinse the cabbage three times in cold water.
The bowl you used for salting should be rinsed and dried. To make a smooth paste, combine the garlic, ginger, sugar, fish sauce, shrimp paste, or water. Toss in the spice paste until it’s to your liking. Then toss the vegetables and paste them together until evenly coated. To make sure the vegetables are well soaked, place the Kimchi in a jar and press the vegetables until the salted water comes to the top. Allow the jar to ferment for 2 to 5 days after closing the lid.
Kimchi vs Pickle
Kimchi has a lot of health benefits, while pickles have significantly less nutritional value. The difference between Kimchi and pickle is the fermentation and pickling process of vegetables. Sometimes Kimchi is considered a pickle; but is it a pickle?
Well, no, Kimchi is not pickle because pickles are mixed with vinegar, goes through a heating process, is kept for months, and it tastes sour because of vinegar and added spices while on the other hand kimchis are fermented with adding salt in it and is kept in a room temperature. That’s why the Kimchi calories are different from pickle calories. A beneficial acid bacterium occurs due to the fermentation process, which enhances the vegetables’ nutritional factors and flavors.
Some Amazing facts about Kimchi
- The vitamin C in cultured cabbage such as Kimchi is 20 times more absorbable in your body than regular fresh cabbage.
- Scientists at Seoul University fed an extract of Kimchi to 13 chickens infected with avian flu; 7 days later, 11 birds started to recover.
- In 2008, Kimchi was first launched in space along with the first Korean astronaut.
Difference between Korean Kimchi and Japanese Kimchi
The primary and evident difference between Korean Kimchi and Japanese Kimchi is the fermentation process. Korean Kimchi includes fermentation, while Japanese does not ferment their Kimchi and usually make it with artificial flavors.
Another difference between both the Kimchi is the ingredients, especially the spices. Japanese Kimchi includes significantly fewer spices, while Korean Kimchi includes lots of spices because Koreans usually add many spices to their foods.
Conclusion
Kimchi is one of the most common, famous, and traditional foods of Korea. Kimchi contains various health and nutrition benefits. It is high in minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers and is very good for weight loss. Kimchi contains a lot of health benefits apart from calories. It helps in digestion, controls high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and contains healthy bacteria and probiotics for your body’s overall wellness because of the fermentation process.
There are different types of Kimchi made with different vegetables containing healthy kimchi calories; these vegetables include cabbage, radish, cucumbers, etc. Kimchi is most frequently made with Chinese cabbage. Kimchi was originated from the three kingdoms that developed during the third century with different variations in each era. You can consume Kimchi with different foods.
However, Kimchi the most popular Korean dishes are Kimchi fried rice, kimchi soup, kimchi stew, kimchi noodles. Kimchi is made with a fermentation process, and the traditional method of Kimchi includes different spices. Cabbages or radishes are mixed in brine and spices and are fermented for 3 to 5 days before consumption.
Sometimes people get confused about whether Kimchi is a pickle because somehow it tastes like pickles but what makes Kimchi and pickles different is the fermentation process. There are also various methods of making Kimchi. Although Kimchi is authentic Korean food, we also have a Japanese version of Kimchi.
The Japanese version of Kimchi is not fermented and less spicy, while the authentic Korean Kimchi contains many spices because Korean people prefer spices in their food. However, to consume healthy Kimchi,it is suggested to go for an authentic Korean version of Kimchi due to its fermentation process.
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