Do you know what 22th of November is? It's Kimchi Day. It is actually a legal anniversary established in 2020 to promote the value and excellence of kimchi, a traditional fermented food in Korea. It means that each kimchi ingredient (November) comes together to show the efficacy of 22 kinds (22 days). On the occasion of Kimchi Day, we will learn about the efficacy of kimchi introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Various vegetables used in kimchi are rich in dietary fiber, so you can feel full even with a small amount of calories. The calories of kimchi are 9 kcal for dongchimi and 55kcal for green onion kimchi per 100g. Cabbage kimchi is about 29kcal. Capsaicin of red pepper, which makes spicy taste in kimchi, helps to decompose and burn fat, and physiologically active substances such as beta-cytosterol and kimchi lactic acid bacteria prevent obesity by reducing the accumulation of triglycerides and fats.
Physiologically active substances such as cabbage, red pepper, garlic, sulfolafan, capsaicin, allicin, and ginger roll in kimchi activate immune cells, reducing inflammation in the body and having antiviral effects. In addition, physiologically active substances such as garlic, which is a subsidiary ingredient of kimchi, and allicin and ginger roll suppress tumor formation and enhance immunity in the body. This also inhibits stomach cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer. Earlier, the Rural Development Administration also announced a study showing that the anti-cancer effect increases when kimchi is aged properly.
Various vegetables that are ingredients for kimchi are rich in antioxidants such as polyphenol, flavonoids, chlorophyll, and vitamin C. These components interact with the antioxidant system in the human body, removing harmful active oxygen that attacks normal cells and preventing oxidation of cells or tissues.
Another attraction of kimchi is that it has a formal effect that helps digestion and clean the intestines. Along with dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and probiotics contained in kimchi, kimchi lactobacillus improves the intestinal environment, which is broken by irregular lifestyle and westernized diet, helping digest and absorb food. It also improves colon function and relieves constipation, diarrhea, and enteritis.
Writer: Yeyoung Jeon
(Picture from Unsplash)
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