Is Kimchi Vegan?
If you haven't heard of kimchi, it's a crunchy and tangy staple of Korean cuisine made with fermented cabbage leaves. However, you may occasionally come across a homemade kimchi recipe or a jar of kimchi made with daikon radish or cucumbers and spring onions. The raw ingredients are combined with salt, and massaged with a pureed spice blend often consisting of garlic cloves, Korean chili flakes/chili powder, cane sugar, yellow onions, black pepper, paprika powder, and additional ingredients that may give each family's kimchi a unique flavor.
Traditional cabbage kimchi is often used as a side dish or topping, but some also incorporate it into stir-fries to boost their dishes with its sour and spicy taste.
Today, however, kimchi has become a hugely popular dish used in a wide range of Eastern and Western recipes. You'll come across kimchi french fries, kimchi fried rice, kimchi spaghetti, kimchi pizza, and much more! So, why the sudden hype around this traditional Korean side dish?
Health Benefits of Kimchi
Fermented products, when packaged, stored, and prepared properly, contain lactic acid bacteria that can enhance your gut health! So, this probiotic food made with fermented cabbage leaves can increase the diversity of your microbiome, greatly improving your digestion.
Recent studies have shown that increasing your gut biodiversity can have a plethora of health benefits, ranging from boosted immunity to enhanced cognition.
A sure sign of proper fermentation and activity of bacteria is if your kimchi releases tiny bubbles when you press into it with a spoon. However, if you notice a white film overtop your kimchi, or a very foul odor, it could be a sign of bad bacteria or mold that has interrupted the fermentation process. If this happens, you'll sadly need to throw your jar of kimchi away.
Non-Vegan Ingredients You May Find in Kimchi
Sadly, most traditional kimchi is not vegan. This is because the spice mixture is often prepared with some sort of beef or fish derivative, like stocks or grease. However, because the methods of preparation can vary so greatly, you'll also find a few options that are vegan-friendly.
Some animal-based ingredients to watch out for in your kimchi are: beef extract, beef fat, fish paste, anchovy sauce, fish sauce, or beef broth. Any jars of kimchi that contain these food products in their ingredient list are not vegan-friendly.
Vegan kimchi may use vegetarian fish sauce, miso paste, a sheet of nori, kelp powder, vegetable stock, and other flavorful ingredients to replace traditional kimchi's bold flavor.
Store Bought Vegan Kimchi Brands
Although you'll find kimchi at traditional Korean or Asian food stores, it may be difficult to determine whether it contains animal-derived ingredients or not. So, if you'd like to include some gut-friendly kimchi in your healthy plant-based diet, here are a few popular store-bought options you can try out:
