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| yna@yna.co.kr 2024-10-31 14:26:04
*Editor’s note: K-VIBE invites experts from various K-culture sectors to share their extraordinary discovery about the Korean culture.
Choi Man-soon's Medicinal K-Food: Memories of Kimjang
By Choi Man-soon, Food Columnist and Director of the Korea Traditional Medicine Food Research Institute
The season of kimjang, or kimchi-making, is upon us once again.
Korean kimchi is a remarkable blend of Eastern vegetables and South American chili peppers—a harmonious fusion of different ingredients. While vegetables are generally cooling in nature, chili peppers are warming. It has only been in the past century that chili peppers became a staple with cabbage and other vegetables in Korean cuisine. Before this, other spices like zepi (Sichuan pepper) or fennel were used to add heat to kimchi. The ancestors’ use of chili peppers to enhance vegetable fermentation is a testament to their health wisdom.
Capsaicin, the compound responsible for chili peppers' unique heat, is an alkaloid with various health benefits. It stimulates metabolism, increases blood flow, and triggers endorphin release, thus relieving stress. Capsaicin also stimulates saliva, boosts appetite, promotes digestion, and aids in nutrient absorption. Studies have shown its potential for cancer prevention, antioxidant effects, and support for beneficial bacteria growth. It may even aid in weight control, making it a valuable dietary tool.
Moreover, chili peppers are nutrient-dense, packed with vitamins, protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and more. The vitamin C in chili peppers is twice that of oranges and 30 times that of apples, and it is more resistant to degradation during cooking. This is essential in defining kimchi’s flavor, especially when combined with cabbage, radishes, various vegetables, and fish sauce. In 2001, the American health magazine Health named Korean cabbage kimchi one of the world's five healthiest foods. In 2012, Korean cabbage was officially classified as "Kimchi Cabbage" in the international food registry.
In late autumn of 1999, I was invited to give a lecture on Korean cuisine and the health benefits of kimchi at the Sichuan Culinary University, founded in 1950, where over 100 professors and students gathered. Back then, kimchi was not widely known abroad. A decade later, at the 2009 China Health and Longevity Forum, I presented an innovative health solution using dangsam (a type of ginseng) with radish kimchi to help prevent the H1N1 flu, which gained significant attention from 347 experts worldwide and won the award for best research paper.
Around that time, the H1N1 flu was a global concern, underscoring the relevance of this research. In The Art of War, one of the five essential traits of a successful general is leadership, or jang. Sun Tzu emphasized that a true leader should be wise, courageous, trustworthy, impartial, and caring—a leader who is neither biased nor overly lenient, with a commitment to leading effectively.
As the kimjang season approaches, I am reminded of the legacy of kimchi and the cultural significance it carries for Koreans. Kimchi-making not only provides sustenance but also serves as a symbol of resilience, health, and the profound knowledge handed down through generations.
In food, the concept of jang (將), or leader, embodies harmony and balance, much like the principles of gunshin-jwasa (君臣佐使) in Korean culinary philosophy. This ancient principle involves a division of roles within a dish: each ingredient has a unique function, with the main ingredient, or gun (君), serving as the “commander” or leading element in the flavor profile. For instance, in cabbage kimchi, cabbage plays this central role, while other ingredients enhance, balance, and support its flavors.
A historical analogy is Winston Churchill, whose leadership rallied a nation during World War II. His unwavering call to Americans for support—"Trust us, and we will succeed according to God’s providence"—showed his resolve. But when the war ended, Churchill’s leadership waned, as his governance did not fully adapt to the changing needs of post-war society. This absence of adaptable support roles in his approach—akin to the missing “minister” (臣) and “advisor” (佐) in gunshin-jwasa—highlights the importance of balanced leadership.
In cuisine, a dish’s main ingredient sets the tone, as in baechu (cabbage) kimchi, buchu (chives) kimchi, mu (radish) kimchi, and gat (mustard leaf) kimchi. In line with Korea’s status as the "home of kimchi," the country boasts over 200 types of kimchi, each with its own flavor, nutritional profile, and health benefits.
However, the exceptional nature of kimchi goes beyond mere fermentation or high lactobacilli content. Here are eight notable features that make kimchi a dietary powerhouse:
Seasonal Preservation: Before refrigeration, kimchi was an ideal way to store fresh vegetables over winter. Humans need vitamin C for survival, and kimchi provided a solution when fresh produce was scarce.
Winter Freshness: Storing vegetables in kimchi jars preserved their freshness throughout winter, similar to the modern kimchi refrigerator.
Fermentation Process: Salt in kimchi promotes fermentation through natural enzymes, creating amino acids and lactic acid that give kimchi its signature flavor.
Balanced Ingredients: Kimchi includes a variety of ingredients—chili pepper, garlic, green onions, fish sauce, and more—that together represent the principle of gunshin-jwasa.
Probiotic Production: Salt opens vegetable fibers, allowing seasonings to penetrate, producing beneficial bacteria that enhance digestion and inhibit harmful bacteria.
Nutritional Benefits: Rich in beta-carotene, dietary fiber, and phenolic compounds, kimchi has antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-hypertensive properties.
Space-Approved Food: Recognized by the Russian Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP), kimchi has been certified as space food for its nutritional value.
Digestive Health: Kimchi’s lactic acid bacteria aid digestion, cleaning the intestines. Well-fermented kimchi contains about 100 million lactobacilli per gram—nearly four times more than yogurt.
These qualities underscore the profound nutritional and cultural significance of kimchi, a food that both nourishes the body and symbolizes Korea’s heritage and culinary ingenuity.
Kimchi, rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, and phosphorus, provides numerous health benefits. The dietary fiber in cabbage and radishes helps prevent constipation and may lower the risk of colorectal cancer. Recent studies also indicate that kimchi, when properly fermented, may have enhanced anti-cancer properties. For example, moderately fermented kimchi, when introduced to gastric cancer cells, showed a 4–10% higher inhibitory effect on cell growth compared to unfermented kimchi, with ingredients like red pepper powder and garlic leading the suppression effect.
Kimchi’s potential to inhibit various cancers, including gastric, colorectal, liver, lung, and bladder cancers, is due to its inclusion of anti-cancer compounds such as indole-3-carbinol, isothiocyanates, allyl sulfides, and capsaicin.
Meanwhile, synthetic obesity drugs like Wegovy have recently entered the South Korean market, gaining popularity for weight loss but raising concerns due to high costs, potential weight regain, and various side effects, such as gastrointestinal issues and an increased risk of gastroparesis and intestinal obstruction. Muscle loss is also a noted side effect in obesity treatments.
In contrast, kimchi has no adverse side effects but may require ingredient adjustments to suit individual body types. The key to managing kimchi for maximum benefit is careful storage. It should be kept at around 5℃ to maintain its beneficial properties without freezing, preserving its complex nutritional and anti-cancer qualities.
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