The Kimchi Company vegan kimchi review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of The Kimchi Company vegan kimchi. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition and flavour of this imported kimchi.
For this review we have tested the vegan version (ie without fish sauce), but they also make a traditional version.
You can find this kimchi in Coles, Woolworths and other supermarkets and food stores in Australia.
What is kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional food product from Korea. It is made by fermenting cabbage and other vegetables. It’s red colour comes from the red pepper powder used, however it is not overly spicy, rather it has a deep and warming heat. It is a living product full of probiotics (ie live beneficial microbes) and prebiotics such as cabbage, radish, garlic and onion which feed the good microbes in your gut.
Ingredients of The Kimchi Company vegan kimchi
This kimchi is basically a traditional Korean kimchi without the fish sauce. It is also made in Korea.
The specific ingredients are: Korean Cabbage, Red Pepper Powder, Radish, Salt, Garlic, Rice Powder, Sugar, Onion, Spring Onion, Ginger.
It doesn’t include any flavour enhancers or preservatives.
It does include rice powder as a thickener and added sugar. For context, it has about 60% more sugar than Kehoe’s Kitchen red kimchi.
So as you can see, it’s all natural and there’s nothing highly questionable in the ingredients.
Benefits of The Kimchi Company vegan kimchi
This kimchi comes with many health benefits, especially related to its probiotic and prebiotic content.
Probiotics
One of the main benefits of this kimchi is the probiotics it contains.
But because of the usual ‘wild fermentation’ process in making kimchi - which means it is fermented using the microbes already present on the cabbage, other ingredients and fermentation equipment - we don’t know exactly what strains are present and the quantity of them.
However this wild fermentation process (as opposed to inoculating the kimchi with specific bacterial strains as you might in commercial kefir or yoghurt) means there should be a huge diversity of microbes in this kimchi.
I will say that this kimchi didn’t fizz when I opened it as Kehoe’s Kitchen kimchi did. This either means the fermentation wasn’t as strong or the seal on the plastic container wasn’t as good as the lid on the Kehoe’s Kitchen glass jar ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Learn more about the benefits of probiotics.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are essentially things probiotics produce during fermentation. These include healthy short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Prebiotics
Kimchi is fantastic for gut health because it contains prebiotics as well as probiotics. Prebiotics are fibre which feed the good bacteria in your gut and help them multiply. The cabbage, radish, garlic, onion and spring onion in this kimchi are all prebiotic vegetables.
So not only are you getting the beneficial microbes, you are also getting the best food to feed them!
Read more about the benefits of prebiotics.
Garlic
This kimchi contains garlic which has a range of health benefits including supporting immune function as well as reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also a good source of antioxidants as well as various vitamins and minerals such as manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C and selenium.
Read more about the benefits of garlic.
Ginger
Ginger has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It can also contribute to digestive health, weight loss and healthy blood sugar levels.
Read more about the benefits of ginger.
Red pepper powder
The red pepper powder contains capsaicin which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation.
Capsaicin is also high in vitamins A and C which support immune function. It also aids digestion by increasing the secretion of gastric juices.
Read more about the benefits of capsaicin.
Vegetables
This kimchi is a good source of vegetables containing cabbage, radish, onion and spring onion.
Apart from being high in fibre, these vegetables provide various antioxidants, potassium, B vitamins (including folate), and vitamins A, C and K.
Flavour
The aroma is very strongly of radish with a little garlic in the background. Not ideal to be honest.
The flavour veers towards bland for a kimchi - everything seems a little subdued. The sourness is quite low. The garlic and red pepper are a bit dull. There’s not much umami coming through. However, there’s a nice crunch to the cabbage.
Overall, the taste is okay and not offensive - but it is just nowhere near as vibrant as Kehoe’s Kitchen which is like a smorgasbord of flavours. This was unexpected because judging by the look of it I thought it was going to be delicious!
And in case you were wondering, the lack of flavour isn’t because it is a vegan product as Kehoe’s Kitchen is also vegan. (But of course the fish sauce would add a deeper flavour here.)
Uses
I would use this kimchi as part of something with other ingredients like in a kimchi toastie, with scrambled eggs, or in wraps, soups or salads.
Personally I don’t think it stands up on its own.
Cost of The Kimchi Company vegan kimchi
You can buy a 500g jar in Woolworths for $8.50.
Summary
3 stars out of 5.
An imported, largely traditional kimchi with natural ingredients. The taste won’t blow your socks off though.
Pros
source of probiotics
high in prebiotic fibres
good source of vitamins and minerals
various health benefits from the ginger, garlic and chilli
suitable for vegans
on the cheaper side
Cons
taste is underwhelming
higher in sugar than other brands
Your reviewer
This article was reviewed by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut enthusiast and passionate kombucha maker!
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