Now that the store is up and running, press is aglow, and I’m still OCD, I wanted to share a little about our lil’ frien, Kimchee. I first introduced y’all awhile ago in “Kimchi Is The Shit” but I wanted to add more info. Like health benefits and shit.

Here’s a little blurb from the store:

Fermentation continues for the life of every kimchee, changing the flavor and texture. Some people like it fresh and crispy, some love it super ripe and less crunchy. You decide!

Refrigeration is the only thing that will slow this process. Heat will start it back up again. Your Skimchee or Bloody may bubble, pop, or overflow when you open it. DO NOT BE ALARMED! This is completely safe and/or natural. Your treats have not gone bad. We have test kimchees from over 6 months ago that we still munch on. To get rid of any bubbles, leave your jar uncovered in a cool, dry area and the air will slowly dissipate.

But let me tell you why this all goes down. What IS it?

During fermentation, carbon dioxide is released as baby bubbles. The result of this process is the sour tang that is so distinct in kimchee. Lactic acid or Lactobacillus is a probiotic which aids in healthy digestive health. You know, like in yogurt!

Ginger is a main ingredient in kimchi (you say kimchi, I say kimchee). The health benefits of ginger read like a Most Versatile high school superlative winner (ahem, me). It alleviates bad digestion, menstrual cramps, migraines, & bronchial congestion, to name a few. Remember your mom giving you ginger tea when you were a kid? She knew what she was doing! Ginger also thins blood by dissolving the clumping quality of blood platelets, thus reducing blood clots and the risk of heart attacks and strokes. What? Aaaand, ginger is also good for sore, swollen joints.

Garlic, the sister ingredient, is also a veritable medicine cabinet. My good friend who is a nutritionist advised me last week to eat 3 cloves of raw garlic when I said I felt like I was getting sick. She swears by it. Like ginger, garlic reduces the tendency of blood to clot. It also lowers cholesterol, tryglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels while increasing the good cholesterol HDL, thus reducing heart disease. Garlic is also linked to lower instances of cancer. Allicin and allyl sulfur, both active ingredients in garlic, are effective in inhibiting or preventing cancer development. The National Cancer Institute reports on studies supporting these claims. In fact, it looks like ginger is used to calm nausea & vomitting associated with cancer treatment…hmmmm…

So, just in these couple of ingredients, it looks like Koreans are on the right track in claiming that kimchee is the world’s healthiest food. Koreans claim that they are the healthiest people ANYWHERE. I mean, this is a very broad claim and I continue to research for some definitive testing.

If this post has anything to say about it, y’all should be logging on to order your jars of Skimchee…right…about…now…