Forget kimchi, South Koreans want you to eat worms, and insects (2024)

FAQs

What insects do Koreans eat? ›

Beondegi (번데기), literally "pupa", is a Korean insect-based street food made with silkworm pupae.

For Korean people, kimchi is not only regarded as food, but also as the symbol of the nation's pride and identity. Kimchi has been an integral part in the Korean food culture for thousands of years. Kimchi is rich in ancient historical values that reflect the Korean way of life.

Kimchi, the traditional fermented vegetable dish from Korea, has been an integral part of the Korean food culture for thousands of years. Today, it is considered as a symbol of identity for Korean people and is globally appraised as a healthy food.

In addition to its culinary importance, kimchi also holds cultural significance in Korea. It is often given as a gift and is considered a symbol of Korean identity. The fermentation process also allows for kimchi to be a probiotic food which is beneficial to health.

The yellow-throated marten living in the DMZ has a high broad range in the Korean ecosystem. It is one of the apex predators and is at the top of the food chain. They travel in small groups of two to six, and they are animals that can even hunt bigger animals.

Adding kimchi to your diet allows you to enjoy its possible health benefits. But eating too much may carry risks, mainly due to its high salt content and potential impacts on thyroid conditions. Always consult a healthcare provider before making major diet changes.

Along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals, kimchi contains natural probiotic bacteria. If you eat them regularly, the probiotics in fermented foods can be beneficial to your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that eating kimchi on a daily basis could help to improve some digestive problems.

Specific kimchi types also showed a positive effect. Three or more daily servings of cabbage kimchi among men was associated with a 10% lower prevalence of overall obesity as well as a 10% lower prevalence of abdominal obesity compared to those who ate less than one serving daily.

Enjoy plain kimchi cold or warmed up.

You can eat kimchi straight out of the fridge, or you can throw it in a small skillet and heat it up with 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of vegetable oil. It tastes great both ways! Some people prefer the cold, spicy taste, while others find the tangy texture best when heated up.

Because it's a fermented food, it boasts numerous probiotics. These healthy microorganisms may give kimchi several health benefits. It may help regulate your immune system, promote weight loss, fight inflammation, and even slow the aging process. If you enjoy cooking, you can even make kimchi at home.

How healthy is Korean kimchi? ›

With only 23 calories per cup, kimchi is a low-calorie food. It also contains fiber, which can help you feel full and ward off hunger. One small study found that eating kimchi as part of a monthlong diet helped people with overweight or obesity shed weight and body fat. Eating kimchi may also prevent weight gain.

Joseph Kimchi or Qimḥi (1105–1170) (Hebrew: יוסף קמחי) was a medieval Jewish rabbi and biblical commentator. He was the father of Moses and David Kimhi, and the teacher of Rabbi Menachem Ben Simeon and poet Joseph Zabara.

Kimchi is Korean food. Japanese people enjoy it, too, but they consider it a foreign food. “Kimuchi (キムチ)” is just the Japanese adaptation of the word. Like any food that is adopted from another country, kimchi in Japan is meant to suit Japanese tastes.

It found that the average Korean eats 37 kilograms of kimchi every year. Forty-three percent of Korean households still make kimchi at home, while the remaining 52 percent purchase it at stores or get it from their acquaintances.

Beondegi is a classic South Korean street food consisting of silkworm pupae insects. These tiny animals are usually boiled or steamed and then seasoned before they are served in small cups.

In fact, the more we looked into it, the more we learned that grasshoppers (and crickets and mealworms) are eaten in all corners of the world. I first tried grasshoppers while living in South Korea, where they are a nostalgic snack in rural pockets of the country.