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Home / FAQs / 10 Best Kimchi Brands To Improve Gut Health

10 Best Kimchi Brands To Improve Gut Health

best brands of kimchi for gut health

These 10 brands of kimchi are packed with gut-healthy bacteria that help your whole body function better.

The key to buying kimchi, a gut-healthy food, is to start in the grocery store’s refrigerated section. Read the label and look for brands that say they are ‘raw,’ ‘live,’ ‘probiotic,’ ‘cultured,’ or ‘fermented.’ Any combination of these keywords, does not have to be all.

Then, avoid any with a lot of sugar or start by paying attention to the sugar and starch content in the list of ingredients. 

The bad bacteria in your gut thrive on sugar. Going overboard on sugar can cause harmful bacteria to outnumber the good, leading to inflammation and even chronic disease. 

Not all kimchi foods have probiotics in them. If it is shelf-stable, it does not have live probiotic microorganisms, a.k.a. good bacteria.

What is Kimchi?

The main ingredients in this Korean dish are napa cabbage, Daikon radish, carrots, onions, chili peppers, fish sauce, anchovy sauce, and for added flavor, garlic, ginger, and Korean chili (gochugaru).

However, this is just one type of kimchi; there are literally thousands of ways to make kimchi. The main flavor notes in kimchi include sour taste, spicy, umami, and sometimes slightly sweet.

Related Post: What Does Kimchi Taste Like?

Fresh kimchi can also be purchased at Asian markets, restaurants, and sushi bars. Many restaurants make their own kimchi and sometimes sell it on the side.

Best Sauerkraut For Probiotics

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Best Sauerkraut For Probiotics

Mother In Law’s Kimchi

Mother In Law’s Kimchi is one of the most popular Vegan Kimchi brands. And it comes in three vegan varieties.

  • Vegan Table Cut Napa Cabbage
  • Vegan White Napa Cabbage with Ginger Kimchi
  • Vegan Daikon Radish Kimchi

And one that is made of fish sauce and bone broth, called House Kimchi. All three make an excellent side dish to any meal.

Mother In Laws Kimchi Muu Daikon Radish 3 Pack
Mother In Laws Kimchi Muu Daikon Radish 3 Pack
Natural fermentation makes it a healthy probiotic food that is good for your digestion.
View on Amazon

Last update on 2022-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Mama Kim’s Kimchi

How does it taste?

Mama Kim’s Kimchi is out of this world! For me, it is the closest to homemade kimchi.

Mama Kim’s Kimchi is the highest-rated Kimchi available on Amazon with 4 1/4 stars and over 300 reviews. Probably because it is a super fresh product, they make the kimchi within three days of it being shipped. 

Mama Kim's Kimchi 2x Spicy Napa Cabbage
514 Reviews
Mama Kim's Kimchi 2x Spicy Napa Cabbage
FRESHLY MADE KIMCHI within 3 days before shipped. Enjoy kimchi as it ages! From fresh to fermenting to fermented!
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Last update on 2022-08-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Jongga

How does it taste? 

This kimchi has an excellent flavor and crunch factor, and it is on the mild side. So if you prefer less heat, this is a great brand of kimchi to buy.

Jongga Sliced Napa Cabbage Kimchi is sold at most Walmarts, Costcos, and Amazon. I never leave Costco without at least one of their giant tubs of kimchi.

Jongga Mat Kimchi 88oz. Imported from Korea
122 Reviews
Jongga Mat Kimchi 88oz. Imported from Korea
Naturally Fermented Korean Cabbage, Certified Kosher
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Last update on 2022-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi

How does it taste?

Lucky Foods Seoul kimchi is good kimchi with a little spiciness and tang, but not the best. Its flavor profile is far from any authentic kimchi I have tried in the past. However, I still buy it on occasion, when I can’t find any other options. So don’t count it out. Give it a try.

One of the most widely available brands of kimchi, Lucky Foods Seoul carries many different kimchi varieties, two of which are certified vegan. Lucky Foods Seoul can be found in many stores, including Target, Walmart, Kroger chains, Food 4 Less, and Sprouts.

Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi Authentic Made to Order
1,331 Reviews
Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi Authentic Made to Order
CRAFTED WITH LOVE FROM PORTLAND OREGON: Keto, non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten-free kimchi. Created using the best ingredients with no artificial colors or preservatives.
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Last update on 2022-08-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Simple Truth Korean Style Kimchi

best kimchi brands to buy for gut health
Simple Truth & Seoul Kimchi are sold at Kroger Grocery Stores

How does it taste?

Simple Truth makes really good kimchi. It tastes fresh while still keeping the fizzy effervescence experience of fermented food. The ingredients include Napa Cabbage, Green Onion, Seaweed, Chili Pepper, Sea Salt, Sesame Seeds, Garlic, and Ginger.

Buy Online: Fred Meyer and other Kroger Grocery Stores

Olive My Pickle Kimchi

Olive My Pickle makes exceptional fermented foods, and their three choices of kimchi are right up there with the best. This company does not disappoint.

The kimchi bundle is available on Amazon, or you can order individual packages of either the Classic Kimchi, Cucumber Kimchi, or Diakon Radish Kimchi directly from the company.

Olive My Pickle: Fermented & Probiotic Kimchi For Gut Health
73 Reviews
Olive My Pickle: Fermented & Probiotic Kimchi For Gut Health
NATURALLY FERMENTED KIMCHI is made with salt water brine and no and no vinegar, sugar or food dyes. This product is non gmo, kosher certified, 100% plant based and made with simple, whole-food ingredients.
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Last update on 2022-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Wise Goat Organics

How does it taste?

Their kimchi is totally delicious and richly flavorful with just the right spice. If you love to buy American-made and organic, this is your kimchi.

Wise Goat Organics Raw Vegan Kimchi is made in California. They boost that all of their fermented products are produced in handcrafted micro-batches in glass vessels with locally sourced ingredients and have no added sugars. They have a wide variety of probiotic-rich foods, all organic, Raw, and Live Active Cultures.

Wise Goat Organics has a delicious array of probiotic foods, including purple cabbage sauerkraut, jalapeno sauerkraut, beet kvass, golden kvass, and a raw probiotic gut tonic.

Wise Goat: Organic Raw Vegan Kimchi
404 Reviews
Wise Goat: Organic Raw Vegan Kimchi
Organic, Raw, Live Culture Probiotic Kimchi, Probiotic health food, Locally sourced ingredients, Handcrafted in micro-batches
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Last update on 2022-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Madge’s Kimchi

Madge's: SPICY-VEGAN Kimchi
432 Reviews
Madge's: SPICY-VEGAN Kimchi
****READ DESCRIPTION & DISCLAIMER!!!!****. Spicier Version: 4 of 5 on our heat scale. Fermented longer for tangier taste, increased nutrition and health benefits. Contains live probiotics. We never pasteurize. When your shipment arrives, it is fully alive and filled with billions of healthy gut enzymes and beneficial bacteria.
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Last update on 2022-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How does it taste?

Madge’s spicy kimchi is absolutely delicious and spicy too. So many brands claim to be ‘spicy’ and fall short. Not Madge’s, it tastes authentic, fresh, crunchy, and spicy!

Madge’s vegan kimchi is packed with umami flavor without any fish products. They use shitake mushrooms and kelp instead. Madge’s makes a spicy and mild kimchi option.

Sinto Gourmet

Sinto Gourmet: Mild White Napa Cabbage Kimchi
45 Reviews
Sinto Gourmet: Mild White Napa Cabbage Kimchi
Slightly sweeter with a fruity flavor and a tantalizing zing that lingers on your pallet. Vegan, No MSG, No Preservatives, Gluten Free, Fat Free
View on Amazon

Last update on 2022-08-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Sinto Gourmet makes four different types of kimchi:
Plenty Roots
Mu Radish
Mild White
Spicy Red

How does it taste?

The Mild White Kimchi is well mild, clean, refreshing flavorful. Great for those who do not like the spicy red flavor that kimchi is commonly known for.

The Spicy Red Korean ‘Mu’ Radish kimchi is one of the most popular Kimchis in Korea. Known as “Kkakdugi” in Korean, it has a unique, crunchy texture and invigorating flavor.
The company is based in San Francisco. They specialize in natural, locally-sourced ingredients to make their kimchi taste authentic.

What to Avoid When Buying Kimchi

Avoid any dried foods such as kimchi-flavored noodle soups or ramens, canned kimchi, Kimchi powder seasoning, Kimchi mayo, and Kimchi hot sauce.

These types of kimchi may taste good and are definitely foods you can eat. However, they are pasteurized foods and do not have the gut-healthy good bacteria you are looking for.

How is Kimchi made?

Kimchi is made by brining vegetables with a salt concentration between 2-5%. The salt brine draws out the water from the vegetables. It ferments it with the wild cultures naturally present in the vegetables.

The Benefits Of Probiotics For Your Whole Body

Kimchi is a staple in Korean cuisine that’s both flavorful and nutritious. It’s linked to many health benefits, from boosting your gut microbiome to increasing your intake of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. (1)

Probiotics in fermented foods are credited with diversifying the good bacteria in your gut, which improves the health of your digestive system. This is due to lactic acid bacteria developed during the fermentation process.

Fermented kimchi supports a healthy immune system, heart health, and brain health. It may reduce inflammation and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
source:
Furthermore, kimchi has been proven to have antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic,anti-fungal, and anti-atherosclerotic activity. (2)

Because kimchi is full of veggies, it’s exceptionally high in provitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and manganese. Research even suggested that the fermentation process makes it easier for your body to absorb the vitamins and minerals found in kimchi.

Kimchi is Full of Fiber

Kimchi contains veggies which we all know are a great source of fiber. Fiber helps promote healthy bowel movements and supports friendly bacteria in your gut. How much fiber you get per serving all depends on the ingredients in the kimchi.

10 Best Kimchi Brands Loaded with Gut-Healthy Benefits

Kimchi is easily Korea’s favorite dish, and it is experiencing a considerable rise in popularity in America too.

This article taught us how to pick the best kimchi brands for gut health. But we also learned about the health benefits of kimchi.

We talked about what to look for when choosing a brand of kimchi, read the ingredients list, keywords on the label, and where it is located in the grocery store.

Remember, there are many brands of kimchi that can give you the beneficial bacteria you are looking for. But you must stay vigilant to avoid the types of kimchi that do not have all the benefits of fermented foods.

An extra tip for everyone is not to use too much kimchi. It’s meant for small amounts that bring out massive flavors.

You can purchase pre-made kimchi or try making your own homemade kimchi if you feel adventurous.

Taking a probiotic supplement can benefit our health, but you can also get probiotics by eating natural, whole foods. Fermented foods are a great source of probiotics because they are made with live and active cultures and various strains of probiotics.

Eating a variety of different fermented foods is the most natural way to add probiotics to your diet.

Sources

  1. https://greatist.com/health/benefits-of-kimchi
  2. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/fermented-food-gut-health-digestion-kimchi-kombucha-sourdough-a9204226.html
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