According to the document “Weejidongyjeon” from the History of the Three Kingdoms, the people of Goguryeo ate vegetables that were preserved in salt.

 

Later, during the period of the unified Shilla and Goryeo dynasties, kimchi was transformed from a simple vegetable that was soaked in water to a seasoned one with a mixture of sauces and vegetables.

 

When chili started to be imported during the Joseon Dynasty, chili pepper was used with kimchi, and this resulted in the creation of various types of kimchi. Salted fish was also used in a lot of different ways. The “Jeungbo sallim gyeongjae,” written in 1776, noted that there were 41 different kinds of kimchi, and the method to make them was very similar to that of the modern-day process. Cabbages, cucumbers, radishes, and other ingredients were used to create kimchi, just as they are used to make it today.

 

Effects

 

01_Intestinal Reaction of Lactic Acid Bacteria

As kimchi matures, it creates lactic acid bacteria that reduces acidity in the intestines and prevents the growth of harmful bacteria or kills them. The regulation of lactic acid bacteria makes the intestines much stronger.

 

02_Reactions in the Bladder

The capsaicin in kimchi helps in the secretion of gastric liquids, which aids digestion. The abundance of vitamins A and C in kimchi also acts as antacids, which has an anti-aging effect. It also increases appetite and helps with blood circulation, leading to increased bladder activity.

 

03_A Low-Calorie Product

The dietary fiber in kimchi enables the intestines to stay active, and this reduces the level of cholesterol and sugars in the body. These dietary fiber functions are also useful in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, obesity, and other adult diseases.

 

04_Anticancer Effects

Vegetables, the main ingredients of kimchi, prevent colorectal cancer, and the garlic in the seasoning prevents stomach cancer. Kimchi also contains thiocyanate and bactericides, which are antibiotics that prevent and treat cancer

It is suspected that the initial form of doenjang was a liquid sauce made by mixing Ganjang and doenjang. During the Goryeo Dynasty, the sauce was called Meju (fermented soybean lumps) and later, in the Joseon Dynasty, the yeast that created the sauce was called Maljang, and the actual sauce came to be called doenjang or Ganjang. Joseon Dynasty records described the basic method to create doenjang and Meju, and it was said that doenjang was not only used as food but was also used to treat diseases.

 

Effects

 

01_Anticancer Effect

Doenjang has a greater anticancer effect than any other fermented product. Also, the anticancer effect does not disappear even if it is boiled. Thus, if you give boiled doenjang to a mouse with cancer, the cancer cells decrease by 80% compared to the cancer cells of a mouse that did not have doenjang. The Korean Cancer Prevention Association recommends eating Doenjang-guk (soybean paste soup) every day to prevent cancer. This effect of doenjang is acknowledged not only domestically, but also internationally.

 

02_Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease

The lecithin in the beans can improve brain function. Also, saponin is a functional material that can lower the cholesterol in the blood. It can also suppress the creation of lipoperoxide, which is good for the prevention of the effects of aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Doenjang also contains antioxidants that prevent the effects of aging, and its unique browning phenomenon plays a big role in the prevention of effects of aging.

 

03_Strengthening the Liver

The liver is one of the most important organs in our body. All the nutrition in what we consume is distributed by passing through the liver. Traditional doenjang functions to heal and detoxify the liver. It reduces the activity of transaminase, which is an indicator of how much toxicity the liver has, and strengthens the liver.

Cheonggukjang has its origins as a snack eaten during the Goguryeo Dynasty. The people of Goguryeo boiled beans and put them in the saddles of their horses. The boiled beans became naturally fermented by the heat of the horse, and it became a useful snack with a lot of protein.

 

The “Jeungbo sallim gyeongjae,” published in 1760, noted that “after the heads of the beans were well washed and boiled, liquids formed if the heads of the beans were wrapped and put in a warm place.” This food was called cheonggukjang, which has the same roots as the modern-day cheonggukjang.

 

Cheonggukjang, which is different from doenjang, could be consumed after two to three days of maturation and has a lot of nutrients. It is one of the most effective fermented bean products to absorb nutrients.

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Effects

 

01_Intestinal Regulation of Lactic Acid Bacteria

There are a lot of vitamins, calcium, potassium, and other minerals in cheonggukjang. These minerals help with metabolism and prevent obesity. It also contains lecithin and saponin, which can help absorb and emit excessive amounts of fat that gather in the body.

 

02_Anticancer Product

Cheonggukjang has plenty of genistein, which is a substance that is effective against breast, colorectal, rectal, and stomach cancers, along with other diseases. The saponin substance in cheonggukjang is especially effective in reducing the risk of different cancers because it represses the addition of DNAs, which play a part in the formation of cancer.

 

03_Acceleration of Insulin Secretion

The fiber in cheonggukjang ensures that the absorption of sugars happens at a slow rate. It controls the increase and decreases the rate of blood sugar. Also, cheonggukjang accelerates the secretion of insulin, which is good for people who don’t have enough insulin, such as those with diabetes.

 

04_Intestinal Reaction

The main substance in cheonggukjang, lecithin, enables the body to get rid of poisons through the urine, or by sending them to the liver to be dissolved. Lecithin also helps skin to maintain moisture because it balances the water and fat in the body.

It is hypothesized that gochujang has been made in Korea since the 16th century or the beginning of the 17th century. At first, red chili was used as a spice, but as it became cultivated all over the country it was used to give a spicy taste to doenjang and Ganjang. According to the “Jeungbo sallim gyeongjae,” the powder Maljang, which is made with beans, and red chili powder were eaten after they ripened in the sun. This food has the same origins as the modern-day gochujang. Gochujang, unlike doenjang, is a unique traditional fermented product that uses malt or red chili powder to make a sweet and spicy taste. It is one of the most important seasonings, enjoyed by many Koreans, that stimulates one’s appetite. Gochujang from the Sunchang region of Korea is the best known.

 

Effects

 

01_Digestive Functions

It is said that if you eat gochujang with other food it helps with digestive functions. This is because gochujang has an enzyme, amylase, that breaks down starch, and the enzyme protease, which breaks down proteins. Both are digestive enzymes. Also, if you eat gochujang with meat, which can be a burden on your body, it is natural digestive medicine.

 

02_Obesity Prevention

Capsaicin is the substance that creates the spicy taste of gochujang. It also reduces the level of body fat. Research has shown that a substance that can burn body fat is created while the gochujang is maturing. The effects of gochujang in the prevention of obesity are greater when it has had time to mature.

 

03_Anticancer Effect

Gochujang suppresses the automatic oxidation reaction. The abundance of capsaicin in red chili pepper seeds has an antibacterial effect. Also, the plentiful beta-carotene and vitamin C in red chili peppers have antimutagen and anticancer effects.