MSG in my Chongga Kimchi! page

[CuriousAdelaide]

Was curious to find out what you guys think of MSG in my Kimchi.

There is also some Guar Gum.

Considering we've been looking for Fermented Kimchi for some time we do not want to give it up as its delicious. BUT if it can be harmful to eat regularly( we eat it with Breakfast and dinner).

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[sbhikes]

My boyfriend bought some kimchi and it, too, had MSG on the label. My suspicion is that any kimchi that you buy isn't really fermented. It's just flavored to taste similar to real kimchi. I intend to see if the Asian market has any real kimchi so we can tell the difference. If they don't, I don't plan to eat any kimchi at all. I'm sure I can live happily without it.

[peril]

Asian grocers here have the genuine article. I would avoid anything with MSG or guar gum. WTF is a thickener doing in kimchi?

[CuriousAdelaide]

Yeah, i found that almost all brands did not mention any fermentation so I didn't buy them.
For our limited Kimchi offerings this was the only brand that listed 'Fermented Anchovies and Fermented shrimp' on the ingredients.
I've been eating this for a week and have definitely noticed a big difference. I'm just concerned about the MSG & Guar Gum.

[CuriousAdelaide]

Peril, Can you give me a brand name that i could locate in our local Asian stores?

[peril]

Sorry, these are locally produced in plastic tubs like takeaway containers. Helps to have lots of Koreans living here. Don't have any in the house so can't give you any labels

[Owly]

I buy mine from a Korean man at my farmers market, and I know it's fermented for real because if you store the sealed jar on the shelf instead of in the fridge and you don't eat it right away, it will continue to ferment and will blow the seal on the lid.

That was a fun cleanup job.

[sakura_girl]

I buy mine from a Korean man at my farmers market, and I know it's fermented for real because if you store the sealed jar on the shelf instead of in the fridge and you don't eat it right away, it will continue to ferment and will blow the seal on the lid.

That was a fun cleanup job.

LOL this often happens to me too. My plastic tub of kimchi is actually full of MSG, yet I know it has fermented as well due to the symptoms of the jar you just described. The labeling says there is no MSG, but I feel it after eating it (higher pulse, thirsty, bloated next day, etc). I guess you can't guarantee either way if it's going to have MSG in it.

[CuriousAdelaide]

Do you think that eating this Kimchi is still ok. Do the benefits of the Fermentation outweigh the MSG?

[sakura_girl]

That is a good question. My kimchi has been sitting in my fridge, uneaten, for a while now. I don't want it to go to waste, but I'm highly sensitive to MSG