Eating kimchi during pregnancy: super-food or red flag? We walk you through it

Navigating all the pregnancy guidelines around food safety can be a real headache, especially with so many myths running alongside medical advice. Let’s say you are craving something spicy and perfectly crunchy. You stop to wonder whether you can eat kimchi during pregnancy. As with all raw, live ferments, it makes sense to stop and ask before you take a bite. 

Packed full of nutrients, vitamins, and health benefits, kimchi is arguably a great pregnancy food. But there are things to consider to make sure you’re eating safely. Read on to learn more about kimchi and what you should know about eating kimchi during pregnancy. 

Hosta Hill is a family-owned, women-run business, committed to producing high-quality, naturally fermented Sauerkraut, Kimchi, and Hot Sauce. Packaged by hand and sold raw and unpasteurized, we take pride in our bold, vibrant healing foods. 

Check out our offers online, or see where you can get yours locally in New England and New York! 

Kimchi benefits are plentiful

Kimchi is a cabbage-based dish that sometimes includes onions or other veggies, fish sauce and spices. A traditional Korean food that has gained traction in kitchens all over the world, it is truly packed with nutrients that are great during pregnancy. 

  • Kimchi is high in iron

  • Kimchi contains vitamins A, B1, B2 and C

  • Kimchi contains healthy minerals like iron, calcium, and selenium

  • Kimchi is high in folate (an important food in pregnancy)

  • Kimchi is a potassium-rich food

Kimchi also contains live cultures that may offer a variety of health benefits - to you and your developing baby. 

For example, there is evidence that eating kimchi during pregnancy may protect against candida. Yeast infections are especially common during pregnancy because of hormone changes, but eating kimchi may help.

Plus, the “good bacteria”  lactobacillus, found in kimchi because of the lacto-fermentation process, can boost the immune system, which is compromised during pregnancy. 

And animal studies have found that one of the compounds in kimchi, HDMPPA, targets inflammation and may be connected to improved blood vessel health. During pregnancy, excess inflammation has been linked to developmental issues in babies. It can also exacerbate other health problems and cause discomfort and bloating. Kimchi and other live, fermented foods may help.

With all this in mind, kimchi comes through as an excellent choice for eating healthy in pregnancy and beyond. But there are still things for pregnant folks to consider.

Concerned about eating kimchi during pregnancy? What you can do.

Navigating what to eat during pregnancy has a lot to do with personal comfort, risk-aversion, and of course your own cravings and food aversions. There is a lot to hold in the balance when you are thinking about eating kimchi during pregnancy. 

While many sources deem kimchi an unquestionably beneficial pregnancy super-food, others take a more cautious approach because of the potential for listeria or other harmful bacteria to grow in raw foods. If you are feeling uncomfortable about eating raw kimchi, there is something you can do. 

According to Pregnancy Food Checker, consider heating your kimchi to alleviate any concerns you have about listeria or E.coli. There are some really delicious recipes out there for eating kimchi cooked, from stews to stir-fries.  But it should be noted that, while you still receive the benefits of eating high-quality vegetables from heated kimchi, you lose the special perks that the live cultures provide. Of course, if you are really uncertain, you should talk to your healthcare provider.

Try Hosta Hill’s winning recipe

Hosta Hill’s award-winning kimchi features napa cabbage and an array of root veggies mixed up with fish sauce, peppers, garlic and ginger. To alleviate other pregnancy food concerns you may have, you should know our kimchi is only moderately spicey and we salt our vegetable ferments at 1.7% salt by weight of vegetable. That ends up being about 1.6 teaspoons per 16 ounce jar, generally less than many store-bought brands.

Check out all our fermented food offerings online, or see where you can get yours locally in New England and New York! 


Photo by Ashton Mullins on Unsplash