M&S classic kimchi review
Here we will give a hands-on, taste-tested review of M&S classic kimchi. We’ll look into the benefits, ingredients, nutrition, use and flavour of this vegan kimchi.
You can find this kimchi in M&S stores in the UK.
You might also be interested in reading our article on the best probiotics in the UK if you want to add more healthy microbes to your diet.
What is kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional food product from Korea. It is made by fermenting cabbage and other vegetables.
Kimchi is a living product full of probiotics (ie live beneficial microbes) and prebiotics such as cabbage, garlic and onion which feed the good microbes in your gut.
Ingredients of M&S classic kimchi
The first thing to note is that I wouldn’t call this a ‘classic’ kimchi because it doesn’t contain fish sauce or shrimp paste like a traditional kimchi would. It is better called a vegan kimchi.
The ingredients are: napa cabbage (66%), radish (10%), carrots (10%), garlic, red chillies, tamari soy sauce (water, soybeans, salt, vinegar), miso (water, soybeans, rice, salt), onions, ginger, salt and dried kombu seaweed.
So instead of using a fish product for umami flavours, this vegan kimchi uses miso, soy sauce and seaweed.
In summary, it’s a very natural kimchi and doesn’t include any added sugar, thickeners, flavour enhancers or preservatives.
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
YourBiology Gut+ probiotic not only offers 10 strains of probiotics, but also includes two types of prebiotics, three digestive enzymes and vitamin D for gut health support. All this means it offers a lot more benefits for gut health and general health than most probiotic supplements do
Healthpath gut health test is the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a clear and understandable report on your microbiome
YourBiology SuperGreens+ is a superfood and greens supplement which makes it very easy to get a huge amount of nutrition - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, polyphenols and more - in one glass. Great for supporting gut health, skin health, energy, mental clarity and immunity.
Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Benefits of M&S classic kimchi
This kimchi has many health benefits, especially related to its probiotic and prebiotic content.
Live cultures
This kimchi is a living, unpasteurised product so it would be thriving with live cultures.
But because of the usual ‘wild’ or ‘natural’ fermentation process in making kimchi - which means it is fermented using the microbes already present on the cabbage, in other ingredients, in the air and on fermentation equipment - we don’t know exactly what strains of live cultures are present and or the exact quantity of them (they just state there is over 1 billion live cultures).
However this wild fermentation process (as opposed to inoculating the kimchi with specific bacterial strains as you might with yoghurt) means there should be a huge diversity of microbes in this kimchi. And some of these cultures would be probiotic, meaning they give us health benefits.
Learn more about the benefits of probiotics.
Postbiotics
Postbiotics are essentially beneficial things microbes produce during fermentation. These include healthy short-chain fatty acids which nourish our gut lining and may help reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Prebiotics
Kimchi is fantastic for gut health because it contains prebiotics as well as probiotics. Prebiotics are fibre which feed the good bacteria in your gut and help them multiply. The cabbage, garlic and onion in this kimchi are all prebiotic vegetables.
So not only are you getting the beneficial microbes, you are also getting the best food to feed them!
Read more about the benefits of prebiotics.
Garlic
This kimchi contains garlic which has a range of health benefits including supporting immune function as well as reducing cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also a good source of antioxidants as well as various vitamins and minerals such as manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C and selenium.
Read more about the benefits of garlic.
Ginger
Ginger has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It can also contribute to digestive health, weight loss and healthy blood sugar levels.
Read more about the benefits of ginger.
Vegetables
This kimchi is a good source of vegetables containing cabbage, onion, carrot and radish.
These vegetables provide fibre and antioxidant compounds, and may help support digestion, gut health and immune defences. Collectively they are a source of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and potassium.
Kombu seaweed
Kombu seaweed is rich in fibre and antioxidants, and contains various minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron and trace elements not usually abundant in vegetables.
Kombu is also one of the richest natural sources of iodine which is important for thyroid hormone production.
Read more about the benefits of seaweed.
Low in sugar
Unlike some other kimchi, this product doesn’t have any added sugar.
It is only 0.4% sugar which is much lower than many kimchi.
Flavour
The aroma is rich and complex, with the ginger and maybe some miso coming through most. There’s a lot going on and it’s quite hard to describe adequately!
The flavour is also very deep and complex (and again hard to convey in words). There’s a lot of umami notes and a nice, deep chili flavour that is medium hot. There’s also nice lemony acidity and a good crunch from the various vegetables.
Overall, the taste is excellent. It’s rich, satisfying and very moreish. They have done a great job and providing a very umami flavour in a vegan kimchi without fish products. My only minor criticism is that there’s perhaps a little too much carrot and not enough radish.
Uses
This kimchi would be very versatile. It works well as a side dish and would be great with breakfast eggs or to add spice to a fry up. It would also be excellent in a kimchi cheese toastie.
Cost of M&S classic kimchi
We bought a 275g jar from M&S for £4 - which is on the more expensive end of the market.
Review summary
Rating: 5 stars out of 5.
Verdict: M&S classic kimchi is a vegan kimchi with a brilliant complex flavour.
Pros
excellent, complex taste
natural ingredients
high in prebiotic fibres
good source of vitamins and minerals from the vegetables
various health benefits from the ginger, garlic and kombu seaweed
very low in sugar
Cons
more expensive than others
not really a ‘classic’ kimchi with fish products (if that bothers you)
Factors we consider in our ratings
The factors we consider when doing a review (and the weightings of each of these) may vary depending on the product we are testing, but here are the key general factors we consider when we settle on a rating for a product.
Health benefits
We find out how the product will be good for your health and outline the benefits for you in simple language. This often involves doing research so you don’t have to. We often link to scientific studies or articles summarising scientific findings so you can dig deeper if you want to.
Things detrimental to health
We want to highlight where a product might include something bad for your health - even if the product might be good for you in another way. This could include such things as pointing out certain additives it contains or high sugar levels.
How it’s made
This will vary depending on the product, but we want to see a quality process for making it and quality ingredients. For example, we want to see a kombucha traditionally fermented with lots of different microbial strains and we want to see a yoghurt made with fresh milk and not milk powders.
Price
While we expect quality products to be more expensive, they still have to be priced within reason. On the other side of things, a product which is priced very competitively will get a ratings boost based on the value it provides.
Flavour
For some products flavour won’t be a factor (eg probiotic tablets), but for others, like yoghurt or kimchi, flavour is a key aspect because these products are made to be enjoyed as well as being healthy! We will try to be as subjective as possible and describe the flavour in detail so you can get an idea of whether you would like it or not.
Our favourite gut health products in the UK
YourBiology Gut+ probiotic not only offers 10 strains of probiotics, but also includes two types of prebiotics, three digestive enzymes and vitamin D for gut health support. All this means it offers a lot more benefits for gut health and general health than most probiotic supplements do
Healthpath gut health test is the UK’s most comprehensive gut health test. It tests over 100 biomarkers, checks your digestion and immune response, analyses leaky gut and provides a clear and understandable report on your microbiome
YourBiology SuperGreens+ is a superfood and greens supplement which makes it very easy to get a huge amount of nutrition - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, polyphenols and more - in one glass. Great for supporting gut health, skin health, energy, mental clarity and immunity.
Read more about the best gut health products in the UK.
Your reviewer
This hands-on review was written by Travis, the founder of this website, long-time gut-health enthusiast, science nerd and passionate kombucha maker of over 10 years!
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