Kimchi: whether you scrunch up your nose in distaste or greedily pile it atop of every meal as you would a condiment, there’s no arguing with its health benefits. It is a staple of the Korean diet and has been for thousands of years. The fermented mixture improves metabolism, is low in calories, and is full of immune and digestive system boosting probiotics. In a nutshell, it’s a superfood.

I have a very weak sense of smell – a fact that I really detest about myself. Other people, when asked what they would change about themselves, might choose a smaller waist size or a bigger boobs or straight hair instead of curly. Me? I just wish I had a more functional sense of smell.

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned it here before, so now you all know my secret – I’m noseblind, or scentdeaf, whatever you want to call it. I can smell very few things and what I can smell, I have difficulty knowing what it is. As I’m sure you can imagine, this can be both a blessing and a curse at times.

One thing that I can smell? THIS KIMCHI. As soon as we opened the jar and I heard the fizz of fermentation, I caught a whiff of the stuff. Whoa. This is some powerful stuff. Clark was shocked that I could smell it, but honestly, there’s no way you couldn’t. It has its own distinct aroma that is like no other food.

Before fermenting, the ingredients make a vibrant, colorful mixture:

And after fermentation, the kimchi is a pungent, spicy jar of probiotic boosting goodness:

If you’ve never tried kimchi, I can’t recommend it enough. Fermented foods are among the most beneficial things you can put into your body because of their probiotic content. Sauerkraut, kombucha, yogurt, etc. You can’t have a healthy body without a healthy gut, if ya feel me. ;)

I recommend easing into fermented foods like kimchi, maybe trying it on a sandwich, over eggs, or just a small bowl when you first try it.

Embrace the smell, embrace the taste, and embrace it for what it’s doing for you.