Can Pregnant Women Eat Kimchi?

As you know, there are many foods you have to avoid during pregnancy—ceviche, medium-rare steak, deli foods, and so on. You may be wondering if kimchi is one of them.

Keep reading to learn if kimchi is safe to eat during your pregnancy and whether it has any health benefits.

Yes, it’s safe to eat kimchi while pregnant. Kimchi is made up of a mix of raw, fermented vegetables (often cabbage and radishes) that have been seasoned with spices like garlic, ginger, and red pepper. 1 2 3

There isn’t anything unsafe in any of those veggies, even when they’re fermented. It’s true that the fermentation process involves bacteria, but not a kind of bacteria that will hurt you or your baby.

Some vegetables (e.g., alfalfa and bean sprouts) aren’t safe to eat in their raw forms, but the ones typically used to make kimchi are. 4 Moreover, the fermentation process creates organic acid, lowering the kimchi’s pH level, which makes it hard for many harmful bacteria to grow. 1 5

The bottom line is that you should be fine as long as the kimchi is made in a clean, hygienic environment. With that said, it’s smart to be aware of the following kimchi-related concerns that mean you might want to enjoy it in moderation:

High sodium content

Because kimchi’s fermentation process involves salting the vegetables, the product is quite high in sodium. (Half a cup of kimchi contains about 128 mg.) 6

An ideal pregnancy diet includes approximately 2,300 mg of sodium per day. 7 This means regularly enjoying kimchi in limited amounts (e.g., 2–3 times a week, ½–1 cup per serving) is OK. It can even benefit your health, as kimchi contains many nutrients (more on that later). 1

That said, don’t eat it so often that you take in too much sodium. If you experience swelling—a common pregnancy symptom—you should be more mindful about your kimchi portions, as too much sodium can worsen this condition. 8

Spicy ingredients

Kimchi is known for being spicy, although its spice levels vary.

It’s normally OK to eat spicy foods while you’re pregnant. 9 However, you might want to lay off it if you experience gastroesophageal or acid reflux (when your stomach contents rise to your esophagus). 10

During pregnancy, your hormones can relax your esophageal sphincter, a tight muscular ring at the top of your stomach. This can cause partly digested food and stomach acid to reflux. Your growing uterus may also contribute to this condition. 10

Acid reflux (which is also known as heartburn) isn’t dangerous, but it’s very uncomfortable. If you start experiencing heartburn during pregnancy, avoiding spicy foods, including kimchi, is one way to alleviate your discomfort. 10

As mentioned, kimchi is a nutritional powerhouse that can benefit both your health and your baby’s development. It contains: 1 11

• Vitamins: Kimchi is packed with vitamins, including vitamins A, C, K, and B complex. They’ll keep you healthy and help your baby grow. 12 13 14 15
• Probiotics: Fermentation produces probiotics, a type of good bacteria that may benefit your gut health, digestion, immune system, and cholesterol level. 16 A recent study found that probiotics may also improve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. 17

Additionally, kimchi is relatively low in calories, so you don’t have to worry about gaining too much weight from eating it (although gaining some weight is normal and necessary while pregnant). 18

Pasteurized kimchi vs. unpasteurized kimchi

Most kimchi on the market is unpasteurized, but some places sell heat-treated (pasteurized) versions. (Stores usually keep pasteurized kimchi on shelves instead of in refrigerators; you can check its label to be sure.)

Some expectant moms prefer to buy pasteurized kimchi to avoid foodborne diseases, since pasteurization kills harmful bacteria with heat. 19 To reiterate, kimchi rarely harbors those bacteria due to its acidity, so you should be safe eating it either way. 1 5

If you still feel uncomfortable eating unpasteurized kimchi, feel free to buy pasteurized versions or cook your kimchi before eating it. Keep in mind that heating kimchi can kill probiotics, taking away some of its health benefits. 20 21

If you can’t eat kimchi due to its spiciness, sodium content, or just because it isn’t hitting the spot, consider exploring other pregnancy-friendly fermented foods with probiotics to boost your health, such as: 4 20

• Sauerkraut
• Miso
• Pickles
• Yogurt

If you have concerns about any aspect of your diet, don’t hesitate to call your doctor. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Good news—you don’t have to abandon kimchi during these long months of pregnancy. As long as it doesn’t make you uncomfortable, you can keep having this delicious side dish several times per week.