Why Koreans eat boiled pork with fresh kimchi — and what it does to the body

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As Korea's annual kimchi-making season approaches, one traditional food pairing is drawing renewed attention for its potential health benefits: freshly made kimchi served with steaming slices of boiled pork.

Known as "suyuk," the tender boiled pork has long been a staple at the end of "kimjang," the traditional Korean practice of preparing large quantities of kimchi for the winter.

In the past, families and neighbors would gather to salt napa cabbage, prepare seasonings and pack kimchi into containers. The labor-intensive process often ended with a shared meal of freshly made kimchi and boiled pork, offering a welcome reward after hours of physical work.

But the pairing may offer more than comfort and flavor. Pork provides nutrients involved in energy metabolism, while cabbage and kimchi seasonings contribute fiber and antioxidants.

A fading winter tradition

Despite its cultural significance, kimjang is becoming less common in Korean households.

According to the Korea Rural Economic Institute, 58.6 percent of households surveyed this year said they make kimchi themselves, suggesting that just over half continue the tradition.

The growing availability of commercially prepared kimchi, an increase in dual-income households and changing dietary habits have all contributed to the decline.

Some observers have even raised concerns that traditional home-based kimjang could eventually disappear if the trend continues.

Why boiled pork became a kimjang staple

The custom of serving boiled pork after kimjang may have a nutritional explanation.

According to Korea's National Institute of Crop and Food Science, pork is particularly rich in vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, containing roughly 10 times as much as beef.

Vitamin B1 helps the body convert carbohydrates into usable energy and supports normal nervous system function. Adequate intake is essential for preventing fatigue associated with thiamine deficiency, although eating extra vitamin B1 does not necessarily provide an immediate energy boost in people who already consume enough.

This makes pork a useful source of nutrients after physically demanding activities such as preparing large batches of kimchi.

Pork also provides protein, which is essential for maintaining muscles and supporting various bodily functions.

Why pork and kimchi make a nutritious combination

Boiled pork and freshly made kimchi complement each other nutritionally as well as in flavor.

One concern with meat consumption is saturated fat, particularly in fatty cuts of pork. Excessive saturated fat intake can raise LDL cholesterol levels, increasing cardiovascular risk.

Napa cabbage, the main ingredient in traditional kimchi, provides dietary fiber that supports digestive health and can contribute to healthy cholesterol management as part of a balanced diet.

Cabbage also contains isothiocyanates, naturally occurring compounds associated with the breakdown of glucosinolates found in cruciferous vegetables. These compounds have attracted scientific interest for their potential protective effects on cells.

Meanwhile, common kimchi ingredients such as garlic, ginger and green onions contain antioxidant compounds that help protect cells against oxidative stress.

However, eating kimchi does not directly cancel out the effects of saturated fat in pork. The overall health impact depends on portion sizes, the cut of meat and the rest of a person's diet.

Kimchi can also be high in sodium, making moderation important, particularly for people managing high blood pressure.

Do you really need pork belly?

Although pork belly, known as "samgyeopsal" in Korea, remains one of the country's most popular cuts, leaner alternatives can offer substantial nutritional benefits.

Approximately 120 grams of pork can provide around 1.3 milligrams of vitamin B1, depending on the cut and preparation method.

Among pork cuts, tenderloin generally contains the most vitamin B1, followed by hind leg and front leg meat.

Hind leg meat is particularly notable for its nutritional profile. According to the figures cited in the article, it contains roughly one-third the calories of pork belly while providing about 1.5 times as much protein.

Despite these advantages, pork belly remains more popular, largely because of its rich flavor and tender, fatty texture.

Choosing leaner cuts for suyuk can help reduce saturated fat intake while preserving much of pork's protein and vitamin B1 content.

Is boiling pork healthier than grilling it?

Another potential advantage of suyuk lies in its cooking method.

While grilling meat over high heat has become a dominant part of Korean dining culture, boiling avoids some of the harmful compounds that can form during high-temperature cooking.

Grilling meat, particularly over an open flame, can produce carcinogenic substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzo[a]pyrene, especially when fat drips onto flames and smoke comes into contact with the meat.

High-temperature cooking can also generate other potentially harmful compounds, depending on the cooking conditions.

Boiling pork generally produces fewer of these heat-related contaminants because the meat is cooked in water rather than exposed directly to flames or very high surface temperatures.

As traditional kimjang becomes less common, the custom of sharing boiled pork with freshly made kimchi offers a reminder that some long-standing food traditions can fit into modern healthy eating habits.

This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, was translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.