Here are a number of reasons why Korean food can be great for you: These are some of the reasons why Korean food is so healthy. Moreover, we do not select every advertiser or advertisement that appears on the web site-many of the Barbecued meat, spicy food, dog meat and maybe kimchi would all come to mind. Its nearly impossible to find proper bread without sugar in it.. Meanwhile, about three-fourths of the U.S. population has an eating pattern that is low in vegetables, fruits, dairy and healthy oils. Drawing a parallel between obesity and food isn't wise from a health stand point: that is, just because a food doesn't make you fat doesn't inherently mean it's healthy. used as a substitute for professional medical advice, In contrast to South Korean eating habits, the American diet is often high in sugar, saturated fats and highly processed ingredients. Fast Food Vs. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, most Americans exceed the recommendations for added sugars, saturated fats and sodium. BH Discuss: Do K-pop and K-Drama fans abuse the Korean language? Americans who estimate that most or some of their diet is organic tend to have different beliefs about food than those who don’t eat very much organics. Koreaboo, Kim Hyun-joong's ex and how bad translation seriously misleads K-pop fans. In excess, these foods may cause not only obesity, but also certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. Yup, you read right. and Particularly in any kimchi-like dishes or anything fermented, but if you make foods yourself and make sure to hold back on the salt it's definitely much healthier than most north american diets; Liv says: You gotta watch out for the salt though. Maybe you'll grab Indian takeout or whip up a taco salad. If you find Korean food bland/unhealthy then you're eating the wrong stuff. So, good. Given the stark contrast between Korea and the United States in the numbers of obese people, it's worthwhile to take a closer look at the two types of diets. All the same, isn't it interesting that Japanese food (subtle, heavy on fish and tofu) and Korean food (spicy, meaty) are so different, at least as I've experienced them in California. The LIVESTRONG Foundation and LIVESTRONG.COM do not endorse Eat kimchi in moderation, eat kkongbap instead of white rice, and just choose your banchan carefully - be selective about what you choose to ingest, much like how you would in your own home country. It seems it comes from the idea that Korean food - for the most part - isn't overly fattening (of course, all of the Korean street food is very fattening). Ok, Japan has proportionately greater coastline. I think Koreans love sweet things.. a little too much. Of those people, 4 percent are obese, and the OECD predicts that overweight rates in Korea will increase by 5 percent within 10 years. In addition, the Korean diet consists of a high amount of vegetables, legumes and fish, with a low amount of red meat consumed. North Americans take fewer steps than the rest of the world, and at one point (pre 1990) the Chinese were doing more walking and performing more heavy labor than most countries. With time and a commitment to your health, you might find you crave your new eating habits more and more. Leaf Group Ltd. Created after the Korean war to make economic use of American ingredients, this stew has EVERYTHING, including spam (which seems to find its way into a lot of Korean dishes.) Privacy Policy . Recipe here . Like Liv said, a lot of salt. I think everything you eat in moderation would be ok, the problem with society now a days is affordability, they tend to just eat whatever they’re budget can afford. It makes me a little sick since I don’t like sweet things very much. What does the Bible say about ghosts? Just four decades ago, Americans smoked heavily, trans fats lurked in many of our favorite foods, and pollution was so bad that some of our rivers weren't just unsafe to swim in—they actually caught fire.Fortunately, we've gotten smarter about our health in the intervening decades, making major strides in cleaning up everything from the foods we're eating to the air we breathe. Korean dishes tend to smell more than American … Of course, economic prosperity-and with it, westernized tastes for fast food and soda-have all taken a toll on South Korea's traditional eating patterns. , British food is better than American food because... 1. While aerobic exercise and strength training can help boost the calorie-burning potential of your body, changing your diet can have a … Here are a few ideas: Once you start adopting Korean eating habits and eliminating highly processed foods and added sugars, you'll crave unhealthy foods less and less. I've found that some kinds of Korean food can be very heavy on the sodium. It’s a false equivalency. Since I live in Korea, she wanted to know how people thought inside Korea. Read more: Things You Can Eat That Won't Cause You to Gain Weight. Terms of Use Chewy without being rubbery, it's a bit more festive than samgyeopsal, although it's still a staunchly earthy food. But then that really wouldn’t be ‘eatingthaifood’! Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Side Effects of Switching to a Healthy Diet, Kimchi Has Many Health Benefits, but Also a Significant Drawback, Things You Can Eat That Won't Cause You to Gain Weight, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Adult Obesity Facts", Journal of Ethnic Foods: "Korean Diet: Characteristics and Historical Background", Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: "Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat - Korea Key Facts", Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: "Shifts Needed To Align With Healthy Eating Patterns", Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: "Key Elements of Healthy Eating Patterns", Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: "Appendix 2. Very filling and healthy too. Rather than a side of fries, try a side salad or a broth-based soup. Although South Koreans enjoy their barbecue meats, they eat these foods sparingly. Seems unlikely. Overall, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese, reports the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. He teaches Korean cooking classes in London, as well as blogging about Korean food on his website. You have to watch the amount of rice you eat, but if you were to stick with a Korean diet for a month, most people would find they start to shed the pounds. Korean food is full of salt. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); The following two tabs change content below. Given that January is meant to be a health conscious month, why not give it a go? Currently, she is the communications VP for a social media software company, where she creates social media and blog content, email campaigns, case studies and newsletters. Healthy Foods. Those recommended limits, per the Dietary Guidelines, are as follows: Additionally, more than half the U.S. population is meeting or exceeding total grain and total protein foods recommendations, while not meeting the recommendations for the subgroups within each of these food groups. Despite this, my diet now is still much healthier than when I lived in the States. You gotta watch out for the salt though. It makes me a little sick since I don't like sweet things very much. I think Koreans love sweet things.. a little too much. Read more: Kimchi Has Many Health Benefits, but Also a Significant Drawback. When making stir fry, they may use sesame oil. Rather depressingly, the increase in Western food chains in Korea has seen a rapid increase in obesity with burgers, chips and snacks finding their way into school lunchboxes. On top of their dietary choices, many Americans are simply consuming too many calories — causing weight gain. The fermentation process is the most characteristic method, helping to enrich food flavors and preserve foods. Americans commonly consume french fries, jalapeno poppers, fried chicken and doughnuts, which are loaded with fats that can clog arteries and contribute to heart disease. It's dinnertime, and you're craving something with a little flavor. For the paleo types, its is a meat lovers dream, with dak galbi, makchang and ssam. ... A 1990 survey found that Chinese people consumed 30 per cent more calories than Americans, but were not necessarily more active. Eat more vegetables and fruits — fill half your plate with them. Late night deep thought: Japan and Korea are neighboring countries with related histories and cultures, and significant coastlines. Estimated Calorie Needs per Day, by Age, Sex, and Physical Activity Level", National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine: Journal of Medicinal Food: "Health Benefits of Kimchi (Korean Fermented Vegetables) as a Probiotic Food", PARTNER & LICENSEE OF THE LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION, Bab (cooked rice) and kuk (dishes with broth), Kimchi (a fermented vegetable dish), served at every meal, Banchan (side dishes), seasoned with various, Less than 10 percent of calories a day from added sugars, Less than 10 percent of calories a day from saturated fats, Less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day. 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This not only kept them healthy and fit, but it made a case for why they've been able to tolerate a higher-carb, rice-dominant diet. I am Korean too so please don't be offended lol. It's seasonal. You gotta watch out for the salt though. Korean food is full of salt. Just as any typical Oriental food, Korea is based on rice whereas America is known for bread. I’ve found that some kinds of Korean food can be very heavy on the sodium. It provides protection against cancer, obesity, constipation and signs of aging. Trade your highly-processed cereal for steel-cut oats sweetened with stevia or monk fruit. For those of us that are either health conscious or calorie-tracking individuals here is some nutritional information on Korean food. Particularly in any kimchi-like dishes or anything fermented, but if you make foods yourself and make sure to hold back on the salt it’s definitely much healthier than most north american diets. Is Korean food healthier for you than western food? They are always in a hurry, do everything quickly, and eating is no exception. However, the Korean diet remains largely untouched by unhealthy eating patterns. It should not be If you were to name something that came to mind when you hear about Korean food, what would you think? Particularly in any kimchi-like dishes or anything fermented, but if you make foods yourself and make sure to hold back on the salt it's definitely much healthier than most north american diets. While the Korean diet is rich in rice, fermented foods and veggies, the American diet is high in sugar and fats. For example, food trucks, large catering events, and Korean barbeque.