Healthy Korean Diet Tips

A Korean diet is typically low in fat and contains a reasonable number of calories. For people that want to lose weight or just eat a healthier diet, it may be a good diet to follow. Korean food tends to be rather spicy and flavorful so you won't get bored eating a lot of vegetables and rice.

Vegetable Protein

A Korean diet typically contains a good deal of vegetable protein like bean curds and bean paste. These low fat alternatives to meat do not contain the types of hormones sometimes found in meat. A Korean diet does contain some meat but it's often used in small amounts for flavoring or as a side dish instead of serving it as the main course.

Kimchi

Kimchi is a very popular Korean dish consisting of vegetables with plenty of seasoning. The University of Florida reports that it contains a good deal of vitamin C and fiber. Koreans eat many other vegetables but kimchi may be the most popular.

Soups

A Korean diet typically includes a lot of soups. Soups are generally low in fat and calories and when eaten before or with a meal, help you feel full faster. Popular Korean soups include maeuntang, a spicy soup with whitefish and bean curd, and twoenjang, which contains bean paste and baby clams. These soups contain a good amount of protein along with other nutrients.

Vegetables

A Korean diet also includes many vegetable dishes. The Korean name for dishes that contain only vegetables is namool. They serve some namool hot and some cold. Vegetable dishes are generally low in calories and Korean vegetable dishes usually contain lots of flavor. They often eat namool as a main dish with soup or meat dishes on the side.

Rice

Koreans also eat a lot of rice. Rice and vegetables often serve as the main entrée in a meal. They often eat white rice but you could substitute brown rice to make a dish healthier. Brown rice is a good source of complex carbohydrates, fiber and other nutrients.

Meat

A Korean diet contains less meat than the typical American diet but they do serve meat sometimes. They use small amounts of beef, fish or other meats to flavor many dishes, including some soups. In Korean dishes, you will find meat used as a side dish more than an entrée. Eating meat in moderation helps keep your cholesterol low, plus you avoid the harmful hormones and antibiotics found in some meats. Fish contains omega three fatty acids, which help reduce the risk of heart disease and numerous other problems.

Sources:

University of Florida. http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/students/hwang/character1.htm. The Characteristics of Korean Food.

University of Maryland Medical Center. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm. Omega-3 Fatty Acids.