por The korean diet it is characterized by the consumption of a lot of rice and vegetables, little fat and steamed food. It is a diet with its own style, although it includes elements of Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Kim chee or kimchi (김치) is the emblematic dish of Korean food.
Kimchi contains probiotics and is not lacking in the daily diet. It includes hot peppers, ginger, garlic, and greens, usually Chinese cabbage that has been fermented for days. It is considered a dish with anti-obesity, anti-cancer and anti-cholesterol properties, due to its high fiber content and nutrients developed in the fermentation process that originates it.
In general, Korean cuisine is low in calories and fat. For this reason it has the reputation of being slimming and helping to preserve the silhouette. In 2004, the World Health Organization designated Korean cuisine as «nutritionally balanced exemplary cuisine.» He kimchi It is known as one of the five healthiest dishes in the world.
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Korean diet foods
A wide variety of food ingredients are used in Korean cuisine. These represent a balanced mix of products of animal and vegetable origin with diversity in their nutritional value.
There are five essentials: rice, vegetables and fruits, fish and shellfish, peppers, and tea.
Hot peppers, radishes, garlic and sweet potatoes
These foods help control body weight due to their fiber content and their thermogenic nature.
Fiber prolongs the feeling of satiety and helps not to eat between meals. In addition, the stews often have large pieces of hot peppers.
Rice
It can be the main dish or accompany the main dish in a bowl. Rice is always present.
In Korean, when you say «let’s eat» you literally say «let’s eat rice».
Green Tea
Koreans regularly drink green tea, hot or cold, throughout the day. Green tea cuts the appetite effectively. In addition, it is an excellent antioxidant, stimulates metabolism, strengthens the immune system and promotes dental health.
Soy
It is a central food in the Korean diet. It is consumed in different forms: tofu, in sprouts, milk, cream, yogurt, among others.
Soy is rich in protein, does not contain cholesterol and has omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which contribute to reducing cardiovascular risk.
other ingredients
Eggs are common in Korean dishes. The most frequent preparation is in the form of a French omelette with many herbs.
Various types of mushrooms, fish and shellfish, and sesame oil are often present as well. Beef is almost non-existent; It is only consumed on special occasions.
Basic Elements of Korean Cuisine
The characteristics of Korean cuisine distinguish it from that of other countries and make it considered one of the best in the world. The most characteristic techniques and elements of this gastronomy are detailed below:
cooking techniques
Koreans prefer steamed cooking, although many dishes are simmered, grilled, or sautéed with a little fat.
Balance and variety of menus
Moderation in portion sizes is another key feature of the Korean diet.
On the other hand, there is a wide variety of options: rice is the base of this cuisine, and it can be accompanied by many dishes, such as soups, fish, shellfish, and low-fat chicken stir-fried in a wok. The possibilities are quite wide.
Kimchi, essential in the Korean diet
There are more than 180 varieties of kimchi. Traditionally it was prepared by leaving the vegetables to ferment in winter and then burying them in the ground in ceramic containers.
Kimjang is the collective process of traditional preparation of kimchi. Since 2013, the kimjang has been part of UNESCO’s representative list of cultural and intangible heritage.
Today there are special kimchi refrigerators that maintain the proper temperature for fermentation.
Sample menu for breakfast and lunch
First food
The first meal of the day is usually gimbap, a cylindrical roll of cooked short-grain rice, stuffed with various ingredients and wrapped in pressed edible seaweed of the genus Porphyra. In fact, the name comes from the union of the terms cooked rice (bap) and edible seaweed (gim).
It is a very popular food completely dry, without liquid, so it is convenient to take on the go.
Lunch
The main meal of the day is lunch. The menu consists of soup, a bowl of white rice, a main ingredient, and a host of sides. In most cases the accompaniments are steamed vegetables, and also preparations with eggs, all served in bowls without handles.
The food is often heavily seasoned with pepper sauce. Side dishes presented individually, in small amounts, are known as banchan (pronounced panchan).
It is common for there to be at least 4 banchan, and the more formal the meal, the greater the number and variety of banchan. Kimchi is the most famous banchan.
Kimchi, being a dish so appreciated for its digestive properties, can be consumed before and sometimes after the meal.
Table service is usually done all at the same time and not in consecutive order (starter followed by a main course).
Bibimbap is another very popular dish eaten for lunch. It means “mixed rice” or “mixed food”.
In this case, the rice does not go separately, but is served in a bowl with vegetables, eggs and, eventually, meat on top. Lettuce is also part of the accompaniments.
All the ingredients are stirred at the time of eating, adding sesame oil and red hot pepper paste. It is usually served alongside soup and another side dish.
In the traditional Korean diet, sweet taste is not reserved for dessert. Actually there is no notion of dessert and the sweet taste often accompanies some meals.
However, there is a strong tendency to eat out and in large cities the influence of Westernization on consumption habits can be seen.
The food does not escape this. For example, the appearance of western-style cafeterias in which the same foods as in the West are present, such as desserts and coffee, is evident.
References
Asia tourism. (2018). Kimchi in Korea – Asia tourism. [online] Available at: asiatourism.news
Eleven new elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Retrieved from: es.unesco.org
(KOCIS), K. (2018). Food : Korea.net : The official website of the Republic of Korea. [online] korea.net. Available at: korea.net
Friedman, E. (1991). Oriental cook book. Menlo Park, Calif.: Sunset Pub. Corp.
Park Kun-Young, Jeong Ji-Kang, Lee Young-Eun, and Daily James W. III. Journal of Medicinal Food. Jan 2014, 17(1): 6-20. Taken from doi.org.
Wilson, A. (1998). Japanese and Korean cuisine. Cologne (Germany): Könemann.