• Korean food was introduced as Koreans’ secret to good health (March 2017, New York Post)

• Kimchi lactobacillus confirmed to have “remedial value for atopy” (April 2010, CNBC News)

• Kimchi was selected as one of the five healthiest foods in the world (March 2006, Health Magazine)

• Korean food was selected as a “model” for food with balanced nutrition (2004, WHO)

• Bibimbap and Bibimguksu (spicy mixed noodles) were selected as the best in-flight meal (1996, 1998, ITCA Mercury Award)

There is also a nutritional excellence with the mixture of food ingredients. When you think of Korean food, you can think of bibimbap, japchae (glass noodles with sautéed vegetables), sinseollo (royal hotpot), galbi jjim (braised short ribs), and saengseon jjim (steamed fish). The ingredients in these foods are mainly a combination of grains, vegetables, fish, fat and oil. This shows that a characteristic of Korean food is that it is mainly composed of a mixture of animal and plant products.

As a result, if you follow the traditional Korean lifestyle, it is very difficult to eat too much animal products.

The diet is composed of food with low-calorie carbohydrates and vegetables. As a result, the three nutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fats, are well balanced in the diet, and various foods have evolved by using fish and marine plants.

Our diet is made up of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. The energy component ratio in each component is 65%, 15%, and 20%, respectively. The recommended ratio for each component is 60~65%, 15~20%, and 20%, respectively. As you can see, the diet meets the recommended ratios of each component. Also, the content of the diet is composed of plant and animal products, and they are divided 80:20, respectively, which is an adequate balance.

The starch in cooked rice slowly digests in the body and is absorbed. The consumption of both cooked rice and side dishes decreases a rise in the rate of blood sugar. Also, it makes you feel satisfied, which prevents obesity.

In addition, the table setting for Korean food enables one to consume a balanced diet with a variety of food such as cooked rice, kimchi, sauces, bean products, fish, herbs, meat, and other side dishes.

Korean cuisine mainly comprises gui (grilled dishes), and jjim (braised dishes), which are made by a method of poaching and seasoning. This cuisine does not contain a lot of fat because of this method.

Even if some fat is used, it is mostly vegetable oil, which has more unsaturated fatty acids than animal fat, a characteristic that is good for your body.