[Health Tip] To Avoid 'High-Calorie Bombs' During Seollal Holiday... "Start with Namul and Vegetables"

Consuming 1500 kcal in One Meal
Control Food Intake Order
and Minimize Oil Usage

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The Lunar New Year holiday is approaching. As the whole family gathers to chat and spend time together, it is easier to overeat than usual. With the cold weather reducing physical activity, sudden weight gain or digestive disorders may occur. To have a healthy Lunar New Year, it is necessary to be cautious of 'high-calorie' foods.

High-calorie traditional Korean pancakes representing the holidays. [Image source=Pixabay]

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 21st, a single meal during the Lunar New Year, based on rice cake soup (tteokguk) along with various meats, jeon (Korean pancakes), and desserts, amounts to about 1520 kcal. Considering that the recommended daily intake for adults is 2500 kcal for men and 2000 kcal for women, this is a large amount. If you eat without caution, it is easy to consume excessive calories in no time.

A good method is to control the order in which you eat food. Instead of starting with high-calorie foods like meat and jeon, consuming foods such as namul (seasoned vegetables) and other vegetables first can help prevent overeating. Namul and vegetables are high in dietary fiber, low in calories, and provide a feeling of fullness.

Professor Oh Yoon-hwan of the Department of Family Medicine at Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital said, "During times like Lunar New Year, sudden increases in meal size and consumption of high-calorie foods can cause acute digestive disorders," adding, "It is recommended to eat low-calorie foods before high-calorie foods and to consume a variety of foods such as namul and vegetables."

Oh Yun-hwan, Professor of Family Medicine at Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital. [Photo by Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital]

Minimizing the use of oil when cooking also helps. For meats, removing fat or skin before cooking and using lean cuts such as shank and tenderloin can reduce calories. For jeon, a representative holiday dish, the more flour you coat, the more egg and oil it absorbs during cooking, so it is best to coat as little as possible.

Whenever possible, boiling, steaming, grilling, or braising are better cooking methods than frying or stir-frying. When frying jeon, heating the oil before use can reduce oil absorption. Using an oil spray can reduce the amount of oil used, and cooking with an air fryer can also be helpful.

Professor Oh advised, "During holidays, there are many factors that can negatively affect health, such as sudden increases in food intake and changes in daily routines," and added, "It is important to locate hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies that operate during the holidays in advance and to prepare emergency medications to be ready for unexpected situations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.