Vice President of Obesity Society: "Tanghulu's Sweetness Is Inevitable for the Brain to Like"

Why is Tanghulu Trending? Brain Reward System and Peer Group Trends
"Added Sugars Should Be Consumed Within 10% of Daily Calories"

Kim Kyung-gon, Vice President of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, commented on the Tanghulu trend circulating among teenagers, saying, "Simple sugars are immediately utilized by our body as energy when consumed, so our body naturally favors them," and added, "Because it follows a system similar to addiction to cigarettes, nicotine, and drugs, once accustomed to the taste, it is difficult to break free."

On the 11th, Vice President Kim appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and said, "If something is very beneficial to our body, there is a reward system in our brain that reinforces this behavior," adding, "Then the brain sends signals to eat again. Dopamine and various neurotransmitters that strengthen such behaviors are released in the brain, so once accustomed to the taste, it is hard to escape."

He continued, "Also, because there is a need to do it together within peer groups, students now go to convenience stores or Tanghulu shops to eat together, feeling a sense of belonging, which is also a reason for the trend."

He also mentioned that consuming Tanghulu occasionally in appropriate amounts does not pose a problem. He explained, "For any food, it is actually difficult to judge whether it is good or bad for health by picking just one food," and added, "Just like drinking a lot of water is good, but it should be done in moderation."

He continued, "The same applies to Tanghulu," noting, "Eating one or two occasionally does not cause health problems, but the issue is constant exposure to simple sugars and consuming them multiple times a day."

According to Vice President Kim, Tanghulu should be consumed at two to three pieces or fewer per day. However, this calculation only considers Tanghulu alone. Since other foods also contain added sugars, the actual intake should be even less.

Vice President Kim stated, "The Ministry of Health and Welfare recommends that added sugar intake should be within 10% of total daily calories," and explained, "Daily caloric intake varies depending on body size and age, but for women, assuming a daily intake of 2000 kcal, about 200 kcal should come from sugars. In terms of weight, that's about 50g, so consuming two to three pieces of Tanghulu would already exceed this guideline."

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