"Spicy Foods for Relief, Low-Sugar Meals for Health"... Polarized Summer Appetites

Searches for Spicy Foods and "Mala" Continue to Rise
"Low Sugar" and "Keto" Also See Double-Digit Growth

In the sweltering heat that dampens appetites, delivery app users are showing sharply divided preferences.

On August 20, Yogiyo announced that its analysis of app search data from the past three summer seasons (June to July, 2023-2025) revealed that consumers are simultaneously seeking both stimulating foods and healthy options.

Yogiyo has revealed the delivery search trends for the summer of 2025. Yogiyo

According to the comparative search data, searches related to "dopamine foods"-which provide instant satisfaction with spicy and stimulating flavors such as "spicy" and "jjambbong"-increased by more than 29% this year compared to 2023. "Mala," which has emerged as a sensational dopamine food, also saw its share of searches rise by over 11% year-on-year, continuing its upward trend. This suggests that the trend of beating the heat and relieving stress with spicy foods has remained steady.

Conversely, the "Healthy Pleasure" trend, which prioritizes health, was also prominent. Searches for "low sugar" surged by more than 230% compared to the previous year, while related keywords such as "keto" (14%) and "fruit" (17%) also saw double-digit increases. Yogiyo analyzed that this reflects concerns that consuming only stimulating foods in the heat could be detrimental to health.

The Yogiyo Data Team stated, "Consumers looking to recover their appetite and energy in the heat are alternating between stimulating menus and healthy diets," adding, "'Dopamine foods,' which add excitement to daily life, and 'Healthy Pleasure,' which balances taste and health, will become the two main pillars of summer dining consumption."

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