One of the essential foods during Lunar New Year is rice cake soup. While it is common to add beef to the soup,

In addition to beef, there are foods that not only enhance the flavor of rice cake soup but also provide health benefits.

We examine four representative foods.

◇Maesaengi (a type of seaweed)

Maesaengi goes well with rice cake soup.

It also contains minerals such as protein, calcium, and iron, balancing the high carbohydrate content of rice cake soup. Additionally, the texture is smooth, and the refreshing taste of the broth can be enhanced.

Maesaengi is rich in dietary fiber, which helps promote intestinal peristalsis and facilitates bowel movements, making it a good diet food. It also contains a lot of asparagine, which is effective for hangover relief, so rice cake soup with Maesaengi can be enjoyed as a hangover remedy. To fully appreciate the aroma of Maesaengi, it is best to prepare the broth with just kelp and garlic.

 

 

Ground sesame seed powder

If you want to add a simple nutty flavor to rice cake soup, try adding ground perilla seeds. The vitamins A, C, and E contained in perilla seeds, when absorbed into the body, trigger antioxidant reactions that activate intestinal functions and help you regain vitality.

It is also good for anti-aging and skin beauty. Since perilla seed powder is the raw material for perilla oil, it also contains a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid, which is beneficial for brain health. However, if you boil perilla seed powder for a long time, the taste can become bitter, so it is best to add it at the very end.

Shellfish

Oysters, which are in season during winter, also go well with rice cake soup. Oysters are rich in essential minerals such as iron, calcium, copper, and iodine, which are good for boosting immunity, as well as vitamins B and E. In particular, oysters are abundant in zinc.

Zinc is an essential mineral involved in insulin metabolism and nutrient synthesis, helping to protect respiratory epithelial cells and alleviate inflammatory responses.

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