Eating bibimbap frequently changed my body... What about weight change?

Bibimbap looks "healthy" just by looking at it. It is full of various vegetables, and the nutty perilla oil and fried eggs add nutrition and flavor. It is also one of the most popular Korean dishes among foreigners. Bibimbap, which looks like a "complete food," what should we be cautious about? Is there any issue with weight control?

 

Bean sprouts, spinach, carrots... a collection of nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamins, and proteins.

 

Bibimbap contains a variety of vegetables. It is essentially a collection of nutrients. Most vegetables are high in dietary fiber. They help reduce triglycerides and cholesterol in the body and contribute to intestinal health. The guidelines for dyslipidemia (hyperlipidemia) treatment by the Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis recommend consuming at least 25 grams. Bean sprouts are rich in proteins beneficial for muscles and contain antihypertensive peptides that help regulate blood pressure. Isoflavones in soybeans aid in bone protection.

Carrots and spinach are foods rich in beta-carotene. They help produce rhodopsin, which is essential for maintaining vision, thereby slowing eye aging. They are also beneficial for the lungs and bronchi. Spinach contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect the eyes, and is especially rich in vitamin A, which helps prevent night blindness among vegetables. The four main nutrients beneficial for eye health—lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and vitamin A—are all fat-soluble, meaning they dissolve in oil. It is recommended to lightly sauté spinach in perilla oil or sprinkle it with sesame seeds before eating.

 

 

Fried eggs, perilla oil... contribute to muscle, blood vessel, and cardiovascular health

 

Fried eggs cannot be overlooked. 100g of eggs contains 15.12g of protein (Korean Food Composition Table). It is also rich in choline, which is beneficial for muscle maintenance and brain activity. The nutty sesame oil is high in unsaturated fatty acids, helping to prevent and alleviate hyperlipidemia by reducing triglycerides and 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) in the blood. However, excessive consumption of sesame oil can lead to weight gain, so it should be eaten in moderation.

 

 

 

The main character of bibimbap is vegetables... rice is just a 'supporting role', so you should eat only a little.

 

If there are few vegetables and mostly rice in bibimbap, it can easily become "gochujang rice." The nutritional value of bibimbap lies in the various vegetables rich in antioxidants. Eating too much rice instead of vegetables can lead to weight gain. Especially if the rice is not whole grains like brown rice or barley, excessive carbohydrate intake can cause weight gain and disrupt blood sugar control. It also negatively affects blood management, such as in cases of hyperlipidemia. Using mixed grain rice as much as possible is beneficial for health.

 

 

 

Less salty and less spicy... Slightly bland on the main road

 

Gochujang (red pepper paste) is also important. If you add too much, it becomes spicy and salty, making the bibimbap unhealthy and causing weight gain. Gochujang processed in factories also contains a significant amount of sugar and other sweeteners. It is far from being a healthy dish. It is also important to prepare soups like bean sprout soup, which are commonly served with bibimbap, in a way that is not too salty. In today's world, where people are accustomed to all kinds of processed foods, let's try to preserve the natural ingredients, even just in bibimbap.

 

 

 

Reporter Kim Yong (ecok@kormedi.com)