Han Hye-jin, recently gained weight after eating 'this food'... Is it true that it's trendy these days and we should be careful?

Model Han Hye-jin (41) revealed that she recently gained weight after eating the still trendy Malatang.

On September 30th of last year, the YouTube channel 'VOGUE KOREA' posted a video titled 'Han Hye-jin's 25th Debut Anniversary! Testing Friendship with 9 Close Friends.' In this video, close friends gathered to celebrate Han Hye-jin's 25th debut anniversary and conducted a friendship test. One of the questions was, "What is the food that Han Hye-jin recently said she gained weight from eating?" Among her close friends, Park Na-rae responded, "What’s really amazing about this sister is that she used to have a really good appetite. She drinks alcohol, right? Then she closes her eyes and eats snacks," she said. "She restrains herself from eating because she wants to pursue modeling. But the food she recently said she gained weight from eating? Ramen? No, she doesn’t eat ramen." Han Hye-jin then mentioned that she recently gained weight from eating Malatang. Hearing this, Park Na-rae said, "That’s the Malatang that the MZ generation eats, so we had our first Malatang together then. I thought if I ate that, I’d become MZ too."

The mala tang that Han Hye-jin cited as a cause of weight gain contains a lot of seasonings and spices to produce its characteristic numbing and spicy flavor. The term 'mala' in mala tang means both numbing and spicy, referring to a seasoning made with various spices and chili powder mixed into a Sichuan-style sauce called 'hangyu,' which is made from soybeans, black beans, and chili peppers. Doubanjiang is a Sichuan-style seasoning made primarily from soybeans, fermented black beans, and chili peppers. It is less thick than gochujang but has a more intense spiciness. As such, frequent consumption of mala tang, which uses these stimulating seasonings, can put a burden on the stomach. It can stimulate the stomach lining due to excess stomach acid secretion or cause or worsen gastrointestinal conditions such as gastritis or stomach ulcers.

Many people especially scoop up the mala soup. After eating the ingredients inside the mala hotpot, they sometimes add rice to the soup and eat it. Consuming mala soup introduces stimulating ingredients and sodium into the body. Excessive sodium intake can cause swelling and lead to fat accumulation. When sodium builds up in the body beyond necessary levels, it causes problems with water excretion. Due to osmotic pressure, water in the blood vessels decreases, while water accumulates inside cells, resulting in swelling. Excessive sodium intake also increases the risk of obesity. According to a study by Dr. Graham McGregor's team at Queen Mary University of London, a 1g increase in salt intake raises the likelihood of weight gain by over 20%. Sodium has the property of trapping fat, making it difficult to lose body fat.

To reduce sodium intake and avoid putting stress on the stomach, you should decrease the frequency of eating Malatang. If you have already eaten it, avoid spicy foods for at least three days, and if your digestive system is not in good condition, you should avoid spicy and刺激 foods, including Malatang. If you really want to eat Malatang, lower the spiciness level and add as many green vegetables as possible, such as cabbage or bok choy. The vitamin K contained in vegetables helps prevent stomach wall bleeding and aids in excreting absorbed sodium from the body. Vitamin U, which protects the stomach lining from stomach acid and刺激 substances, is also abundant in vegetables.