Can You Lose Weight On The Korean Diet?

South Korea has only 3.5 percent incidence of obesity as compared with 34.5 percent in the United States. Koreans also have a longer life expectancy than Americans. Consequently, the Korean diet has gained in popularity in the Untied States in a quest to find the answer to fighting obesity and longer life.

Vegetables

The Korean diet centers around vegetables as the main dish. Low-fat vegetables are served along with a dish of rice, noodles, beef or fish. Doenjang jjigae, an everyday Korean soup, is made from fermented soybean paste and vegetables spiced with garlic, chili peppers and doenjang, according to Korea Taste. Vegetables are low in calories and high in critically important nutrients. Plant-based diets are naturally rich in fiber, help reduce cholesterol levels and contain antioxidants that have many health benefits. They fill you up and help you control your food cravings, which helps you to lose weight.

Kimchi

According to to Korean Spiritual and Culture Promotion Project "Health" magazine, Korean kimchi is one of the five best health foods in the world. Kimchi is a fermented food that is believed to have a special nutritional value for promoting health and preventing disease, because it encourages the growth of healthy bacteria, called lactobacilli. Approximately 200 kinds of Korean dishes contain kimchi, a pungent mixture of fermented vegetables spiced with flavors of garlic, ginger, scallions and chilies, reports Asian Info website. Traditionally used as a method of preserving food for the winter months, kimchi accompanies all Korean meals. The low-fat dish provides vitamins A and C and fiber, which aids in digestion and weight maintenance by helping you feel full.

Low Fat

The traditional Korean diet is prominent in low-fat fish and shellfish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids that may reduce heart disease risk. Other meat includes small amounts of red and salt-cured meats with chicken and leaner cuts. A key to the low-fat content of the Korean diet may be their practice of portion control. They indulge in cured pork but they do so in moderation, according to Forbes.com.

Metabolic Boosters

Chilies boost the metabolic rate and help burn fat. Koreans customarily serve a side dish of chili paste or sauce along with most of their dishes. The Korean ginseng is another ingredient of the Korean diet, which is thought to be helpful in weight loss and have other medicinal value.

Nutrition Transition

Asian countries have experienced major dietary changes since the 1970s because of modernization. Shifts in diet, including increases in consumption of animal food products and a reduction of cereal intake, have led to infectious and noncommunicable diseases. The amount and increase in fat consumption have remained low in South Korea. The Cambridge Journal Online published a study examining the aspects of the Korean traditional diet, including trends in food consumption, obesity, morbidity and mortality. Researchers found that the low-fat intake of the traditional Korean diet was high in vegetables and fruits. Because South Korean has a lower prevalence of obesity than other Asian countries, a range of government, nutrition specialists and private organizations are initiating efforts to revive and retain the healthful elements of the traditional diet in the Western culture.