[Reading Health] Vegetables Good for Diet? One Bowl of Bibimbap = 1.5 Hamburgers

Sanchae Bibimbap

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Even vegetables with low calories can become high-calorie foods if not eaten raw. Bibimbap, in particular, can hinder weight loss depending on its ingredients and cooking methods.

According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 11th, one serving of bibimbap contains 707 kcal. This is higher than jjamppong (688 kcal), fried dumplings (gunmandu, 685 kcal), and hamburgers (482 kcal), which are known enemies of dieting.

The calorie content varied depending on the ingredients even within bibimbap. Jeonju bibimbap, made with rice cooked in beef bone broth and topped with hwangpomuk (mung bean jelly), yukhoe (raw beef), and raw egg, contains 692 kcal, slightly lower than regular bibimbap. One serving of sea squirt bibimbap, which uses sea squirts commonly found in Tongyeong and Geoje, contains 547 kcal.

The same applies to jeon (Korean pancakes) where vegetables are the main ingredient. One serving of pajeon (green onion pancake) weighing 150g contains 293 kcal, which is higher than seafood pajeon (276 kcal), hwayangjeok (273 kcal), dongtaejeon (pollock pancake, 268 kcal), dubujeon (tofu pancake, 255 kcal), and gajamijeon (flatfish pancake, 230 kcal). Buchujeon (chive pancake, 253 kcal), baechujeon (napa cabbage pancake, 241 kcal), beoseotjeon (mushroom pancake, 241 kcal), minarijeon (water parsley pancake, 226 kcal), and hobakjeon (pumpkin pancake, 208 kcal) also exceed 200 kcal.

The standard daily calorie intake is 2000?3000 kcal for adult men and 1600?2400 kcal for adult women. Consuming high-calorie foods can lead to energy intake exceeding expenditure, making it easy to accumulate body fat.

For vegetables, eating them raw is necessary to fully absorb their nutrients. When eating salad, it is best to avoid dressing. For dishes like bibimbap that use vegetables as the main ingredient, it helps to keep the seasoning light and minimize the use of side ingredients.