The Power of Food

Hello dear subscribers,

How's your start to 2025? In today's fast-paced world, we're blessed with an abundance of information and AI at our fingertips, ready to assist and enlighten us. This edition of my newsletter dives into the heart of traditional Korean cuisine and its role in managing diabetes, through the lens of my family's dietary journey. While it might echo the story of many Korean households, I hope to shed new light on these culinary practices for those unfamiliar with their health benefits.

Mother's Love, A Healthy Table

My mother, the tireless breadwinner of our family, never compromised on preparing nutritious meals, despite her full schedule. Reflecting on those days, her ability to juggle work and home is nothing short of remarkable. Her dedication to our health and well-being was evident in every meal she lovingly prepared.

Wise Choices for Better Health

Perhaps influenced by my father's health needs, my mother cooked with minimal sugar and salt. We rarely dined out, making her home-cooked meals the most delicious and familiar food of my childhood. Unlike the intense flavors typical of restaurant fare, her dishes were subtle yet significantly healthier. Our home was almost free from instant foods, sodas, or sugary treats, fostering my lifelong preference for wholesome, natural foods.

Balanced Diet, Healthy Life

Meat was rarely the centerpiece of our meals, even though we were not vegetarians. Our protein came mostly from beans, tofu, fish, and eggs, with vegetables taking up a substantial part of our diet. These early eating habits profoundly shaped my dietary preferences to this day, where I find myself naturally inclined towards lighter, fresher meals.

Traditional Korean Cuisine: Wisdom in Diabetes Management

Instead of listing diabetes-friendly foods in general, I want to highlight the healthy eating practices rooted in my family's experience, particularly my mother's approach to managing her diabetes.

The Healthy Composition of Korean Meals: Rice and Side Dishes (Banchan)

Our meals typically consisted of mixed grain rice, rich in fiber and excellent for blood sugar control, accompanied by various vegetable-based side dishes like stir-fried zucchini, blanched seasonal greens, and sautéed mushrooms with onions.

The Health Secret: Traditional Fermented Foods

Our family favorite, passed down now to my children, is doenjang soup. What makes this traditional soup so special extends beyond its comforting taste - recent research published in the Journal of Ethnic Foods (2024) reveals that this soup, made from homemade fermented soybean paste, enhanced through fermentation, contains beneficial compounds like polyphenols and isoflavones, offering antioxidant properties and various health benefits such as anticancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects. It's fascinating to see modern science validating what our ancestors seemed to know intuitively through generations of traditional cooking.

The Power of Food and Gratitude

The foods we ate were naturally conducive to health. Through personal experience, I've learned the critical role food plays in maintaining our well-being, just as essential as regular exercise. These recipes, passed down from my mother, are not only my favorite dishes but also a legacy I'm passing on to my children.

Share Your Story

Healthy eating is deeply personal and often rooted in family traditions and stories. Do you have special health recipes, diabetes-friendly dishes, or cherished family cooking secrets? Please share them with us! Your story could inspire health and hope in others. 

See you next week. Have a healthy day!

With warmest regards,

Autumn.

Disclaimer: The health information provided in this newsletter is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace personalized medical advice. If you have diabetes or any other health condition, please consult your healthcare provider before making any dietary or lifestyle changes.

Reference:

Park, Y.K., Kim, J., Ryu, M.S., Jeong, D.Y., & Yang, H.J. (2024). Review of physiological compounds and health benefits of soybean paste (doenjang): exploring its bioactive components. Journal of Ethnic Foods, 11(30), 1-12. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-024-00244-4.