By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter 
Employees enjoying Samgyetang for a meal. /Korea Times |
However, don't forget such health-preserving foods can affect some people negatively if there is a mismatch of foods with personal body type.
According to ``Sasang Constitutional Medicine Theory,'' humans are divided into four different types based on their body traits _ taeyang, soyang, taeum and soum type.
The Sasang typology is a traditional Korean medical typology, which was systematically developed by Lee Jae-ma (1838-1900), an Oriental Medicine doctor of the Choson Kingdom, in his book on the principles of life preservation in oriental medicine.
With nutritious and energizing foods tailored to your body traits, you can protect yourself from sweltering heat. ``Malbok,'' one of the three days that mark midsummer is coming. This year it falls on Aug. 9.
Eels for Taeumin
Taeumin is the most common body type among Koreans. Taeum people feature thick waists, a weak nape of the neck and robust-looking faces. Taeum people tend to gain weight easily, so lowering fat-intake is very important. Taeum people should be careful not to become overweight.
They have weaker respiratory and circulation systems, so are more likely to develop conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke, bronchitis and asthma.
However, this type of people has strong liver systems.
For these people, eels are the best food. Abundant in quality protein and fat, eels provide stamina during midsummer.
The unsaturated fatty acid abundant in eels lowers cholesterol levels and prevents sclerosis of the arteries.
Also, eels contain Vitamin B1 and B2 and A, D, E, which are effective in preventing cancer and the symptoms of aging and protect the skin.
Eels have a high level of protein, which strengthens the lungs and large intestines. Taeumin are also advised to eat beans as they have a developed liver but relatively weaker lungs.
Duck Meat for Soyangin
Sogyang people have a developed chest and small hips. In general, they have small, thin lips and narrow jaws. Soyang people have a relatively well-developed spleen and weaker kidneys.
They have strong digestion but have problems with urinary organs and the backbone, or develop a rash after eating inadequate food.
Due to lots of heat around the chest, soyang people usually do not have a problem eating cold foods.
Duck meat, rich in amino acid and unsaturated fatty acids, is good for soyang people who are hot-tempered with whimsical characters.
Duck meat has been dwarfed by the popularity of chicken in summer. But due to its alkali rarely found in other meats, duck is especially good at stopping hardening of arteries and lowering blood pressure.
Samgyetang for Soumin
Soum people have developed hips and a weak chest and generally look smart. Soum people often suffer from problems related to indigestion because of weak digestive systems.
Soum people sweat a lot and sometimes have diarrhea because of weak digestive organs.
``Samgyetang'', or chicken soup, is the best food for soum people as the dish has much more protein than any other meat and is easily digested.
A bowl of samgyetang holds a whole chicken stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng, gingko nuts, and other delicacies.
In ``samgyetang,'' it is better to stuff the chicken with glutinous rice rather than non-glutinous rice to help digestion.
Too much ginseng that adds heat to the soup could be harmful to Soum.
Buckwheat Noodles for Taeyangin
Taeyang people, a rare type among Koreans, usually have a developed nape of the neck and slender waist with large and thin shiny eyes. They have relatively highly developed lungs but a weak liver.
Taeyang people are advised to eat food low in fats to protect their liver.
Also, cold foods rather than hot foods are better to reduce the heat found in taeyang people.
Particularly in midsummer, taeyang people tend to vomit due to minor body problems arising from heat.
Buckwheat noodles are very good for taeyang people, especially when they feel weary from scorching heat, because the noodles are cold.
Buckwheat noodles strengthen stomach and intestines, thus preventing diarrhea.
Posintang (dog meat)
Although ``posintang'' is a controversial dish because of protests by animal rights advocates both at home and abroad, it is the favorite summer stamina food for Koreans. The meat is one of the most popular foods in Korea, especially during summer.
Posintang is made by boiling dog meat with thin soy paste, tearing it into pieces, and adding ingredients such as assorted vegetables and lettuce, and ginger with sesame oil.
Dog meat soup tastes similar to most Korean traditional soups such as toenjang or kimchi chigae.
The meat, rich in proteins, contains enzymes similar to those in humans. Dog food is easily digestible and provides a recuperative effect.
인기도 :
