Holding a steaming bowl of hot and spicy stew, mixing it with fragrant stone pot rice... Such scenes are now firmly etched in the minds of more and more Chinese people, and "Korean cuisine" has become a favorite of the "Korean-wave" enthusiasts. However, a survey on cancer patients in South Korea recently released by the National Health Insurance Service has struck a discordant note at this time. The report suggests that the prevalent Korean diet lays the groundwork for a high incidence of cancer.
Currently, the incidence of stomach cancer, thyroid cancer, and colorectal cancer in South Korea remains high, making them the "top three" cancer killers in the country. When investigating the causes, dietary factors are the primary culprit. Therefore, the South Korean medical community is urging that to control the currently high rates of cancer, it is crucial to change the traditional dietary structure.
Stomach cancer is currently the number one killer of the South Korean people. Unlike the situation in many other countries around the world (including China), where lung cancer is the primary enemy, this is due to diet. Professor Jeong Hoyoung of the Department of Surgery at Kyungpook National University Hospital said that the two biggest characteristics of Korean dietary culture are: one, it is inseparable from chili peppers, and two, there is a dazzling array of preserved side dishes. Spicy kimchi, spicy cucumbers, spicy radishes... to name a few, they are all available. While constituting a major "highlight" of Korean cuisine, they also bring重重 (zhòngzhòng) hidden dangers. Because clinical data has confirmed that these foods are definitely the "culprits" causing cancer.