Recently, the American New York Times ranked Korean tofu soup first in its recommended foods for dining out. Unlike the light and delicate tofu soup in China, Korean tofu soup is a pot of fiery, boiling red broth. Pale yellow raw eggs and snow-white tofu float in the soup, which is enough to whet anyone's appetite.
Is it advisable to eat food that is both spicy and piping hot?
Koreans have a preference for food that is both spicy and hot. Besides tofu soup, there are stir-fried rice cakes, stir-fried squid, and bibimbap. Stir-fried rice cakes are paired with a rich chili sauce and crisp vegetables, creating a rich texture. When stir-frying squid, more chili sauce is used than when boiling it, with the tender squid submerged in a vibrant red chili sauce. Bibimbap, on the other hand, involves adding a red chili sauce over white rice.
From a nutritional perspective, does a preference for spicy and hot food affect one's health? Experts believe that the spiciness of chili peppers is mainly due to capsaicin. Capsaicin can inhibit the release of substance P, which causes pain, creating a pleasant and nerve-exciting effect. It can also stimulate the human body to secrete anti-cancer substances. Furthermore, capsaicin promotes human metabolism, making it harder for fat to accumulate, thus achieving a weight-loss effect.
However, experts have repeatedly reminded Koreans that excessive consumption of spicy and hot food can have certain health effects. Most Koreans suffer from varying degrees of gastrointestinal diseases, which are adverse consequences of their dietary habits. Experts say that excessive consumption of spicy food by pregnant women can increase the probability of their babies developing dermatitis.
A love-hate relationship: The spicy and hot boiled fish
Currently, several famous restaurants in Beijing that specialize in boiled fish are doing a booming business, with almost all of them having to call out numbers for customers during peak dining hours. Other restaurants of various styles also generally offer boiled fish on their menu, and it is ordered quite frequently. To understand people's love for boiled fish and the topic of its relationship with human health, the author conducted a small survey among 25 diners.
Survey questions: Whether they love to eat boiled fish, how often they eat it, and whether they have considered its impact on their health.
Survey results: Among the respondents, 91% had eaten boiled fish before. Of these, 17% loved it very much, 75% liked it generally, and 8% found it acceptable.