Bibimbap: The Healthy Food Trap

Bibimbap, with its mix of various vegetables, sesame oil, and fried egg, is known to many as a healthy dish. However, surprisingly many people complain of a sudden blood sugar spike after eating Bibimbap. Those who are in the pre-diabetes stage, in particular, need to pay extra attention to blood sugar management. What exactly in Bibimbap affects blood sugar levels?

The Hidden Danger of Gochujang

While Bibimbap contains many healthy ingredients, the amount of gochujang used can affect blood sugar levels. Gochujang contains about 15g of sugar and 35g of carbohydrates per 100g. Therefore, using a large amount of gochujang can lead to excessive intake of simple sugars, negatively impacting blood sugar management. It is advisable to choose low-sugar products when using gochujang.

How Eating Speed Affects Blood Sugar

Bibimbap is a dish that can easily be eaten in large quantities at once. Eating quickly can cause sugars and carbohydrates to be absorbed rapidly, leading to a sharp rise in blood sugar. This is also why foods like porridge or fruit juice are not recommended for diabetics. Therefore, it is recommended to take at least 20 minutes to eat Bibimbap. This can be particularly difficult when eating out, but try to develop the habit of eating as slowly as possible.

The Importance of Vegetable Ratio

The core of Bibimbap is its variety of vegetables and namul, but sometimes there can be too much rice and too few vegetables. In such cases, it's no different from mixing gochujang and rice, leading to a blood sugar spike. Vegetables and namul are rich in dietary fiber, which helps to raise blood sugar slowly. Therefore, it is important to include plenty of various vegetables and namul when preparing Bibimbap.

Bibimbap Preparation for Pre-Diabetes

For those in the pre-diabetes stage, the following methods are recommended when preparing Bibimbap:

• Make sure to include plenty of various vegetables.
• If low-sugar gochujang is unavailable, try using low-sodium soy sauce or doenjang (soybean paste).
• Before mixing, mix half of the vegetables and namul with savory sesame oil and eat them first.
• Mix the remaining half with rice and eat.

This way, the vegetables eaten first will fill your stomach, helping to raise blood sugar more gradually. For those who need blood sugar management, reducing the amount of rice is especially important. On the other hand, healthy individuals with normal blood sugar levels don't need to worry this much. However, those in the pre-diabetes stage need to carefully manage their blood sugar in this manner. It's too late to regret it after receiving a diabetes diagnosis.