From Naengmyeon to Sikhye and Ice Cream... How Cold Food Habits Cause a Vicious Cycle of Visceral Fat

64-year-old Kim Seong-hee is experiencing psychological withdrawal due to her recently and rapidly increased belly fat. She confessed that she becomes conscious of others' gazes when going out and that her confidence has dropped due to the change in her body shape. A CT scan conducted to check Kim's health status showed that her subcutaneous fat level was over 600 and her visceral fat area reached 162. These figures significantly exceed the normal range.

A 'Cold Food' eating habit ranging from Naengmyeon to Sikhye and ice cream

Kim's daily eating habits were identified as one of the main causes of her weight gain and visceral fat accumulation. Unable to endure the heat, Kim enjoyed cool Naengmyeon, often adding excessive amounts of ice, and had a habit of pairing meals with Sikhye and ice cream. In the case of ice cream, she showed a heavy reliance on cold desserts, eating 4 to 5 at a time or buying a week's worth and consuming it all in just one or two days.

When body temperature drops, the body stores fat to protect organs

Experts analyzed that this eating habit centered on 'cold foods' creates a vicious cycle that increases visceral fat. Frequently consuming extremely cold foods lowers gastrointestinal function, reducing the ability to break down and digest food. If undigested food stays in the intestines for a long time, harmful bacteria increase and intestinal toxins are produced.

Furthermore, when body temperature drops due to the consumption of cold foods, the body reacts by trying to store more fat around the organs to protect them. In other words, the cold food eaten to cool down the heat results in the accumulation of visceral fat.

High calories and sugar content are also variables

The high sugar content and calories of cold foods are also problematic. One bowl of Mul-naengmyeon contains approximately 552 kcal and up to 6g of sugar. In the case of one glass of Sikhye (about 250 kcal), the sugar content reaches 8g per 100ml, meaning drinking just one cup results in the intake of about 24g of sugar. Habitually consuming these high-calorie, high-sugar foods becomes a factor that exacerbates visceral fat problems.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)