A practicing cardiothoracic surgery professor who has successfully lost more than 30 kilograms has revealed a low-carbohydrate diet that favors meat over rice. The approach, which reduces refined carbohydrates and centers meals around protein, is drawing attention for its benefits not only in weight loss but also in blood sugar management.
According to the medical community on Wednesday, a low-carbohydrate diet reduces intake of carbohydrates such as rice, bread and noodles while increasing the proportion of protein and fat.
Restricting carbohydrates narrows the range of blood sugar fluctuations in the body and suppresses insulin secretion, creating an environment in which fat is more easily used as an energy source. For this reason, it is a preferred method among people who aim to lose weight and control blood sugar simultaneously.
Refined carbohydrates, in particular, tend to trigger blood sugar spikes that rapidly raise glucose levels after consumption. A blood sugar spike refers to the phenomenon in which postprandial blood sugar rises and falls sharply, and repeated occurrences increase the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Rapidly digested and absorbed carbohydrates such as white rice, rice cakes and flour-based foods are cited as the main culprits.
When practicing a low-carbohydrate diet, it is important not merely to cut carbohydrates but to fill that space with quality protein. Protein digests slowly, keeping people feeling full longer and helping preserve muscle mass. It is recommended to focus on unprocessed protein sources such as chicken breast, tofu, fish and boiled pork.
Jang Hyung-woo, professor of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, recently appeared on the YouTube channel "Geonkang IN-euro" and credited a low-carbohydrate diet as the secret to his 38-kilogram weight loss.
"If there is meat, kimchi and rice, I give up the rice," Jang said. He added that he rarely eats bread or spaghetti because they do not digest well, and he avoids carbohydrate-heavy foods such as tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), gimbap and ramen whenever possible. "Eating bossam (boiled pork wraps) or samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) is a better choice than tteokbokki," he said.
Tteokbokki indeed contains a high proportion of refined carbohydrates and a considerable amount of sodium. According to research from Queen Mary University of London, a one-gram increase in salt intake raises the likelihood of weight gain by more than 20 percent. Boiled pork, the main ingredient of bossam, is rich in protein, which enhances satiety and helps prevent overeating.
However, bossam is not low in calories either, and accompanying foods such as salted shrimp, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) and kimchi tend to be high in sodium. It is advisable to limit portions to 100 to 150 grams per meal and to serve it with plenty of vegetables.
