Lee Young-seok, director and founding president of the Korean Society of Clinical Cancer Metabolic Medicine, has named budae-jjigae (army stew) and jeotgal (salted fermented seafood) and pickled foods as items that could increase cancer risk among the foods Koreans frequently consume.
Appearing recently on the YouTube channel "Smart Spoon," Lee was asked which foods on the Korean dining table could cause cancer. "Korean food is generally healthier than Western food," he said. "But the problem is that Koreans like strongly flavored foods."
The first food Lee pointed to was budae-jjigae. "Budae-jjigae is one of the foods with quite a few problems," he said. "Looking at the ingredients, it contains processed meat products such as bacon and ham."
Ham and sausages used in budae-jjigae are representative processed meats. Processed meats often contain additives such as sodium nitrite for preservation and color enhancement. Critics point out that this component can react with certain substances in the body to produce harmful compounds, and can stimulate the stomach and intestinal mucosa to trigger inflammatory responses.
The high saturated fat content in processed meats is also cited as a problem. Excessive intake of saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, and over the long term, can have adverse effects on vascular health.
The habit of frequently consuming salty broths was also mentioned as a risk factor. "Aside from budae-jjigae, when eating stews in general, people end up consuming a lot of broth," Lee said. "Food additives used for flavoring are largely dissolved in the broth."
Experts advise that when eating stews, reducing broth intake and focusing on the solid ingredients helps lower sodium intake. According to research by the Department of Food and Nutrition at Kookmin University, eating only the solid ingredients from broth-based dishes and not drinking the broth can reduce sodium intake by approximately two-thirds.
The second food Lee cited was jeotgal and pickled foods. "Jeotgal is the worst for health," he said. "A lot of salt is used during the salting process, and carcinogens are produced during that process." He added, "Besides this, pickled foods such as oiji (pickled cucumbers) are also problematic."
Jeotgal and pickled foods are side dishes commonly seen on the Korean dining table, but they generally have high salt content. Sustained consumption of high-salt foods over a long period can stimulate and damage the stomach mucosa, putting strain on stomach health.
There is also research analyzing the link between pickled vegetables and esophageal cancer. According to a meta-analysis study published in the British Journal of Cancer, which analyzed 34 papers on the correlation between food and esophageal cancer, people who consumed large amounts of pickled vegetables were found to have a higher risk of developing esophageal cancer than those who did not.
Experts emphasize that eating a specific food once does not immediately cause cancer, but dietary habits of frequently consuming processed meats, salty broths, and jeotgal and pickled foods can be a burden on health over the long term. They explain that dietary adjustments are needed, such as eating stews focusing on the solid ingredients rather than the broth, and reducing the amount of jeotgal and pickled side dishes.
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