Japchae, a stir-fried glass noodle dish that appears on nearly every holiday and banquet table in South Korea, looks healthy because it is packed with vegetables and meat. But because its main ingredient is sweet potato starch noodles, combined with oil-fried ingredients and sweet, salty seasoning, eating a large portion at once can strain not only blood sugar control but also the pancreas during digestion, according to a specialist.
Yang Hyuk-yong, a physician and full member of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, said on the YouTube channel "Taste of Knowledge" that "stir-fried vegetables and glass noodles push blood sugar up steeply." The oil used in cooking, Yang added, overloads fat-digesting enzymes and overworks the pancreas.
Noodles Plus Oil Means More Work for the Pancreas
The pancreas secretes insulin to regulate blood sugar while also producing enzymes needed to digest food and sending them to the small intestine. According to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the digestive juices made in the pancreas contain enzymes that break down carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Lipase, secreted by the pancreas, plays a particularly important role in digesting fat.
Japchae is made by stir-frying not only the glass noodles but also vegetables and meat in oil, then tossing everything together. "These are cooked carrots, not raw carrots, so all of it puts a burden on blood sugar," Yang said.
Seasoning made with soy sauce and sugar is added on top of that, and during holidays japchae is often eaten alongside rice, tteokguk rice cake soup or jeon pancakes. It is worth looking at the total amount of carbohydrates and fat consumed in a single meal, not just the portion of japchae itself.
To Enjoy Japchae, Start by Cutting the Noodles and Oil
That does not mean japchae must be avoided. For those managing blood sugar or weight, it helps to reduce the proportion of glass noodles and increase the share of other ingredients such as mushrooms, vegetables and meat.
Cutting back on the oil and sugar used in cooking is another approach. Konjac noodles, which are lower in calories and carbohydrates, can also be used in place of some of the starch noodles.
Controlling the portion matters most when japchae is eaten with carbohydrate-heavy foods such as rice or tteokguk. Eating vegetables and protein foods together and considering the total carbohydrate and fat intake of the whole meal can help reduce the burden on blood sugar and the pancreas.
