4 nutrition takeaways from Korean BBQ

On my recent trip to Seoul, I left the Korean barbecue restaurant full of delicious food and admiration for the holistically nourishing aspects of the experience. ✨

This year we made the tough call to not visit the U.S. for Christmas. We really missed being with our families, but we made the best of it by taking a quick trip to Seoul, South Korea, which is only two hours away by plane and is in the same time zone as Okinawa.

My husband had been to Seoul before, but I hadn’t. He was eager to show me the spots that he had visited on earlier trips. We went on a tour of the demilitarized zone (DMZ), enjoyed hotteok at a Christmas market, visited a gaming cafe (South Korea is huge on PC gaming/e-sports), bought snail cream skincare at Olive Young, and navigated the impressive subway system.

But the thing that my husband was most excited for was going back to his favorite Korean BBQ spot. He really hyped it up, and it lived up to the hype. The restaurant was called Maple Tree House, and it was right near the hotel where we stayed. While there may be other, possibly better places to get KBBQ in Seoul, this one was so delicious and convenient that we ended up going there for dinner on 2 out of our 3 nights!

This was my first time experiencing actual Korean BBQ. And of course it felt even cooler because we were actually in South Korea! I enjoyed the experience so much that I was still thinking about our two Maple Tree House meals on our flight home. I think it can be argued that Korean BBQ meals have elements that truly nourish, beyond simply satisfying physical hunger. The KBBQ menu and style really stand out when considered from a nutrition perspective. Here are the 4 nutrition-related takeaways that occurred to me as I reflected on my KBBQ experience.

1. Colorful, health-promoting vegetables are front and center

   The typical side dishes, called banchan, are served family-style. They are very diverse (kimchi, potato salad, green salad, tofu with vegetables, vegetable soup, lettuce wraps, and more) and yet tie everything together, bringing a variety of textures to the meal and complementing the meat with color and levity on the side. I loved the visual appeal of the kimchi (pickled vegetables - 3 types) and the satisfying coolness and crunch. The emphasis on vegetables makes the meal micronutrient-dense (vitamins and minerals), fiber-filled, and antioxidant-rich!¹ And the fermentation process that kimchi goes through may lead to additional antibacterial and heart-health-promoting properties.¹

2. Meat is featured in quality over quantity 

   The meat, grilled right in front of us at our table (unlike some other KBBQ places, here the restaurant staff cooks it to make sure it turns out right!), is certainly the main event at any KBBQ spot. We chose beef bulgogi the first night, and Hanwoo sirloin steak the second time. We asked if we should order more meat than just the one choice each night, but our server assured us it would be enough. And it was plenty, but it wasn't meat in abundance like you might expect from an experience focused on the "barbecue" of it all. The meat was high-quality and well-prepared, and it stood out because of its balance in quantity with the other foods in the meal, not in spite of it. This balance is a great thing to practice beyond the KBBQ experience. Red meat consumption has been associated with increased risk for some cancers and heart disease because of its inflammatory saturated fat content,²  so it's important to enjoy it in moderation and in balance with vegetables and whole grains.

3. Family-style sides (with refills) allow control, ensuring you can eat as much or as little of what YOU like and need (with no scarcity mindset)

   The green salad that we were served was so delicious that I eventually realized I'd eaten it all myself and my husband hadn't gotten any! At that moment, our server appeared and asked us if we would like more salad. I agreed, mentally accepting the extra charges. But there were none. I appreciated the control and breeziness that this model provided. The sides were served in small enough quantities that little was wasted if it wasn't eaten, but topped off if desired. This allowed for us to choose what and how much we wanted to eat without worrying about running out or mindlessly eating more than we wanted just because it was there.

4. The meal is an inherently connective experience

   The family-style meal and having the meat grilled at our table made the entire experience feel very shared and connection-focused. My husband and I connected over combining the banchan to create lettuce wraps and different flavor profiles. We also connected with our server, who graciously guided us in the experience. And looking around the restaurant showed that others were having a similar experience: at once intimate with your dining partner(s), but also grounded and connected to the entire restaurant and to the food that's being cooked in front of you. ✨

KBBQ was a different experience than I expected, particularly when it came to the side dishes. I'm glad that I got the chance to enjoy it this holiday season. Feel free to take this as your sign to make a trip to your nearest KBBQ (or similar style) restaurant soon. 😉

Thanks for reading! Have questions or comments? Email me here!

References

1. Patra JK, Das G, Paramithiotis S, Shin HS. Kimchi and Other Widely Consumed Traditional Fermented Foods of Korea: A Review. Front Microbiol. 2016;7:1493. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.01493

2. Grosso G, La Vignera S, Condorelli RA, et al. Total, red and processed meat consumption and human health: an umbrella review of observational studies. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2022;73(6):726-737. doi:10.1080/09637486.2022.2050996