Feed Your Cold Korean Style


Background photo by Young Suk Yun via Flickr

You’ve heard the old saying “feed a cold,” right? Well, Koreans definitely believe in that advice. Even now as an adult, if I sneeze or cough in front of my mother, she immediately starts to make juk or ginger tea. Although every household will have its own kitchen remedy for a cold, here are a few of the common ones Koreans turn to when they are sick.

 

Juk is a warm porridge made from rice, beans, sesame and red beans (azuki). It’s the quintessential “get well” dish in Korea. Juk is served whenever anyone is recovering from illness or surgery. The grains are cooked slowly, making this dish very soft and easily digestible. The grains are full of nutrients and help replenish the body’s needs. It’s also a popular baby food.
Juk, Photo by Chloe Lim via Flickr.
Kongnamulguk, or soybean sprout soup, is eaten daily in some Korean households. It’s a simple, non-spicy soup that’s perfect for indigestion or when you’re feeling queasy. Kongnamulguk is light and healthy, high in vitamin C and low in calories. It’s also a good remedy for hangovers. If you prefer things on the spicy side, you can add hot pepper flakes or kimchi.
Kongnamulguk
Samgyetang is the Korean version of chicken soup. It’s not just broth with a bit of chicken in it. Samgyetang features an entire whole young chicken filled with garlic, rice, scallions, jujube (dates) and Korean ginseng. Ginseng is renowned for its medicinal properties such as boosting energy and immune system.
Samgyetang
If you have a baby in Korea, be prepared to eatmiyeokguk. It’s a seaweed soup full of nutrients that help with postpartum recovery while also aiding the production of breast milk. Because of miyeokguk’s association with childbirth, it’s also a Korean tradition to eat it on birthdays. Nonetheless, you do not have to have a baby to enjoy this delicious soup. Seaweed is high in iodine, calcium, iron, magnesium and has more vitamin C than oranges. It’s the perfect soup to fight off a cold.
miyeokguk

Koreans enjoy ginseng tea as an energy booster. However, ginseng’s ability to help boost the fighting power of white blood cells (the cells that destroy bacteria and viruses ) make it a powerful ally in battling a cold. You can make the tea by boiling a ginseng root or with pre-made tea bags. Sweeten with a bit of honey; as an added benefit, honey helps soothe a sore throat.

Buy ginseng tea here.

Baesuk, Photo courtesy of Naver.com.Naver.com

Maesilcha, or Korean plum tea, is sweet and mildly tangy. The tea helps fight fatigue as well as indigestion. It can also help detoxify the body and relieve symptoms of food poisoning and diarrhea. The tea is sold as an extract or combined with honey and sugar in a marmalade-like preserve. The plum tea concentrate is then mixed with water (hot or cold) and consumed to relieve upset stomachs.

Buy maesilcha here.

Maesilcha

Boricha is roasted barley tea. It’s often consumed in place of water (hot or cold) in Korea. Barley is full of antioxidants. It is also known to aid in digestion and act as a fever reducer. The barley helps to cool down the body and cleanses the system, ridding it of toxins. Its taste is nutty and slightly sweet; it reminds me of a light beer, but without the alcohol and carbonation.

Buy boricha here.

Boricha

Saenggangcha is one of my favorite teas. It’s ginger tea flavored with honey and cinnamon. It helps relieve a multitude of symptoms such as upset stomachs, coughs, sore throats and it also clears mucus. The ginger and cinnamon in the tea improve circulation and help warm the body- perfect for cold, dreary days. Saenggangcha is not recommended to drink if you have a fever due to its warming nature.

Buy saenggangcha here.

Saenggangcha
Ssanghwacha, is a deep brown colored tea with a slightly bitter taste. “Ssang” means energy and “haw” means harmony. The name of the tea derives from an ancient medical practice used to supplement energy and give the body a balanced state of stability (yin and yang). Ssanghwacha is treat fatigue, physical weakness and cold sweats. Ssanghwacha can be made by boiling down a number of medicinal herbs along with ginger, jujube and cinnamon. However, many people today buy it pre-made in medicinal herb shops, pharmacies, or supermarkets.
Ssanghwacha


The next time you are feeling under the weather, do what the Koreans do: feed your cold with yummy foods! It’s definitely a tastier way to endure a cold, and it just might speed your recovery.


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