Running head: CULTURAL SCHOLARLY PAPER
Cultural Scholarly Paper
Meishel Fortino
Ferris State University
Population Based Health Promotion
NURS 310
Florence Dood MSN, BSN, RN
October 07, 2013
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Cultural Scholarly Paper
There are numerous food guides provided by various countries. The reason for different
guidelines is, “various cultures have different food availabilities, food preferences, dietary
patterns, and cultural definitions of foods.” (Painter, Rah, & Lee, 2002, p. 483) The Korean
Food Bicycle and the United States MyPlate have many similar recommendations for healthy
eating with only a few subtle differences. When looking at my own eating habits and
preferences and eating habits, I notice a great difference among both countries guidelines.
Korean Culture and Cuisine
The Korean Food Bicycle was created around the country’s agriculture, cultural meal
patterns and regional health concerns. Religious beliefs and holidays also have an impact on the
nation’s food habits.
Topography and Agriculture
Korea is located in East Asia. It is surrounded on three sides by the Yellow Sea, East Sea
and Korea Straight with seventy percent of the land covered by mountains (Korea.net, n.d.).
There are three major mountain ranges and because of this there is “only 22 percent arable land
and less rainfall than most other neighboring rice-growing countries” (Mongabay.com, 20002013, agriculture: para. 3).
In 1963, most South Koreans were farmers, with sixty-three percent of the population
living in rural areas. By 1989, South Korea grew from a primarily rural nation into an urban,
newly industrialized land. This brought the agricultural workforce to only 21 percent
(Mongabay.com, 2000-2013). “The enormous growth of urban areas led to a rapid decrease of
available farmland, while at the same time population increases and bigger incomes meant that
the demand for food greatly outstripped supply. The result of these developments was that by the
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late 1980s roughly half of South Korea's needs, mainly wheat and animal feed corn, was
imported”(Mongabay.com, 2000-2013, agriculture: para. 3).
Importing and exporting became a necessary source for food supply. In 1985, “fishing
trawlers brought in about 250,000 tons of Pollock off the coast of Alaska… a catch that both
contributed to the South Korean diet and was exported to United States food processors”
(Mongabay.com, 2000-2013, forestry and fishing: para. 5).
Staple Foods and Meal Patterns
The main food staples in the Korean diet include rice and kimchi. Kimchi is “a mixture
of various pickled vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, radish, green onion and cucumber”
(Korea.net, n.d., food: para. 2). The Korean culture is known for its many side dishes that
accompany a traditional meal. These side dishes are called, “banchan” and are served in odd
numbers such as three side dishes or five side dishes ("The South Korean Consumer," 2011).
Other staple foods include: noodles, porridge, soup and stews. Tea, cookies and rice cakes, made
with seasonal fruits, are often served as a dessert or snack (Korea.net, n.d.).
Korean food is frequently called, “hansik”. A typical Korean meal pattern consists of a
light breakfast, noodles or soup for lunch and then an elaborate, well-planned dinner ("The South
Korean Consumer," 2011). Numbers and balance play an important role in traditional Korean
dining. “Meals are planned using a color scheme representing the five elements to achieve
optimal attractiveness, with respect to the visual appeal of the dish, as well as health. Water,
wood, fire, metal and earth are represented by food colors yellow, green, red, white and black,
respectively… The basic tastes of a food, referred to as seasonings, are also grouped into five
categories: salty, sweet, sour, spicy and bitter” ("The South Korean Consumer," 2011, Korean
dining: para. 5).
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Holidays and Religion
The Korean’s have several festivals that are timed around the lunar cycle. Among them
are Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day) and Daeboreum. Daeboreum is a much anticipated holiday
that occurs on the first full moon of the year after Seollal. “During this holiday, farmers and
fishermen pray for a bountiful harvest and catch, and ordinary households express yearning for a
fortuitous year and the prevention of bad luck by preparing special dishes of seasonal
vegetables” (Korea.net, n.d., festivals: para. 3).
Buddhism is the predominant religion in Korea. According to a 2005 census, “Buddhists
account for some 43% of the religious population, followed by Protestants at 34.5% and
Catholics at 20.6%” (Korea.net, n.d., religion: para. 3). Most Buddhists are vegetarian, but not
all. Those that follow the vegetarian diet and beliefs argue, “Eating meat encourages an industry
that causes cruelty and death to millions of animals and a truly compassionate person would wish
to mitigate all this suffering” (Buddhist Studies, n.d., para. 4).
Eating for Health
Most Korean foods are prepared with the belief in their medicinal qualities. Koreans feel
the foods and liquids they consume will “prevent certain health conditions, maintain good health,
or treat specific health issues, such as diabetes” ("The South Korean Consumer," 2011, Trends:
para. 4). In 2008, Health Magazine recognized kimchi as “one of the world’s five most
healthiest foods… it is rich in lactobacilli which help digestion. It also contains high levels of
vitamins A, B, and C, and has a high fiber content which aids bowel function” ("The South
Korean Consumer," 2011, Korean cuisine: para. 4). Doenjang is a soy bean paste that has anticancer attributes. The Korean people used to make this paste by, “boiling yellow beans, drying
them in the shade, soaking them in salty water, and fermenting them in sunlight” (Korea.net,
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n.d., food: para. 4). Doenjang is still used in current Korean dishes, but it can now be purchased
already processed at a store.
Personal Cultural and Food Choices
I am South Korean, but was adopted into an Italian-American family at five months old.
Raised by Caucasian parents, I was raised with combination of Western and Mediterranean
beliefs and values, including dietary and eating habits. Pasta and meats with rich sauces were a
part of my weekly diet. With my mother working full time and being a single parent, there were
also many nights dinner came from a pizza box or fast-food bag.
Religious Impact
As a Roman Catholic, the Lenten season is a period where some eating habits are
changed. Fasting is a common practice on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. There was also
the sacrifice of abstaining from meat on Fridays for the seven weeks of Lent. Fish is allowed
and many parishioners would get together for Friday fish-fry’s or meatless spaghetti dinners.
Holidays
The first thing that comes to mind at the mention of holiday time is all the delicious food
that accompanies it. Thanksgiving is filled with the usual traditional dishes: Honeybaked ham,
turkey, green bean casserole, cranberries, stuffing, pumpkin and apple pies. On Christmas, I try
to incorporate my family’s heritage and prepare an Italian dish such as pasta or Italian stew. A
typical side for either of these dishes would be garlic bread and a tossed salad with vinegar and
oil dressing. It is custom for my family to ring in the New Year with several appetizers
including: Italian olives, provolone cheese, pepperoni, Italian bread, pigs-in-a-blanket, veggie
pizza, pickle and onion wraps. Holidays are a very special time to spend with family and while
that is enough, it would feel a bit lacking without our special foods that are associated with them.
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Comfort Foods and Health Risks
My comfort foods usually include a lot of carbs and a lot of fat. Pasta in any form is a
go-to meal. Whether it’s covered in marinara or with just a little olive oil and herbs, I know that
I will feel satisfied after eating that type of meal. Potato chips and dip are another food that I
seek out when bored or lonely.
These are high in carbohydrates, fat and sodium. Too many carbohydrates are quite
dangerous for me. I was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago. I have learned to cut back on
simple sugars, but it is very difficult because my body craves these foods. I have also reduced
my fat intake after lab work showed high levels of triglycerides in my blood stream. After a
follow up visit, my blood glucose and triglycerides were at a healthy/normal level. I am
constantly tempted by comfort foods and am not always able to resist. However, I continue to
strive to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into my diet.
MyPlate vs. Food Bicycle
The United States nutrition guidelines are diagramed on a food plate and are called,
MyPlate. It is divided into five different sections of approximately 30 percent grains, 30 percent
vegetables, 20 percent fruits and 20 percent protein, supplemented by a smaller circle
representing dairy (Wikipedia.org, 2013).
Korea uses a Food Bicycle to display their recommended daily food allowances. It
shows a “small front wheel filled with water and a large rear wheel composed of approximately
one-third grains; 20 percent meat, fish, eggs and beans; 20 percent vegetables; 12 percent fruits;
12 percent dairy; and 3 percent oils and sugars. A person is pedaling the bicycle, representing
exercise” (Wikipedia.org, 2013, para. 20).
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I prefer the Korean Food Bicycle to the US MyPlate. It allows for more grains and dairy.
The Bicycle also has a sixth category of oils and sugars. The portion I appreciate most is person
pedaling the bicycle representing exercise. The chart used prior to MyPlate was MyPyramid, it
showed a person walking up steps, representing the exercise piece of healthy living for
Americans. This portion is not pictorially depicted on the updated MyPlate. It is important as
America grows more obese, that we have constant reminders to include physical activity into our
daily lives.
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References
Buddhist Studies. (n.d.). http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/dharmadata/fdd21.htm
Korea.net. (n.d.). http://www.korea.net/AboutKorea/Korean-Life
Mongabay.com. (2000-2013). http://www.mongabay.com/history/south_korea/south_korea.html
Painter, J., Rah, J., & Lee, Y. (2002, April). Comparison of international food guide pictorial
representations. Journal of The American Dietetic Association, 4, 483-489.
The South Korean consumer: Behaviour, attitudes and perceptions toward food products. (2011).
Retrieved from http://www.ats-sea.agr.gc.ca/asi/5799-eng.htm
Wikipedia.org. (2013). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nutrition_guides#South_Korea