KOREAN AMERICANS

Introduction
There are more than one million Korean Americans living in the United States. 1
The food patterns of this Asian subgroup tend to be closely aligned with
traditional Korean diets.2 A relationship can be seen between the length of
residence in the US and the degree to which food choices resemble American
eating patterns.3,4 Two key factors of food acculturation are geographic location
and the availability of Korean foods. However, regardless of location there is often Figure 1. A traditional Korean
dish by the name of bibimbap.
low compliance to dietary restrictions with this population in the health care
setting due to the lack of availability of Korean foods. Thus, it is
important to understand the Korean culture and food patterns
which are discussed throughout this handout, to provide Koreans
with better nutritional care.5

Traditional Meal Patterns and Dishes

A traditional meal contains rice, soup, a portion of pickled and fermented vegetables called kimchi, and up
to 12 side dishes. Fresh fruit is commonly consumed after a meal. 7 Sweet desserts are typically reserved for
special occasions or celebrations.
Traditional Korean meals do not contain any dairy products. Hence, soy and soy products, such as tofu,
along with dried anchovies and other bone-in fish constitute the primary source of calcium.8
Traditional dishes9:
Health Beliefs and Practices
Western medicine treats the symptoms of
illness with medications and surgery, often
to only follow-up later to treat the root
cause11. Korean medicine, however, looks at
the root cause from the outset and treats the
imbalance of yin and yang within the body
using herbs, oils, and natural remedies10:
Figure 2. Example of traditional
Korean fare, featuring multiple side
dishes
acupuncture: use of needles at
pressure points on the body
cupping: suctions the skin and
increases blood flow and circulation
moxibustion: heats certain points on
the body by burning a substance on the
skin
chuna: massaging the body by tapping
or pressing with fingers and palms in
certain areas
The traditional Korean diet is high in plant-based foods and
lower in animal products. Carbohydrates are the major energy
source, a large portion of which can be attributed to rice
consumption.6
Rice Bap: Boiled short grain rice
Gumjeongkongbap: Boiled rice and black beans
Soup/stew Doenjang chigae: Soybean paste soup
: Kimchi chigae: kimchi stew
Guksoo: noodles served in anchovy or beef-
based soup
Kimchi -- Radish, napa cabbage or other choice of
vegetables
-- Red pepper powder or flakes, garlic, ginger,
salt, green onion, and fish sauce (optional).
-- Brined and mixed with seasonings.
-- Spicy and high in sodium. A good source of
vitamins A, C and fiber.
Side Sigeumchi muchim: Blanched and lightly
Dishes seasoned spinach
Yeon duboo jjim: Seasoned and steamed soft
tofu.
Kongnamul muchim: Blanched and lightly
seasoned soy bean sprout.
Gaji muchim: Steamed and lightly seasoned
eggplant
Bulgogi: Marinated and broiled beef
Godeungoe gui: Broiled mackerel
Gaeran jjim: Steamed egg in a bowl
Bori cha : Roasted barley water, Mul : water.
Honey dew melon, Sakwa (apple)
Korean Practices Nutrition Counseling Considerations
Very close with family and tradition
Stick to natural cures Encourage healthy foods that are already present in
Consume foods/meals high in salt Korean culture:
Diets high in vegetable protein (e.g. soybeans,
Care for ill family at home grains) rather than animal protein
o Avoid nursing homes/outside care Fermented foods, such as kimchi
Travel to Korea to die/send body after death5 Choose whole grains:
Health Beliefs and Practices Continued Select brown rice over white rice
The traditional Korean diet has shown an
association with increased risk of certain chronic Increase calcium intake:
diseases, including11: Suggest non-dairy sources of calcium, such as
kale, collard greens, bok choy, almonds, tofu,
High blood pressure bone-in fish, and fortified products14
Intestinal diseases Decrease salt intake:
Diabetes Limit added table salt
Be mindful of salt coming from preserved
foods
Cook with lean meats instead of red meat:
Lean meats (e.g. chicken, turkey, and fish)
have less fat than red meat (e.g. beef and pork)
Limit added sugars, such as sweets and sugary
beverages
Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables
Figure 3. Many herbal Figure 4. Traditional Korean
remedies are used by side dishes may consist of
Koreans. Pictured here white rice and high salt Barriers to Good Nutrition
is mint herb. content. Among all Asian subgroups within the US, Koreans
are most likely to lack health insurance. 12 This,
along with other factors, can create barriers in their
ability to obtain good nutrition.

Barriers13:
Lack of health insurance coverage
o Not offered through an employer
o Unable to get coverage due to citizenship status
Cultural beliefs
o Low emphasis on preventative care
o Belief that a lack of symptoms indicates good health
Language barriers
o May not speak English fluently
Particularly first-generation immigrants
Health resources not offered in Korean
o Education
Lack of education about health promotion
 Unfamiliar with disease states

Communication Strategies: Figure 5. Korean street

Staff of the same gender as the patient helps communication market selling fish cakes.
Treat the patient with high levels of respect (addressing as sir/maam)
Be clear and concise, the patient may be confused but not tell you
Work hard and keep busy so the patient respects you (show urgency)
Understand that the patient has home remedies and family persuasions15
References
1. Lee SK, Sobal J, Frongillo EA. Acculturation, food consumption, and diet-related factors among Korean
Americans. J Nutr Educ Behav. 1999;31:321-330.
2. Yang E, Kerver J, Song W. Dietary patterns of Korean Americans described by factor analysis. J Am
Coll Nutr. 2005;24:115-121.
3. Park SY, Paik HY, Skinner JD, Ok SW, Spindler AA. Mothers acculturation and eating behaviors of
Korean American families in California. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2003;35:142-147.
4. Gordon BH, Yom MS, Cho P, Sucher KP. Dietary habits and health beliefs of Korean-Americans in the
San Francisco Bay Area. J Am Diet Assoc. 2000;100:1198-1201.
5. Shin Rim, Kyung. Shin Chol. Blanchette Lanoie, Patricia. Health and Health Care of Korean-American
Elders. Stanford.edu; http://web.stanford.edu/group/ethnoger/korean.html.
6. Kim KK, Yu ES, Chen EH, Cross N, Kim J, Brintnall RA. Nutritional status of Korean Americans:
Implications for cancer risk. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2000;27:1573-1583.
7. Kim SH, Oh SY. Cultural and nutritional aspects of traditional Korean diet. World Rev Nutr Diet.
1996;79:109-132.
8. Kim S, Moon S, Popkin B. The nutrition transition in South Korea. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71:44-53.
9. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Nutrition Care Manual. Traditional Korean Meal Plan.
https://www.nutritioncaremanual.org/topic.cfm?
ncm_category_id=11&ncm_toc_id=39222&ncm_heading=References&ncm_content_id=92624#Refere
nces. Accessed November 8, 2016.
10. Therapies of Korean Oriental Medicine. Korea.net. http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Society/view?
articleId=99361. March 14, 2012. Accessed December 10, 2016.
11. Ward BW, Clarke TC, Nugent CN, Schiller JS. Early release of selected estimates based on data from
the 2015 National Health Interview Survey. National Center for Health.
12. Huang, K, Carrasquillo. The Role of Citizenship, Employment, and Socioeconomic Characteristics in
Health Insurance Coverage Among Asian Subgroups in the United States. Medical Care.
2008;46(10):1093-1098.
13. Han, H-R, Kang, J, Kim, KB, Ryu, JP, Kim, MT. Barriers to and Strategies for Recruiting Korean
Americans for Community-Partnered Health Promotion Research. J Immigrant Health. 2007;9:137-146.
14. United States Department of Agriculture Web site. Non-Dairy Sources of Calcium.
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/dairy-calcium-sources. Accessed December 3, 2016.
15. Merkin S, Rebecca. Cross-Cultural Communication Patterns - Korean and American Communication.
Journal of Intercultural Communication. 2009; 1404-1634.

Images
Figure 1. Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/en/bibimbap-korean-gochujang-1738580/Accessed May 3, 2017.

Figure 2. Free Images. Available at: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/korean-food-1318896. Accessed

December 15, 2016.
Figure 3. Free Images. Available at: http://www.freeimages.com/search/korean-medicine. Accessed
December 15, 2016.

Figure 4. Pixabay 749358. Available at: https://pixabay.com/en/aluminous-dining-food-korean-

749358/. Accessed May 1, 2017.

Figure 5. Pixabay. Available at: https://pixabay.com/en/market-market-introduction-oden-1971125/.

Accessed March 13, 2017.