More Koreans turn vegetarian though skepticism remains about its health effects


Thirty-two-year-old office worker Kim Jin-ee recently decided to become a vegan.

She removed all meat, milk, fish and eggs from her fridge to start. It was not her first time trying out a vegetable-oriented diet. She tried a couple of years ago, but failed.

“People around haven’t been too generous with vegetarians. The company dinners were all about meat or sashimi, and everywhere you go you would have more than one omnivorous ingredient used for a single menu item. It was very hard to carry on,” she said.

But things have changed. Over the years, more and more people have converted to vegetarianism. One association of vegetarians estimates that 1 percent of the country’s population is some form of vegetarian.

Celebrities such as songstress Lee Hyo-ri, actress Lee Honey and Yoon Jin-seo, as well as actor Song Il-guk and MC Kim Je-dong have given vegetarianism a positive image by highlighting the “well-being” factor associated with organic and vegetable-centered diets.

The range of vegetarianism is wide: There are vegans who follow a strict diet excluding eggs, dairy and all other animal products; lacto-ovo-vegetarians eat a diet of mainly grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts, dairy products and eggs, excluding meat, fish, and poultry; while lacto-vegetarians exclude meat and eggs; and ovo-vegetarians exclude meat and dairy products. Semi-vegetarians abstain from only red meat and poultry.

The market has responded to vegetarianism’s increased popularity.

There are about 100 vegetarian restaurants in Seoul including one at Seoul National University. Other universities and companies such as NHN have established vegetarian sections in their canteens and many other restaurants also include meat-free menu items.

The meals have diversified, too. From simply removing offending ingredients before, restaurateurs are now persuading non-vegetarians to try meat-free dishes by serving fried mixed vegetables, udon and more colorful and tasteful dishes.

Dr. Shin Woo-seob of Ottuki Clinic, who is an avid vegetarian, said more people are turning to vegetarianism for their health.

“There are other factors such as personal ethics and environmental concerns, but most of them start because they want to become healthy,” he said.

“Too much fat from meat consumption has thickened our blood, causing chronic and fatal illnesses such as hyperlipidemia. We also believe that meat-oriented foods are deeply related to hypertension, diabetes and other conditions. There are assumed to be 5 million diabetes patients and 10 million people with hypertension of various levels. If they want to overcome their sickness, vegetarianism is the first option,” said Shin, who is also a member of VegeDoctor, an organization comprised of 300 doctors and Korean traditional medical doctors, as well as nutritionists, dentists and other medical professionals.

Much research suggests that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthy and nutritionally adequate, and can help prevent certain diseases.

In an Oxford Vegetarian Study of 1,914 men and 3,378 women, non-meat eaters were slimmer than meat eaters, possibly due to the higher intake of dietary fiber and a lower intake of animal fat.

The Vanderbilt University Psychology Department also analyzed health reports and said that vegetarian diets have been proven to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, death from colorectal cancer and tend to lead to a lower incidence of hypertension. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is less likely to be a cause of death in vegetarians, it said, adding that vegetarians have lower morbidity and mortality rates from many chronic degenerative diseases.

Even so, vegetarian diets are a subject of controversy.

Dr. Park Seung-cheol of Samsung Seoul Hospital said he wouldn’t recommend a vegan diet in many cases.

“Not all meats are unhealthy. The more important point is what parts we consume and how we eat it. Removing the fat will actually make meat consumption quite attractive: It has lots of essential amino acids,” he said.

He also said eating fish and some dairy products is healthy for the majority of people.

“If you are pregnant I advise all people to keep balance in their diet and refrain from keeping a vegetarian diet. It is healthy to a certain point, but we can all remain healthy by eating all foods in modest portions,” Park said.

Park said keeping meat consumption to about 600 grams a week could be ideal in balancing nutrition.

Shin, however, disagreed.

“Since when have Koreans become so carnivorous? Just 4-5 decades ago, our staple foods were grains with planted vegetables. Cut out meat, dairy food right now and I don’t think there will be a lot of problems,” he said. “For a year or two, you may suffer ‘withdrawal syndrome’ but after that you will feel comfortable. In fact, you may feel uncomfortable when you have to eat meat the next time,” he claimed.

Park advised substitutes for those who have just made up their mind to change their diet.

“You need high quality protein ― soya, tofu are good. You also need some oil ― take it from sesame oil and nuts such as pine nut, walnut and peanuts.

“Eating fruit is very important. Keep seasonal fruits on the table. Try to pick colorful ones: If you buy strawberries, pick the reddest ones and if you choose blueberries, choose the most purple ones. They have the most antioxidants. But don’t eat too much fruit ― they have sugar and excessive consumption will not help you lose weight,” he said.

Shin advised people to keep meals as simple as possible.

“Focus on brown rice ― never eat refined grains. Enjoy green vegetables. Try to slash your sugar consumption. If you succeed in cutting out sugar from your dish, adding some salt would be acceptable, which could enhance the flavor of plain vegetables. Then, you will enjoy eating vegetables and fruits,” he said. 



By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)