Even healthy ingredients can lose much of their health value when cooked by braising. This is because sodium increases as the ingredients are braised in soy sauce, and sweet seasonings such as sugar, starch syrup and oligosaccharide syrup are often added as well. But if you cannot give up the characteristically sweet and salty flavor of braised dishes, how can you modify the cooking method to reduce the burden?
◇Healthy ingredients also take on both ‘salty and sweet flavors’ when braised
Even vegetables rich in dietary fiber, such as lotus root and burdock, gain the sodium in soy sauce when made into braised side dishes. Adding sugar, starch syrup and oligosaccharide syrup also introduces sweetness that was not originally present in the ingredients. According to a study published in the journal ‘Korean Journal of Nutrition and Health, Journal of Nutrition and Health’, researchers collected and analyzed representative high-sodium Korean dishes from homes, institutional food-service facilities and restaurants nationwide. When compared at the same weight, kimchi dishes and braised dishes had the highest sodium content. Among individual foods, braised burdock and lotus root ranked second after stir-fried anchovies.
When a large amount of sweet seasoning is added to braised dishes, sugar intake in a single meal also increases. When consuming too much sugar causes blood glucose to rise rapidly, the pancreas is placed under strain and insulin secretion increases in an effort to lower it. If this eating pattern is repeated, weight gain and an increased risk of insulin resistance can result, eventually making it difficult to control blood glucose because the body no longer responds well even when insulin is secreted. In addition, an eating pattern high in sodium can raise blood pressure and place a burden on cardiovascular and kidney function.
◇How to eat braised side dishes more healthily
▶Use less sugar and starch syrup to reduce sweetness=To eat braised side dishes somewhat more healthily, it is best to reduce the sweetness first. It is also best to avoid adding several sweeteners, such as sugar, starch syrup and oligosaccharide syrup, or assuming that using honey instead of sugar makes the dish acceptable. All of these methods add sweetness to food. If reducing the sweetness makes the dish bland, try enhancing its aroma with garlic and ginger and adding pungency with chili peppers and black pepper rather than adding more sugar. Kelp or shiitake mushrooms can also be used to supplement umami. Another option is to add a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice for acidity.
▶Use less soy sauce and braise briefly after cooking the ingredients=The most important way to reduce sodium is to reduce the amount of soy sauce itself. Simply changing when the soy sauce is added does not automatically reduce sodium intake if the same amount of soy sauce is used. Ingredients that take time to cook, such as lotus root, burdock and potatoes, can first be cooked in water or kelp and shiitake mushroom stock, after which a small amount of braising sauce can be added to flavor them briefly. This allows the characteristic flavor of braised dishes to be achieved to some extent without boiling the ingredients in the braising sauce for a long time. It is also better to avoid reducing the braising sauce until it is completely thickened and coats all the ingredients.
◇Healthy ingredients also take on both ‘salty and sweet flavors’ when braised
Even vegetables rich in dietary fiber, such as lotus root and burdock, gain the sodium in soy sauce when made into braised side dishes. Adding sugar, starch syrup and oligosaccharide syrup also introduces sweetness that was not originally present in the ingredients. According to a study published in the journal ‘Korean Journal of Nutrition and Health, Journal of Nutrition and Health’, researchers collected and analyzed representative high-sodium Korean dishes from homes, institutional food-service facilities and restaurants nationwide. When compared at the same weight, kimchi dishes and braised dishes had the highest sodium content. Among individual foods, braised burdock and lotus root ranked second after stir-fried anchovies.
When a large amount of sweet seasoning is added to braised dishes, sugar intake in a single meal also increases. When consuming too much sugar causes blood glucose to rise rapidly, the pancreas is placed under strain and insulin secretion increases in an effort to lower it. If this eating pattern is repeated, weight gain and an increased risk of insulin resistance can result, eventually making it difficult to control blood glucose because the body no longer responds well even when insulin is secreted. In addition, an eating pattern high in sodium can raise blood pressure and place a burden on cardiovascular and kidney function.
◇How to eat braised side dishes more healthily
▶Use less sugar and starch syrup to reduce sweetness=To eat braised side dishes somewhat more healthily, it is best to reduce the sweetness first. It is also best to avoid adding several sweeteners, such as sugar, starch syrup and oligosaccharide syrup, or assuming that using honey instead of sugar makes the dish acceptable. All of these methods add sweetness to food. If reducing the sweetness makes the dish bland, try enhancing its aroma with garlic and ginger and adding pungency with chili peppers and black pepper rather than adding more sugar. Kelp or shiitake mushrooms can also be used to supplement umami. Another option is to add a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice for acidity.
▶Use less soy sauce and braise briefly after cooking the ingredients=The most important way to reduce sodium is to reduce the amount of soy sauce itself. Simply changing when the soy sauce is added does not automatically reduce sodium intake if the same amount of soy sauce is used. Ingredients that take time to cook, such as lotus root, burdock and potatoes, can first be cooked in water or kelp and shiitake mushroom stock, after which a small amount of braising sauce can be added to flavor them briefly. This allows the characteristic flavor of braised dishes to be achieved to some extent without boiling the ingredients in the braising sauce for a long time. It is also better to avoid reducing the braising sauce until it is completely thickened and coats all the ingredients.