So you had a bowl of tteokguk during Korea’s Lunar New Year? Calories and sodium decoded

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Tteokguk, or rice cake soup, is a Lunar New Year staple often seen as a light meal but its calories are surprisingly high. Model Han Hye-jin, known for maintaining a top physique in her 40s, has long said on TV and her personal channels, “When I eat soup-based foods, I focus on the solids and leave most of the broth.”

Han has explained that she consciously reduces sodium intake, especially before shoots or photo sessions. Even when she eats soups or stews, she minimizes the broth. The reason, she said, is that salty foods can lead to facial puffiness and weight fluctuations the next day.

During holidays, when oily and strongly seasoned dishes such as pan-fried foods, meat and noodles are already abundant, finishing the soup broth can sharply raise total calorie and sodium intake. Many people report noticeable weight gain after the holiday period.

Why tteokguk is likened to ‘two bowls of rice’

A typical bowl of tteokguk (about 150 to 200 grams of rice cakes with beef garnish) is estimated at roughly 600 to 700 calories. Rice cakes are refined carbohydrates that quickly raise blood sugar, and beef broth adds fat and sodium. Adding dumplings or extra toppings can push the dish above 800 kilocalories.

Compared with one bowl of rice (about 300 calories), the traditional description of the dish as “two bowls of rice” is not exaggerated. Drinking all the broth further increases calorie and sodium intake. Finishing a full bowl each time can rapidly increase cumulative holiday calorie intake.

The real issue is the broth: sodium and swelling

More caution is needed with the broth than with the rice cakes themselves. Bone or meat broths contain dissolved fat and sodium, making them heavier than they appear. Because multiple side dishes are eaten together during holidays, total sodium intake rises quickly.

Excess sodium intake can lead to temporary weight gain, facial swelling and increased blood pressure. The post-holiday weight increase many people notice often reflects fluid retention rather than fat gain. Simply reducing broth intake can significantly lessen bloating.

Blood sugar control and post-holiday reset

Rice cakes are fast-absorbing carbohydrates. Eating vegetables or protein side dishes first, rather than starting with rice cakes on an empty stomach, helps moderate blood sugar spikes. Halving the portion of rice cakes and reducing them further if dumplings are added can also balance intake.

If body weight increases by a few kilograms right after the holiday, recovery is best supported by low-sodium meals, adequate hydration and light walking for two to three days rather than extreme fasting. When eating tteokguk, reducing broth consumption rather than finishing the bowl may be the most practical approach.

This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.