The food Mijoo never eats when dieting…“Make me swollen and fat”

Lovelyz's Mijoo (29) says she always resists eating foods she craves, including ramen, while dieting.

Recently, a video titled "Wednesday's colleague Jiwon vs Friday's colleague Mijoo, and the two women with Heechul!" was uploaded on the YouTube channel ChopChop. In the video, Mijoo was asked, “Can you resist eating ramen at midnight while dieting?” to which she replied, “I resist.”

She added, “No matter how hungry I am or whether I have a schedule the next day, when I'm on a diet, I resist everything,” and continued, “There’s only soda in my fridge.” Mijoo’s statement was met with agreement from Kim Heechul, who said, “I only have water at home too. We live like this. (Because of our profession) there's no concept of not being able to resist. Even if we want something, we just resist it.”

Ramen is Diet Killer Due to High Calories and Sodium

Mijoo is cautious about ramen, which is actually not a good food choice when dieting. Ramen contains high levels of carbohydrates and fat, making it calorie-dense. Its glycemic index is also high, leading to a rapid spike in blood sugar. Additionally, ramen lacks sufficient protein and fiber, making it less filling and potentially causing overeating.

Ramen is one of the foods with the highest sodium content. Just one packet contains 1,600mg of sodium, which is 70-80% of the recommended daily intake. While sodium is necessary to maintain nerve and muscle function, excessive sodium can disrupt the body's fluid metabolism and cause swelling.

Moreover, high sodium intake increases blood pressure. When blood sodium levels rise, water from cells flows into the blood due to osmosis, increasing blood volume. This puts extra pressure on the blood vessels, raising blood pressure. Additionally, foods high in sodium irritate the stomach lining, potentially causing gastritis and, in severe cases, stomach cancer.

Excessive sodium intake also increases the risk of obesity. Sodium has the property of trapping fat, making it more difficult to lose body fat. In fact, research from Queen Mary University of London found that for every 1g increase in salt consumption, the likelihood of weight gain increased by more than 20%.

Eating Late Night Snacks Can Lead to Calorie Accumulation and Poor Sleep

Eating ramen late at night, as Mijoo mentioned, is particularly harmful when dieting. Late-night snacks are consumed during the least active hours of the day, meaning calories are not burned and are more likely to be stored in the body.

A study conducted by Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital analyzed the effects of late-night eating on people who were overweight or obese. The participants who ate late-night snacks had, on average, a 6% lower level of appetite-suppressing hormones over 24 hours and a 12% higher level of appetite-stimulating hormones compared to those who didn't eat late-night snacks.

Eating at night also prevents the digestive system from resting and can lead to indigestion or discomfort, interfering with sleep. Quality sleep plays a crucial role in weight management, and lack of sleep can lead to weight gain.

How to Make Ramen Healthier: Add Vegetables Rich in Fiber and Potassium

Therefore, it’s best to avoid ramen while dieting. However, if resisting is difficult, you can reduce sodium intake by using less seasoning or leaving the broth behind. Another method is to cook the noodles separately from the broth to prevent the broth from soaking into the noodles. Adding various vegetables to ramen can also help reduce sodium intake.

Good vegetables to add when cooking ramen include beans, spinach, avocado, mushrooms, carrots, and water parsley. These foods are rich in potassium, which helps expel unnecessary sodium from the body. Additionally, adding fiber-rich vegetables like green onions, bean sprouts, onions, napa cabbage, and tomatoes can prevent the absorption of saturated fats from ramen and prevent the buildup of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood vessels.