In recent years, Budae Jjigae has become one of the most popular Korean dishes and is spreading like wildfire around media sources such as Youtube and Facebook.
Budae Jjigae, which translates to “Korean Army Soup” is a mixture of cheap and accessible ingredients that all come together to make an extremely flavorful soup.
Although Budae Jjigae is delicious, is it healthy?
Budae Jjigae is not the best to eat when sticking to a healthy diet as the majority of calories come from high carbs and fats. It has a poor balance of macronutrients as fat is the highest in grams which makes Budae Jjigae a very fattening option.
Although Budae Jjigae is fattening, it is very customizable which means there is lots of room for improvement and adjustments to the nutrition facts.
In order to eat Budae Jjigae and stay healthy, let’s take a look at some steps we can take to ensure we stick to our goals.
Here are the three steps you can take in order to stay healthy while eating Budae Jjigae:
Understand How Many Calories Are In Budae Jjigae
Customize Budae Jjigae To Make It Healthier
Make Sure To Workout & Stay Active To Stay Healthy While Eating Budae Jjigae
Now that we know the three steps to eating Budae Jjigae while staying healthy, let’s take a deeper look into each of these steps.
Tip 1: Understand How Many Calories Are In Budae Jjigae
The key to a successful diet is to look inside the nutrition facts of your favorite foods.
When you want to eat something like Budae Jjigae and stay healthy, it’s crucial to understand what you are putting inside your body.
Budae Jjigae has its calories coming from 24 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbs, and 14 grams of protein per 1.25 cups.
This means that, out of the 350 calories, most of them will be coming from carbs and fats which can lead to weight gain if left untracked.
So much of staying healthy revolves around portion control and making sure that you are not overeating on calories and certain macronutrients (carbs, fats, and protein).
We want to make sure that we are in a perfect range of calories which means we must understand how many calories we need to eat on a daily basis.
Here is an article you can check out to understand how many calories you need to eat in a day and how to properly track your food so you can stay on track.
https://www.aspirefitnesswalnut.com/how-to-actually-get-a-six-pack-after-30
Once you’ve figured out how many calories you need to eat in a day, you simply need to find foods that fill up those calories and to make sure you don’t go over them.
Overeating on calories is the sole reason why weight gain occurs and, if untracked, can really get out of hand.
We know that Budae Jjigae is not optimal for staying healthy as there are too many calories coming from carbs and fats.
However, the great part about this dish is the huge potential for adding healthier whole foods that can keep the flavor while adding much more benefit towards its nutritional contents.
Let’s take a look at how we can customize a typical Budae Jjigae dish.
Tip 2: Customize Budae Jjigae To Make It Healthier
Like many different types of Korean soup dishes, the toppings are what really make the dish amazing while the soup adds tons of spicy, savory, and sweet flavors.
Let’s take a look at some of the aspects of Budae Jjigae we can change in order to make sure we keep its delicious flavors while adding some better ingredients.
The Soup Base
The soup base is very similar to Korean Tofu Soup as the ingredients you can find there are virtually the same.
Some of these ingredients are Korean chili flakes (gochu garru), Korean chili paste, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and mirin.
You can expect the combination of these flavors to add lots of sweet and savory flavors to the dish with a hint of spiciness coming from the chili.
The soup base as itself is actually pretty good and doesn’t really need adjustment as many of the ingredients you can find don’t really add too many calories.
What we really need to worry about are the toppings which are the real culprits of adding tons of fat to the dish.
Let’s take a look at some replacements for the typical toppings you can find in Budae Jjigae.
The Toppings
Typical toppings for Budae Jjigae are spam, instant noodles, tteok, american cheese, hot dog sausages, and a variety of different veggies such as green onions, shiitake mushrooms, and shallots.
While the vegetables are fine to eat, many of the options above can really hinder a healthy diet as they are packed with fat and processed ingredients.
Let’s start with the spam. Spam is essentially an emulsified pork product with loads of sodium that will take you over your daily intake within a single serving.
A good replacement for spam would probably be something like pork loin or, even, pork shoulder as these two offer much more protein that fat to the dish.
Pork loin has 12 grams of fat for every 0 grams of carbs and 24 grams of protein.
This is way more protein you can get compared to spam and will really drop sodium levels by a half.
It’s a bit of a sacrifice but this dish is in dire need of some protein.
The second ingredient that you can probably omit has to be the instant noodles.
Instant noodles contain a ton of carbs and are shelf stable as they contain TBHQ (tert-Butylhydroquinone) which is a preservative that can possibly be detrimental to your health in the long run if eaten in large quantities.
A good replacement for instant noodles would just be some vermicelli noodles as they offer half the calories with all the chew and texture.
You can still have your cake and eat it too. Vermicelli noodles are typically low in carbs so it’s a great alternative to the already heavy dish.
The third ingredient you can probably take out would be the hot dog and cheese combo.
These two are super high in fats and are processed beyond belief.
Staying healthy with your diet means adding whole foods that are good to eat and are simple.
This dish still needs some more protein so adding some seafood would probably be a better option than these two.
Seafood offers a ton of protein with smaller amounts of fat.
This is what this dish needs and can really benefit from lower fat toppings.
My family actually eats Budae Jjigae like this.
We add oysters, squid, fish, and fish cakes which adds a ton of protein while taking away from the fats.
If your goal is to stay healthy, then these are the adjustments we recommend you take in order to get a more balanced dish without the addition of preservatives and fatty dishes.
Now that we know how to transform Budae Jjigae into a nutritionally balanced dish, let’s take a look at how we can utilize those calories to stay in tip top shape.
Tip 3: Make Sure To Workout & Stay Active To Stay Healthy While Eating Budae Jjigae
Staying healthy means taking care of our bodies by staying active and seeking out workouts that help us utilize our calories well.
When eating a dish like Budae Jjigae, we want to make sure to use those calories to fuel our workouts and build some awesome muscle.
Muscle is what keeps us lean as it burns calories at rest.
A mixture of building muscle with high activity throughout your days is what really keeps the body lean and healthy throughout the years.
There is something called TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) which is the amount of calories our bodies burn by living our lives.
The key to staying within a healthy range of calories is to make sure our TDEE is high and maintained at a healthy amount of calories.
This where building muscle and moving more comes in.
The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn at rest: the more movement in our day, the more calories we burn daily.
To build muscle and stay active, however, resistance training muscle be done throughout the week so let’s get started with lifting those weights!
It can be intimidating to start lifting weights so we’ve come up with a simple workout plan that teaches you all the movements while building some really awesome muscle.
Here is a workout plan you can use to get started with lifting some weights.
You can easily learn these movements online or by finding yourself a personal trainer.
WOMEN
Monday (Full Upper):
Seated Shoulder Press: 4x20
Lateral Raises: 4x15
Lat Pulldowns: 4x12
Dumbbell Row: 3x10
Dumbbell Fly: 3x10
Knee Push Ups: 4x20
Weighted Crunches: 3x35
Wednesday (Back/Hamstrings/Biceps)
Assisted Pull Ups: 3x10
Lat Pulldowns: 4x12
Cable Row: 4x15
Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4x15
Hamstring Curl: 4x15
Bicep Curls: 3x10
Hammer Curls: 3x10
Friday: (Legs/Butt/Abs):
Squats: 5x5
Goblet Squats: 4x20
Glute Bridge: 4x20
Glute Kickbacks: 4x20 each leg
Jump Squats: 4x20
Weighted Crunches: 3x35
Leg Lifts: 3x35
MEN
Mon: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs (Push Day)
Bench Press: 3 sets 10 reps
Dumbbell Press: 4 sets 12 reps
Shoulder Press: 3 sets 10 reps
Lateral Raises: 3 sets 15 reps
Triceps Rope Push Down: 3 sets 15 reps
Cable Crunches: 4 sets 15 reps
Wed: Legs & Abs
Goblet Squats: 4 sets 20 reps
Weighted Walking Lunges: 2 sets 20 steps
Stiff Leg DeadLift (Romanian Deadlift): 4 sets 15 reps
Glute Bridges With Weight: 4 sets 20 reps
Jumping Squats With Resistance Bands: 5 sets 20 reps
Weighted Sit Ups: 4 sets 25 reps
Weighted Toe Touches: 4 sets 25 reps
Fri: Back & Biceps (Pull Day)
Assisted Pull Ups: 3 sets 10 reps
Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets 12 reps
Dumbbell Rows: 4 sets 10 reps (Each Side)
Seated Cable Rows: 4 sets 15 reps
Bicep Curls: 3 sets 10 reps
Hammer Curls: 3 sets 10 reps
The key here is stay consistent with these workouts and to make sure you do it for the long run.
It takes a long time to build muscle so make sure you stay patient and dedicated to your goals.
You’ll start to see how different you’ll look and feel by staying active and by having more muscle on your frame.
Now that we know the importance of muscle we need to make sure we stay on track with our workouts.
Consistency and longevity are the two key factors when building muscle so there will be some commitment involved.
You can either go to the gym or build one for yourself.
It really just comes down to 3 pieces of equipment that you need to do most workouts.
These three are the workout bench, dumbbells, and gym flooring.
Check out our recommended gear page to see our best picks for these pieces of equipment here.
https://www.aspirefitnesswalnut.com/home-workout-equipment
If a home gym is not for you then getting a membership somewhere works too.
As long as you are starting your muscle building journey, we’re happy! (1)
Stick with it for the long run and you’ll see how amazing the results can be.
There It Is!
In this article, we went over what goes inside a typical Budae Jjigae dish and the importance of looking inside the nutrition label.
We also went over the benefit of building muscle and why staying active will help you reach your fitness goals.
Make sure to try out our version of Budae Jjigae and try to add higher protein sources in your foods just as we did.
If you want to know more about your favorite foods, the make sure to check out our other blogs where we go over more fitness tips and healthy habits you can implement into your food today!
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Phillip Pak is a fitness expert who has been training clients for 6 years. Throughout his fitness journey, Phill has done it all when it comes to diet and nutrition. He is now the owner of Aspire Fitness Walnut where his main goal is to help those who are seeking to find the best version of themselves. Phillip is also a NASM Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) and a NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT).
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FAQs
How many calories are in Korean army stew? ›
There are 280 calories in 1/2 bag (66 g) of Nong Shim K Army Stew. * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet.
What is Budae Jjigae in English? ›Army stew or army base stew (Budae Jjigae) is Korean fusion stew that incorporates American style processed food such as spam, sausages, canned baked beans and sliced cheese. Budae (부대) is a general term for a military base in Korean and Jjigae (찌개) is a term for soup/stew.
Is shabu shabu good for weight loss? ›One of the main benefits of shabu shabu is its low calorie and low fat content. The meat and vegetables used in the dish are typically boiled or blanched, which means they are cooked without added oil or fat. This makes it a great option for those looking to watch their weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle.
What are the nutrition facts of kimchi Jjigae? ›Nutrition Facts
Per Serving: 201 calories; fat 12g; cholesterol 21mg; sodium 958mg; carbohydrates 9g; dietary fiber 4g; protein 17g; sugars 4g; niacin equivalents 2mg; saturated fat 2g; vitamin a iu 401IU; potassium 277mg.
Soondubu jjigae has several health benefits. It's full of vegetables, offering a range of healthy nutrients, while tofu is packed full of protein. A bowl of tofu soup is surprisingly low calorie if it's vegetarian or vegan, although you should be mindful of the amount of oil you add to the broth.
Is Doenjang Jjigae good for weight loss? ›The intake of doenjang reduces body fat mass in overweight subjects [5] and decreases visceral or abdominal fat mass in overweight subjects with mutant alleles of PPAR-gamma or uncoupling protein-1 [6,7].
How do you eat Budae Jjigae? ›Ways to enjoy budae jjigae
You can also eat it with japgokbap (Korean multigrain rice) for an extra boost of nutrition. Tteok/ rice cake - Some people enjoy eating their budae jjigae with rice cakes instead of rice, along with rice, or in place of the ramen.
When your stew is ready, serve it piping hot with a bowl of hot rice and a side of kimchi—it's pretty much one of the simplest, most satisfying Korean meals you can make. And if you have leftover doenjang jjigae in your pot from, for example, breakfast, just keep it on the stove and boil it again for lunch or dinner.
What does the Korean army eat? ›...
Budae-jjigae.
| Alternative names | Sausage stew, Army stew |
|---|---|
| Type | Jjigae |
| Place of origin | Korea |
| Region or state | Uijeongbu |
| Associated cuisine | Korean |
Boost your metabolism
Much of the research on spicy foods focuses on capsaicin, the compound that gives chile peppers their kick. Some of that research has found that capsaicin boosts the body's ability to break down fat and burn more energy. “It seems to rev up the body's fat-burning mechanisms,” says Lane.
Does spicy Stuff help you lose weight? ›
It can, according to a meta-analysis of 90 different studies that looked at the role of capsaicin in weight management. The analysis found spicy foods reduce appetite and that they increase energy expenditure. So, yes! Spicy food can help with weight loss.
Is Oats good for you to lose weight? ›Studies show that oats and oatmeal have many health benefits. These include weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and a reduced risk of heart disease. Oats are among the healthiest grains on earth. They're a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of important vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
Is kimchi jjigae good for weight loss? ›May aid weight loss
Fresh and fermented kimchi are both low in calories and may boost weight loss ( 49 ). A 4-week study in 22 people with excess weight found that eating fresh or fermented kimchi helped reduce body weight, body mass index (BMI), and body fat.
150 grams of kimchi contains only 40 calories. But it's not limited to this – kimchi helps carbohydrate metabolism to aid you in losing weight. Additionally, the capsaicin found in chili peppers in this Korean dish boosts your metabolism and makes you use the excess energy in your body, thereby increasing weight loss.
Is kimchi jjigae low calorie? ›Calories, Fat and Cholesterol
A 1-cup serving of kimchi jjigae has 186 calories per serving, although many restaurant portions of the stew will be significantly larger than 1 cup. The same size serving has 10 grams of total fat, 2 grams of which are saturated. It also has 15 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.
- Garlic and Vegetable Soup. ...
- Moong dal and Carrot Soup. ...
- Tomato Soup. ...
- Spinach Soup. ...
- Bean and Broccoli Soup. ...
- Corn and Veggie Soup. ...
- Chicken Soup. ...
- Vegetable Clear Soup.
Regularly consuming soup has been linked to a lower body weight. However, there's insufficient research on the benefits of soup diets for weight loss. Still, due to the low calorie nature of these eating plans, you'll likely lose some weight in the short term.
How fattening is bean soup? ›However, generally speaking, bean soup can be part of a healthy diet. Loaded with fiber and protein and coming in at less than 450 calories per serving, this easy bean soup recipe is both filling and healthy.
Is Korean tofu soup good for weight loss? ›Tofu soup can be a nutritious addition to a meal plan intended for weight loss. It is a low-calorie and low-fat food option. Tofu is made from processed soybeans, providing protein and fiber while being relatively low in fat, calories, and carbohydrates.
What does Budae mean in Korean? ›In Korean, budae (부대) means army base or army unit while jjigae (찌개) means soup. So the name of this food is literally translated to army base soup.
What is the meaning of jjigae? ›
Jjigae (Korean: 찌개, Korean pronunciation: [tɕ͈iɡɛ]) is a popular Korean stew. There are many varieties; it is typically made with meat, seafood or vegetables in a broth seasoned with gochujang (red chilli paste), doenjang (soy bean paste), ganjang (soy sauce) or saeujeot (salted seafood).
How do you pronounce Budae? ›This is Budae Jjigae (pronounced "Buhdda Jig-ay") otherwise translated to be "Army Base Stew." This is how it is delivered to your table at Suji's!
What goes well with jjigae? ›The stew is typically paired with a bowl of hot sticky rice. To eat, take a spoon of the broth, along with a piece of kimchi and pork and pour over your rice.
What does jjigae taste like? ›What Does Kimchi Jjigae Taste Like? The flavor profile of kimchi jjigae is a combination of spicy, tangy, and umami. The heat comes from gochugaru (Korean chili pepper flakes) and gochujang (red pepper paste), while the lactic acid bacteria in fermented kimchi and its brine provide a pleasant sour note.
Is stew a soup or meal? ›Generally speaking, a dish is called soup when it's primarily liquid-based. Stews are thicker and chunkier. But an especially thick and chunky soup could be called a stew. Broth is a liquid that serves as a main ingredient for many soups, and can be considered a soup when eaten by itself.
Where military eat is called? ›Word forms: canteens
A canteen is a place in a factory or military base where meals or snacks are served to the people who work there. Rennie had eaten his supper in the canteen.
You have a limited amount of time (about 15 minutes) to sit down and consume your meal. Even though the chow hall serves them, recruits are not allowed sweets or even sodas in some of the branches.
What to eat when losing weight? ›- Beans. Inexpensive, filling, and versatile, beans are a great source of protein. ...
- Soup. Start a meal with a cup of soup, and you may end up eating less. ...
- Dark Chocolate. Want to enjoy chocolate between meals? ...
- Pureed Vegetables. ...
- Yogurt with berries. ...
- Nuts. ...
- Apples. ...
- Yogurt.
- Do facial exercises. Facial exercises can be used to improve facial appearance, combat aging, and improve muscle strength ( 1 ). ...
- Add cardio to your routine. ...
- Drink more water. ...
- Limit alcohol consumption. ...
- Cut back on refined carbs. ...
- Get enough sleep. ...
- Watch your sodium intake. ...
- Eat more fiber.
Eating spicy foods can help to fight bad bacteria in the gut. This will not only help improve the health of the gut, which may improve digestion, but it can also help to rebalance the microbiome, which will lead to body-wide improvements.
Does chili burn belly fat? ›
Capsaicin, which could be found in peppers, adds heat, which aids in fat burning and weight loss. According to one study, people who ate chilies increased their metabolism after half an hour of eating due to the heat provided by capsaicin.
Can you lose weight eating oatmeal everyday? ›Yes, eating oatmeal every day can help you lose weight, promote heart health, and improve your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. However, eating too much oatmeal or eating it too often can cause nutritional deficiencies as you can miss out on other food groups.
How much oatmeal should I eat a day to lose weight? ›Oats are rich in dietary fiber, and thus help in promoting satiety, lowering fat and carb absorption, and stabilizing your blood glucose levels. The daily recommended serving size of oats for weight loss is half a cup or 50 g. The best time to eat oats for weight loss is breakfast or dinner.
What is the best time to eat oats for weight loss? ›There is no particular time to eat oats. You can consume the oats at lunch and dinner too. This cereal, however, is consumed in breakfast mostly. It contains fiber, magnesium, complex carbohydrates, etc, which help in keeping your tummy full for a longer time, thus, reducing overeating.
Is Korean stew healthy? ›Is Korean food healthy? Considering the ingredients and cooking methods of the traditional Korean diet, it's generally considered healthy. Because they're often high in vegetables and cooked without much oil, Korean meals are often lower in calories than traditional American meals (2, 3 ).
How many calories are in a military meal? ›Nutritional Breakdown
On average, an MRE meals contain 1,212 calories and the protein, fat, and carbohydrate content is proportional to a 2,000 calorie diet. Two MRE meals will provide you with the recommended daily allowance of calories, vitamins, and nutrients you need.
A 1-cup serving of kimchi jjigae has 186 calories per serving, although many restaurant portions of the stew will be significantly larger than 1 cup. The same size serving has 10 grams of total fat, 2 grams of which are saturated. It also has 15 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.
How many calories are in army rations? ›The contents of one MRE meal bag provide an average of 1,250 calories (13 % protein, 36 % fat, and 51 % carbohydrates). If it is assumed that a full day's ration is 3 MREs, then 1,250 calories is multiplied by three; a full day's ration would equal 3,750 calories.
Are stews good for weight loss? ›Soups and stews can be a great way to boost your metabolic health and burn fat naturally. Also, they contain fibre, protein and other essential nutrients.
Can you lose weight eating Korean food? ›Korean food is very healthy given the wide variety of protein-based dishes and its usage of low-calorie condiments, such as soy sauce, to add flavor without adding additional calories. It also doesn't use much oil. Korean food can be great for weight loss as long as it is made with the right strategies.
Why is the Korean diet so healthy? ›
Korean cuisine is known for its healthy options. The cuisine contains fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. Some of the most popular Korean dishes are made with fish or chicken, which are both high in protein and healthy fats.
Why do you lose so much weight on the military diet? ›Rather than calories burned, the Military Diet focuses on significant calorie deficits by cutting out the amount and types of food that you eat. The website for the plan recommends consuming between 1,100 and 1,400 calories each day for the first three days of the plan.
Can you have snacks on the 3 day military diet? ›It's a very strict, low-calorie diet with some foods that seem healthy and others that don't. There are set foods to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but that's it. There are no snacks, and there's no wiggle room about food choices based on your tastes. The diet itself only lasts for 3 days.
How many calories should I eat a day? ›How many calories should I eat a day? Adult females need anywhere from 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day and adult males need anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day, according to the USDA's latest “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” report released in 2020.
Does kimchi make you lose weight? ›May aid weight loss
Fresh and fermented kimchi are both low in calories and may boost weight loss ( 49 ). A 4-week study in 22 people with excess weight found that eating fresh or fermented kimchi helped reduce body weight, body mass index (BMI), and body fat.
Bulgogi is a very healthy dish given that it has high protein content and is marinated in a soy-based sauce, which is relatively low in calories. A serving of the dish is 476 calories, with 27 grams of protein, 21 grams of fat, and 44 grams of carbs, with a serving of rice.
How many calories a day is the 3 day military diet? ›The military diet requires people to follow a low-calorie diet for 3 days and then return to regular eating for 4 days. Across the first 3 days, the diet restricts daily calorie intake to 1,400, 1,200, and 1,100 calories. The diet is high in protein and low in fat, carbohydrate, and calories.
Do MREs make you gain weight? ›MREs are designed to be a one-meal-per-day system for soldiers in combat and as such are high calories. You will blow up like a balloon from water retention and weight gain if you pig out on more than one per day.
Are military meals healthy? ›There's no disputing the nutritional value of MREs. Containing approximately 1,200 calories, they give you enough protein, fat, and carbohydrates to perform the most taxing of tasks. Each MRE also contains one-third of the Military Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals.