1. The Main Ingredient of Tteokguk: Garae-tteok
The main ingredient of tteokguk, ‘garae-tteok’ (rice cake sticks), is a ‘highly concentrated refined carbohydrate’ made from milled white rice flour that is steamed and pounded. By itself, it already has a very high glycemic index (GI) and the property of raising blood sugar much faster than plain rice.
2. The Effect of the Boiling Process
When these rice cakes are boiled for a long time in a savory broth, their effect on blood sugar worsens.
– Maximized Gelatinization: As the rice cakes soften and expand in the hot broth, their starch structure completely breaks down, making them extremely easy for digestive enzymes to act upon. This is the same principle as making porridge.
– Fast Digestion and Absorption: The softened rice cakes require very little chewing, pass quickly through the digestive tract, and are rapidly absorbed as glucose.
– The Result: Therefore, tteokguk is a food that is very likely to cause a ‘blood sugar spike,’ raising blood sugar much faster and more steeply than regular rice.
3. Additional Problems
– High Sodium: The broth of tteokguk is usually seasoned with soy sauce and salt, making it very high in sodium.
– Toppings: While toppings like egg garnish or meat are fine, eating ‘tteokmanduguk’ (rice cake and dumpling soup) further increases the carbohydrate intake.
Summary: Although tteokguk is a dish made from rice, due to the ‘rice cake’ form and the ‘boiling’ cooking method, it is digested and absorbed much faster than plain rice and causes a sharp rise in blood sugar. People with diabetes need to be especially careful, reducing the amount of rice cakes to less than half their usual rice portion and minimizing broth consumption.
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