1. The Composition of Kkul-tteok
Kkul-tteok are small, ball-shaped rice cakes, usually made from non-glutinous or glutinous rice flour, with a sweet filling made from a mixture of honey, sugar, and sesame seeds.
2. The ‘Small Size’ Trap
Because they are small, it is easy to think that eating one or two would not be a big deal. However, kkul-tteok can be one of the ‘worst types of tteok’ for a person with diabetes.
– The Dough: The outer part of the tteok is made from refined rice or glutinous rice flour, which raises blood sugar quickly.
– The Sugar Syrup Filling: The core of the kkul-tteok is the sweet ‘honey’ or ‘sugar syrup’ inside. This is pure ‘simple sugar,’ which is absorbed almost instantly upon entering the body, causing an explosive spike in blood sugar.
3. The Worst Combination: Carbohydrate + Simple Sugar
Consequently, kkul-tteok is a food that contains ‘liquid simple sugar (sugar syrup)’ inside a ‘highly concentrated refined carbohydrate (tteok).’ This is a combination of the two worst elements for raising blood sugar. Although small in size, its destructive power on blood sugar is immense. Eating just a few pieces can easily lead to a ‘blood sugar rollercoaster,’ with post-meal levels spiking to 200-300 mg/dL or higher.
Summary: Despite their small size, kkul-tteok are a ‘blood sugar bomb’ that raises blood sugar very rapidly and powerfully due to the double-whammy of the rice dough and the sugar syrup filling. Their small size does not mean they have a small impact on blood sugar, and they should be strictly avoided.
Leave a Reply