1. Main Ingredients of Jjolmyeon
The signature tough and elastic texture of Jjolmyeon noodles is created by combining ‘potato starch’ or ‘sweet potato starch’ with ‘wheat flour.’
2. The ‘Tough Texture’ Trap
– Highly Refined Starch: The starch that is the main ingredient of Jjolmyeon is highly refined to leave only carbohydrates. This means it is digested and absorbed very quickly in our body.
– High Glycemic Index (GI): Like glass noodles, the GI of Jjolmyeon is very high, over 80. The ‘tough’ texture means it requires effort to chew, but it does not mean it digests slowly in the stomach. Once swallowed, the highly refined starch is rapidly converted into glucose.
– Sweet and Spicy Sauce: The gochujang-based sauce that gives Jjolmyeon its flavor contains a tremendous amount of sugar, vinegar, and syrup. The simple sugars in this sauce, combined with the noodles, are the main culprits for an explosive post-meal blood sugar spike.
3. Conclusion
Contrary to the misconception about its ‘tough texture,’ Jjolmyeon is a representative ‘blood sugar spike’ food, composed of a combination of ‘refined starch (noodles)’ and a ‘lump of sugar (sauce).’ Like naengmyeon or tteokbokki, it is a food that people with diabetes should avoid as much as possible.
Summary: The tough texture of Jjolmyeon is unrelated to its digestion speed. It is a food that raises blood sugar very quickly and steeply due to its main ingredient of refined starch and its sugary sauce, requiring extreme caution.
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