Behind the Myth: Beat the Heat with Samgyetang?
Behind the Myth: Exploring Korean Tradition
This series of articles will shed light on some Korean myths, folklore, traditions and superstitions. Every country has their own share of beliefs, fact or fiction, and many foreigners living in Korea have not yet heard or do not yet understand the basis of various Korean beliefs that may be different from their own.
Beat the heat with samgyetang?
Samgyetang (삼계탕) is a popular dish in Korea which consists of a whole boiled chicken filled with rice, ginseng root, jujube, and garlic, served in broth. It’s eaten all year round, but Koreans especially enjoy eating it on three “special” days in July and August, called Chobok (초복), Jungbok (중복) and Malbok (말복). These days symbolize the three hottest days of summer. Traditionally, samgyetang is eaten for the purpose of restoring stamina and health to a person who is exhausted from the summer heat. On the days mentioned above, crowds line up outside restaurants just to eat this meal.
Is samgyetang really the best thing to eat on a hot summer day? Is the Korean belief that it recharges the body and mind really true, or just a tradition that continues today without real proof that it works? In western culture, some people believe eating chicken soup will help cure a person of the common cold. Science leans more towards vitamin C as the common cold killer, but people still make a habit of eating delicious chicken soup when they get sick. In Korea, people also believe that a whole chicken combined with other healthy ingredients can prevent sickness and revitalize the body. However, there are a number of different things which can be eaten that would better relieve the body on a hot day than Korean chicken stew.
In the old days, escaping the summer heat was a difficult task, so naturally people turned to food for relief. Originally, boshintang (보신탕, dog meat soup) was served to eager Koreans looking for health benefits during the “dog days” of summer. This meat is full of protein, low in cholesterol and generally softer than beef, pork or chicken, which makes it easier for the body to digest. These days, dog meat is not as popular as it used to be, so the switch to boiled chicken occurred.
We should get a variety of proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins when our bodies are drained. Obviously a must have on a hot summer day is a glass of water because the body perspires much more and becomes dehydrated. When it comes to protein, whole grains are a good source and also contain iron and vitamin B. Brown rice and wholegrain bread is one way to get that in your system. The same content can be obtained from meats like beef or pork liver, turkey (unfortunately rare in Korea) and seafood such as clams, shrimp and fish. Steering clear of meats with high fat content will strengthen the health benefits of the proteins and essential vitamins.
Vegetables also play a big part in supplying the body with much needed nutrients. Cooked soybeans contain a large amount of protein, iron and vitamin-B. This also extends to other soy products like soy milk and tofu. Kale, broccoli and collard greens are all good sources of energy-boosting nutrients, but none can top spinach. Cooked spinach boasts the highest iron content among plant-based foods. It also delivers vitamins A, C and E, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and dietary fiber (according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture).
Even though samgyetang is not the most potent way to revive a tired, energy-depleted person on the hottest days of summer, there is little doubt that it’s a healthy food to eat all year round. Reserving special days to eat something so delicious should continue, regardless. If we really wanted to make a meal super-powered enough to charge our bodies with what it needs, it would probably look like this: take the traditional samgyetang recipe but switch the white rice with brown rice, stuff the skinless chicken full of spinach, broccoli, tofu, with sides of fish, beef and pork meat and serve it with two glasses of soy milk. Now that’s a hearty meal worth sweating for!