This article is written mainly to let the readers know about the benefits and losses to human health of eating Korean corn dogs and what can be done to prevent from falling prey to some severe health conditions.

What is Korean corn dog?

Korean corn dogs are hot dogs, fish cakes, rice cakes, or mozzarella cheese coated in a batter and sometimes panko, French fry pieces, or ramen and deep fried. They are coated with sugar and a signature spurt of our seasoning of choice like mayo, mustard, ketchup, or all three. They are sweet and salty and completely delicious. Some Korean corn dogs are made with a yeasted batter and some are made with a rice flour batter. There are a lot of variations available in Korean corn dogs!

Ingredients of Korean corn dog:

Generally following are the ingredients, with quantity as per taste, used in Korean corn dogs are made from hot dogs, as one of the variants mentioned above.

• Hot dogs cut in half
• Sticks of low moisture fresh mozzarella cheese
• Cornmeal
• All-purpose flour
• Sugar plus extra sprinkled to enhance sweetness
• Salt
• Baking powder
• Egg
• Milk
• Panko
• High heat oil for deep frying
• Mustard – optional
• ketchup – optional

Are Korean corn dogs healthy?

With their crispy exterior and savory filling, Korean corn dogs delight our senses and leave us wanting more. While Korean corn dogs are available in a variety and flavors and are good enough to satisfy one’s craving but they are not healthy. Nutritionists suggest having them in moderation like one or two per month. Korean corn dogs contain preservatives and other ingredients which are considered unhealthy and considerably harmful if consumed regularly. Korean corn dogs cause vitamin deficiency, an increase in sugar levels, weight gain, etc. Apart from this Korean corn dogs also cause various life-threatening diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, and stroke. Undoubtedly Korean corn dogs provide some protein, potassium, and trace minerals, but we must also think about the cholesterol, preservatives, flavorings, and other questionable ingredients.

What are the harmful ingredients of Korean corn dog?

List of harmful ingredients of Korean corn dogs is as follows;

• Processed meat with preservatives
• Cornmeal – harmful if consumed regularly
• All-purpose flour – used in traditional homemade Korean corn dogs
• Sugar
• Refined oil

Harmful effects of ingredients used in Korean corn dogs & their alternatives

Processed meat:

Processed meat is meat that has been treated in some way to preserve or flavor it through salting, fermenting, smoking, etc. Bacon, sausages, hot dogs, canned meat, and other cured meats like salami and that includes deli meat — whether red like roast beef or white like turkey or chicken. Various studies have shown that processed meat is carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and has several life-threatening health effects as mentioned below;

• Cardiovascular disease
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
• Colorectal cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Breast cancer

When processed meat or red meat is cooked at high temperatures like grilling and barbequing, damages cells and also produce harmful chemicals that increase the risk of cancer.

Alternative:

• Salads or whole grain bowls topped with nuts, beans, seeds, eggs, fresh chicken or fish, etc. or in combinations could be the best and a healthy choice

• Minimally processed foods instead of highly processed meats could be an alternative. Nuts and legumes are most popular and they are much healthier than jerky or meat bars. Mix them with nut or seed butter like almond butter or sunflower seed butter with spicy flavorings using cumin, cayenne, and chili powder, and have them with healthy and nutritious boiled or baked vegetables such as parsley, celery, endive, capsicum, and other protein enriched picks like chickpeas and boiled eggs, etc.

Cornmeal:

Corn is one of the favorite snacks. We can have it roasted or boiled, depending on how we would like it. Most people convert it to its flour form and use it for other delicacies. Corn can spike our blood sugar and may contribute to weight gain when consumed regularly or in excess. Those who have diabetes or are trying to lose weight may want to limit their intake of cornmeal or corn flour. Some dangerous side effects of corn are mentioned below.

• Vitamins deficiency
• Increases Sugar level and causes type 2 diabetes
• Weight gain

Alternative:

• Semolina – Semolina is a high-protein and high-gluten flour made from hard durum wheat middling. It’s coarser than typical flour. Because of gluten, we can have it in moderation.
• Ground oats – If we are ready to compromise on corn flavor ground oats are the perfect choice
• Wheat flour – We can have it as a corn substitute but the taste will not be the same
• Rice flour – It is gluten-free and the best choice for those with restricted diets.
• Ground flaxseed – Ground flaxseed can provide a crunchy texture. However, it will have a slightly bitter taste. We can gain health benefits from the high protein content and rich fatty acids that flaxseed contains.

All-purpose flour:

It is made after processing wheat flour and removing the bran and endosperm, the wheat germ. During the process of making this flour, important fibers and nutrients that are necessary for digestion are removed. Since it has no fiber left, the food items made using this flour can’t keep us full for longer, and consequently, we tend to overeat the dead calories, and therefore; to be absorbed it has to depend on our body’s resources. This, in turn; depletes the level of essential nutrients and vitamins in our body. Food items made of all-purpose flour are high on the glycemic index (GI), which causes an unexpected spike in sugar levels. It also puts pressure on the pancreas as it has to release more insulin to regulate GI levels. Overconsuming all-purpose flour can lead to insulin resistance and elevate bad cholesterol in the body, and can give way to obesity. It is not suggested for diabetic people. All-purpose flour causes the following health complications;

• ​Releases sugar in bloodstream
• Harms bones
• Cause digestive issues
• Increases LDL cholesterol level

Alternative:

• Chickpea flour – It is also called garbanzo bean flour. It is gluten-free and a great source of protein and an abundant dose of fiber. Unlike many other gluten-free flours, chickpea flour has endless binding power. A little water and oil with a pinch of salt turns this pale yellow flour into a dense paste that is capable of binding.
• Rice flour – We can use white rice flour, brown rice flour, or sweet glutinous rice flour, which, despite its name, is gluten-free. Brown and white rice flours are interchangeable in recipes but add different flavors.
• Almond flour – Nut flours are made by grinding what is leftover of nuts after the oil is removed. All nut flours add a great and rich flavor to baked foods. Nut flour can be higher in calories but it is considered a healthy fat with more protein than regular and alternative flours. It’s very easy to make nut flour at home using a high-speed blender.
• Buckwheat flour – It doesn’t contain wheat, it’s made from a seed. Buckwheat flour is packed with fiber and protein and has an assertive flavor and nutty aftertaste. For anyone with a gluten intolerance or aiming to cut back on regular flour, buckwheat flour can be used on its own in recipes or combined with other types of gluten-free flour like brown rice

Refined or white sugar:

Refined or white sugar is added to various foods that you would not suspect contain sugar. Thus, they may sneak into your diet, promoting a range of harmful health conditions. Refined sugars are typically added to foods and beverages to improve taste. They’re considered empty calories because they contain virtually no vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, fiber, or other beneficial compounds. Consuming large amounts of refined sugar has consistently been linked to the following health conditions;

• Obesity with excess belly fat
• Type 2 diabetes
• Hypertension 
• Heart disease
• Dementia
• Liver disease
• Cancer

Alternative:

• Novel Sweeteners – Novel sweeteners are derived from natural sources. They are sometimes called “plant-derived non-caloric sweeteners.” These sweeteners provide many of the benefits of both artificial and natural sweeteners like fruit or honey. Novel sweeteners are not a significant source of calories or sugar, so they don’t cause weight gain or blood sugar spikes. Compared to artificial sweeteners novel sweeteners are typically less processed and are more similar to their natural sources. Stevia and monk fruit are both naturally derived from plants. Some people feel they have a flavor very similar to regular sugar. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regarded these sweeteners as generally safe to use for their intended application.

Refined oil:

Refined cooking oil requires some hazardous chemicals to be used that contain a lot of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, which can aggravate an impaired insulin response and cause more inflammation in the body. Moreover, the process of refining cooking oils leads to the formation of poly-unsaturated fatty acids which pose some serious health threats, and therefore refined cooking oils are considered harmful for health. Several research studies have linked the consumption of refined oils to; 

• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Hypertension
• Heart disease.

Alternative:

• Cold-pressed oils – They consist of all the essential nutrients required for good health like vitamins, lecithin, proteins, and even phospholipids. Due to less exposure to high temperature and heat, cold-pressed oil is low in cholesterol that supports easy weight loss and food digestion. These oils are organic and considered one of the best substitutes for refined oil as they are free from harmful chemicals like Gallate, propyl, Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). These chemicals are dangerous for health and are added as preservatives in refined cooking oils. Cold-pressed oils are also high sources of antioxidants and oleic acid, which help enhance the power of the immune system. They also fight the free radicals that destroy cells in our body, thus preventing cancer.

Conclusion:

Food items that tempt our test buds are almost unhealthy and consumed only to satisfy our greed for taste are considered less harmful if eaten in moderation. Nutritionists suggest avoiding them, if possible, or consuming them less frequently like once or maximum twice a month. Regular or overconsumption of unhealthy foods is considered the main source causing severe and life-threatening health conditions. To maintain good health and physical fitness in today’s fast-moving, polluted, and sedentary lifestyle, it is strictly advised to practice exercise every day morning for at least 45 minutes and five days a week, have fresh and healthy foods that are protein, vitamins, and fiber-enriched but; less in carbohydrates and consume the right quantity and quality of water as recommended by health experts. Practicing yoga and pranayama for at least 45 minutes to an hour a day and six days a week would be more advantageous for maintaining health and widening lifespan.

Significant Note:

Following natural healing practices in our lives results in our overall well-being and consequently, nurture our relation with the natural world. Natural remedies are powerful and they could be considered as useful and effective substitutes for professional allopathic medical care and practices.

However, before resorting to any natural healing program, especially when we are on any medications or have any treatment going on for our existing health conditions we must always consult our concerned healthcare experts  so that, considering the limitations of our health or whether we are allergic to certain remedies we can have significant guidance of our health experts.

By adopting natural remedies and believing in their healing power we can enhance our physical and mental health leading to a more balanced and satisfying life. We must respect traditional practices and religiously follow natural healing practices for the benefit of mankind and nature.