Cool and refreshing tastes are the ones that draw your palate, which took a break during midsummer. Of course, you will become healthier if you know the cool taste that will eliminate sweat during midsummer. 

Q. Please tell me how to enjoy cool, refreshing food healthily.

The refreshing and healthy taste of nourishing dishes, such as naengmyeon, makguksu, mulhoe, kongguksu, etc., cannot be left out when it comes to protecting your health from the midsummer heat. Of course, excessive eating is not good for you. If you eat too much of cold dishes, your temperature will drop and your immune system will be weakened, thus making you more easily exposed to summer diseases, such as heatstroke, etc. Cool nourishing food uses a lot of food ingredients with a cold nature, so it should be enjoyed appropriately considering constitution and diseases.

Q. What types of food ingredients have cooling properties?

Ingredients with cooling properties are foods that lower body heat, and they are said to have soothing, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying effects. They may be helpful for people who have a high fever and are sweating a lot. However, cold food ingredients may not be suitable for those who are cool, have poor digestion, or those with irritable bowel syndrome.

Tip - Cold Food Ingredients
• Barley, wheat, wheat flour, buckwheat, mung bean, red bean, etc.
• Pork, duck, etc.
• Lettuce, cucumber, eggplant, napa cabbage, cabbage, etc.
• Tomato, watermelon, Korean melon, cucumber, melon, pineapple, pear, persimmon, banana, strawberry, plum, apricot, etc.
• Herring, clam, freshwater snail, crab, squid, octopus, oyster, etc.
• Laver, seaweed, kelp, etc.

Q. It is said that water is also a tonic during summer. How should I drink it to improve my health?

Some experts say that “water” is the best nourishing food for summer. This means that during summer, you need to pay attention to your water intake. Heatstroke can occur if you do not have enough water and salt in your body, so it is recommended to drink water and ionized beverages on a regular basis even if you are not thirsty. However, it is not recommended to drink a lot of cold water at once when you are thirsty because it can put a strain on your bowel. Drinking water little by little, slowly, and often will help you beat the heat. On the other hand, beverages and alcohol containing a lot of sugar or caffeine are not good, and it is helpful to drink water together with caffeinated beverages or alcohol.
 

Q. During summer, I drink a lot of carbonated drinks as well as water.

Consuming fruits, fruit vegetables, and beverages can also help you pass the hot summer well. However, you need to check whether your sugar intake is excessive. As a way to reduce sugar intake, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recommends to △ reduce carbonated beverages by 1/2 or drink water or carbonated water, △ eliminate sugar and syrup when drinking coffee, and △ check the nutritional information on food packaging when drinking beverages.
  

Q. Naengmyeon is what I think of when we say cold food. There are many types of naengmyeon. 

It is divided into mulnaengmyeon(cold buckwheat noodles) and bibimnaengmyeon(spicy buckwheat noodles) depending on the presence or absence of broth, and buckwheat, starch, and wheat noodles, depending on the noodle ingredient. Buckwheat naengmyeon is made with buckwheat, and its color and texture varies depending on the buckwheat content. Starch naengmyeon is made with potato starch, arrowroot starch, and sweet potato starch. Wheat noodle is made with wheat, which also contains sweet potato starch and potato starch to some extent. By region, there are Pyeongyang naengmyeon, Jinju naengmyeon, Hamheung naengmyeon, and Haeju naengmyeon.

Q. I’m curious about the reason why eggs are added on naengmyeon and makguksu as garnish.

They are used to supplement protein, which is a nutritional component lacking in naengmyeon and makguksu. It is the same reason as adding meat as a garnish on those dishes. Eggs are also said to protect the stomach from the cold properties of buckwheat. There is also an aspect that considers color harmony. According to one naengmyeon shop owner, the egg was also the heart of the owner, wishing for the health of his customers when the country was poor. The philosophy of Korean food that considers the health of those who eat it is also reflected in this egg garnish. 
 

Q. Watermelon and Korean melon are fruit vegetables that are eaten a lot during summer. However, can I eat watermelon and melon seeds?

Watermelon seed: It is said that in ancient Egypt, watermelons were grown for their watermelon seeds. Watermelon seeds are higher in calories than peanuts, and have the highest protein content among seeds(30%), which is higher than sunflower seeds, peanuts, and pine nuts. In China and Africa, watermelon seed oil is used for cooking.
For reference, watermelon rind is also beneficial to health if used well. It is said to be effective for people with poor kidney function or frequent swelling. In China, watermelon rind pickles, sugared rinds, and watermelon rind tea have been enjoyed for a long time, and it is also eaten as fried. There is also a way to make and eat it as a seasoned dish, cold salad, or use it for cooking by drying it and soaking it in water. 
Korean melon seeds: There is a saying that eating melon seeds can result in diarrhea, but the fault is not in the seeds. If you ate Korean melon and had diarrhea, it is most likely that the culprit is the cold nature of the Korean melon. For this reason, you should not eat a lot of it at once, especially if you have a cool body temperature. Also, if you eat Korean melon after eating pork with a cooling property, you should be careful as you may get sick. 
For reference, watermelon is high in potassium, so people with kidney disease should be careful with its consumption.
 

Q. What should I pay attention to when making cool nourishing food?

When eating raw vegetables, such as wraps and salads, pay special attention to cleaning and storage. Recently, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has urged special attention to the prevention of pathogenic E. coli food poisoning and food management. The number one cause was “vegetables”(3,034 people[67%]). When handling vegetables, it is recommended to soak them in chlorine disinfectant solution(100 ppm*) for at least 5 minutes and then wash them in clean water at least 3 times before cutting. Moreover, vegetables get microscopic scratches during the washing process, making it easier for food poisoning bacteria to inhabit than before washing, so eat them immediately after washing. It must be refrigerated unless consumed or used for cooking immediately.

*‌100 ppm: ‌About 400 times dilution of 4% chlorine disinfectant solution − 0.1ℓ of disinfectant(half cup) + 40ℓ(200 cups) of water

Tip - Washing Hands During Cooking
In order to prevent pathogenic E. coli food poisoning, you must wash your hands thoroughly for at least 30 seconds before and after cooking with soap or other detergent. It is also recommended that you wash your hands after each cooking step. 

Source: The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

Q. Do I have to be extra careful when eating raw fish during summer?

Yes. You need to be especially careful about “vibrio sepsis”. Vibrio sepsis occurs concentratedly in the summer when the seawater temperature rises, so you need to pay special attention to the safe purchase and consumption of seafood. People with diseases, such as liver disease and alcoholism, should be especially careful as it can be fatal. Raw fish must be washed 2-3 times under running tap water, and a fish knife and cutting board must be used separately. Also, used cooking utensils must be washed and treated with boiling water in order to prevent secondary contamination of vibrio bacteria. The fish should be purchased fresh at the end of the shopping period and stored in the refrigerator or freezer promptly.