Actor Jo Yeo-jeong, 45, eats jjajangmyeon and ramyun just twice a year — and doctors say she's onto something

Actor Jo Yeo-jeong has revealed that she limits herself to jjajangmyeon and ramyun just twice a year, offering a glimpse into the strict dietary discipline behind her youthful appearance. Experts say that while no food needs to be banned outright, cutting back on high-calorie, high-sodium, refined-carbohydrate dishes like jjajangmyeon and ramyun can benefit not only weight management but also cardiovascular health and skin aging.

Appearing on a variety program, Jo was asked the secret to her age-defying looks. "I hold back even when I don't want to," she said, adding that she eats jjajangmyeon and ramyun only twice a year — a remark that drew considerable attention.

Both dishes rank among the most calorie- and sodium-dense foods in the Korean diet. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, a single bowl of jjajangmyeon contains about 800 kilocalories, while one packet of ramyun comes in at around 500 kilocalories. Consuming more energy than the body needs on a regular basis causes the surplus to be stored as fat, leading to weight gain.

The high refined-carbohydrate content is another concern. Both jjajangmyeon noodles and ramyun are made largely from refined wheat flour, which causes blood sugar to spike quickly after eating. The subsequent sharp drop in blood sugar often triggers hunger, prompting people to reach for snacks or an additional meal. Such rapid swings in blood glucose can strain long-term metabolic health, not just weight management.

Skin health can also be affected. Repeated blood sugar spikes promote the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in the body, which are known to damage collagen and elastin — the proteins that keep skin firm — accelerating the appearance of wrinkles and sagging. Reducing refined carbohydrate intake may therefore help slow skin aging as well.

The sodium load is substantial, too. A single bowl of jjajangmyeon is estimated to contain about 2,400 milligrams of sodium, exceeding the World Health Organization's recommended daily limit of 2,000 milligrams. One packet of ramyun averages 1,729 milligrams of sodium — accounting for the bulk of the daily recommended intake on its own.

Excessive sodium intake raises blood pressure and puts added stress on blood vessels. Prolonged high blood pressure can thicken and stiffen arterial walls, increasing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Tamar Polonsky, a professor at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine, told The Washington Post that "chronic high blood pressure decreases the flexibility of small blood vessels" and "can prevent them from dilating properly."

That does not mean jjajangmyeon or ramyun must be cut out entirely. Eating them less often and making small adjustments to preparation can meaningfully reduce the health burden. Pairing jjajangmyeon with plenty of vegetables such as onions or cucumber, and adding bean sprouts, mushrooms, bok choy and an egg to ramyun while leaving some of the broth, can help moderate blood sugar spikes and sodium intake by supplementing the meal with protein and dietary fiber.

Experts emphasize that a healthy diet is less about banning specific foods than about maintaining overall balance. Sticking to vegetables, whole grains and protein-rich foods most of the time — and treating dishes like jjajangmyeon and ramyun as occasional indulgences — is a more realistic long-term strategy for weight management and metabolic health, they say.

rainbow@heraldcorp.com