Healthy Pork Belly

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Pork belly, known as Samgyeopsal in Korean, is perhaps the most popular meat dish in Korea. Its distinctive delicious and savory flavor is thanks in large part to its high fat content. But a lot of health-conscious people worry that that fat content could harm their health. So we have some tips on preparing samgyeopsal in a healthy way in today’s Close Up.

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The sizzling sound of grilling is enough to make many mouths water. Pork belly or samgyeopsal is rich in vitamin B, protein and iron and therefore good for your skin and preventing anemia. But there are health concerns as well.

[Soundbite] Choi Seo-yeon(Seoul Resident) : "I eat a lot of samgyeopsal but I do worry about cholesterol whenever I'm eating."

Experts express caution over pork belly consumption.

[Soundbite] Prof. Noh Bong-soo(Seoul Women's University) : "Samgyeopsal contains higher cholesterol content compared to other cuts of pork meat. So excess consumption can cause vascular diseases to people at risk of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and hardening of the arteries. Therefore take caution in pork belly consumption."

Here are some cooking tips for people who want to enjoy pork belly and also stay healthy. We will cook samgyeopsal with bean sprouts today which contain abundant dietary fiber and help lower blood cholesterol. The bean sprouts and pork belly will be steamed, not grilled. This is a fantastic way to remove some of the fat. In the steamer, onions are laid at the very bottom which will work to absorb cholesterol from the pork belly. Adding veggies to a meat dish is always a healthy thing to do. This time, let's try something a bit more fancy, namely pork belly canape. First grill the meat and place it on bread.

[Soundbite] An Hee-jeong(Culinary Expert) : "Sliced bread is very effective in absorbing grease. Pork belly over bread will do this trick."

While the bread absorbs the grease, you can prepare the other ingredients. Instead of biscuits or bread, slice up some fruit to accompany the pork belly. Your easy to make canapes are done! That was as simple as it gets. Let's try a dish that's a little more complex. First cut up various vegetables. Add some chili peppers for a kick and heat. Then mix in some eggs as well as salt and pepper for seasoning. Thoroughly mix the batter and pour it into the pan over a bed of pork belly. You can add cheese if you like. Once the meat is cooked, you can plate the dish. Fold up what looks like a pancake on the plate and you have made a scrumptious pork belly omelette.

[Soundbite] Cha Gyeong-min(Suwon Resident) : "It looks so tasty. I think this will be great when serving guests. The cheese and veggies combined with meat also provide great texture."

Samgyeopsal is truly a national treat for many Koreans. With the tips we've shared with you today, ease your worries about cholestoral and calorie intake. Enjoy pork belly guilt-free with these smart cooking methods.