Korean doctor warns tteok, kimbap, mixed coffee, juice threaten pancreatic health

A South Korean physician has singled out four everyday foods as potentially harmful to pancreatic health: tteok (rice cakes), kimbap (rolled rice with fillings), mix coffee, and fruit juice. Dr. Lee Won-kyung, a radiology specialist who runs a private clinic, discussed these items in a video on his YouTube channel, calling them among the “worst foods” for the pancreas.

Lee argues these foods can trigger rapid jumps in blood sugar, overworking the pancreas that must produce insulin to manage sugar in the bloodstream. He cited a report showing diabetes among Koreans rose by about 19% in the last five years and said the Korean diet tends to be high in sugar and salt.

On tteok, which is made from rice flour, Lee says it can cause steep blood sugar increases. He suggested choosing tteok made with brown rice or mixed grains instead of white rice when possible.

Regarding kimbap, he noted that some commercially produced versions include sweeteners in the rice, which can raise blood sugar quickly after meals.

Mix coffee is highlighted as well, because it combines sugar with creamer, producing rapid glucose spikes. Lee warned that long-term consumption could raise risks of hyperlipidemia and diabetes.

Fruit juice also features in the warning. He argued that juicing fruits leads to faster sugar absorption than eating whole fruit. A study by Kongju National University’s Department of Food and Nutrition analyzed 925 beverages sold domestically and found fruit juice contained an average of 10.6 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters—the highest among the beverages tested.

Lee recommended practical changes for pancreatic health: use fried onions to flavor foods instead of adding sugar; choose brown rice or mixed-grain rice instead of white rice; and eat dietary fiber and protein before carbohydrates during meals.

The pancreas plays a central role in regulating insulin in response to blood sugar. Regular intake of refined carbohydrates can drive insulin resistance, which can damage pancreatic cells and fuel inflammation. In Korea, pancreatic cancer has a relatively low five-year survival rate of about 17%, according to statistics from the Korea Central Cancer Registry, part of the Health Ministry-run national cancer registry.

For U.S. readers and global markets, the episode underscores cross-border concerns about sugar-heavy foods, diabetes risk, and the potential policy and healthcare costs tied to pancreatic disease as dietary patterns around the world increasingly resemble those seen in Korea.