13 Healthy Korean Snacks (With Weight Loss Tips) 

Growing up as a Korean American, Korean snacks have been a huge part of my life and still reign supreme over all the snacks I’ve ever tried.

Although the snacks you find here in America are delicious and addictive, there’s nothing like the variety you get when you eat Korean snacks. 

So I've decided to conjure up a list of 13 Korean snacks that I’ve eaten and did some research on other snacks that are healthy and not too fattening.

Before we get into this list, however, let’s discuss how snacking can be used as a tool to keep yourself fit and healthy. 

Snacking is actually something that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

It adds calories to your day which could lead to weight loss if you are unaware of how much you should eat in a day.

So, before we get into this list, I want you to understand that your calories are what dictate how much fat you carry so you need to know what your daily caloric intake is. 

If you’re looking to lose weight you need to be eating at something called a caloric deficit.

Basically, you need to burn more calories within your day than you consume. If you want a more in-depth article about how you can achieve this, then check out our blog where you can discover more about what your daily caloric intake should be. 

Now that you’ve figured that out, you can simply fit these snacks into your diet and add them in responsibly and enroute to your fitness goals. 

Let’s get into the 13 Healthiest Korean Snacks that can help you reach your fitness goals. 

13. Gang Neng Yi (Korean Popcorn) 

If you’ve been to any Korean household growing up, then you’ve definitely seen this long bag of popcorn that looks unseasoned and flavorless.

It’s anything but that and is made the same way that popcorn is except it isn’t really seasoned with salt and has a very subtle sweet flavor. 

It’s a very different take on popcorn and is way less fattening than what you can normally eat from popcorn that you can find in most grocery stores.

Koreans don’t like to add oil to too many things which makes the fat content of any dish go down significantly. 

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and see what goes inside a typical Gang Neng Yi snack. 

For every 2 grams of fat, there are 45 grams of carbs and 5 grams of protein.

This is not bad since the fat is low and the protein is actually pretty high at 5 grams. However, there are 45 grams of carbs in this dish which can definitely add up if you’re not safe. 

Snacking is a great alternative to those who eat smaller portioned meals throughout the day.

It can add some fun flavor and needed variety that you might not get from many of the meals you can get or make at home.

However, once again, you must be aware of how many calories you consume and how much of eat snack you can fit in your day. 

Our tip for this snack is to limit yourself to a single serving.

45 grams of carbs coming from this snack is plenty and you’ll definitely feel satiated after one serving of it. 

12. Gangjeong (Korean Granola Bar) 

If you’re bored of your everyday granola bars filled with chocolate or peanut butter, then you should try out Korea’s take on granola bars.

There’s a wide variety of them and they don’t contain your typical flavors that you might have grown accustomed to. 

The traditional version of this snack is a simple mixture of brown sugar and barley.

However, there are many other paths that it can take such as matcha, black sesame, and a peanut.

It’s something that I’ve grown up eating and is so much more fun than what you can get at a typical grocery store. 

Let’s take a look at what goes inside a typical Gang Jeong snack. 

For every 2 grams of fat, there are 45 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein.

Although this snack is delicious, most of its calories come from carbs and, therefore, must be eaten in moderation.

Remember, carbs are not bad for you. It’s rather the act of overeating carbs that will make you bloated and retain some fat. 

Our tip here is to eat this snack to supplement a day where you haven’t eaten any carbs or know that you are going to expend more energy.

Fit it into your calories for the day and be aware of how many carbs you have consumed or have left for the day. 

11. Hotteok (Brown Sugar Stuffed Pancake) 

Hotteok is a Korean food that is hardly ever talked about.

I recently heard famous chef, David Chang talk about this food and how he grew up eating it and I was so happy to hear about the dish finally getting the recognition it deserves. 

It’s essentially a pancake stuffed with brown sugar and cooked on a grill which gives it a crispy exterior and a fluffy and flavorful interior.

There’s nothing quite like having this as a snack after you’ve come back from work or school and it’s relatively easy to find in any Korean supermarket as either a frozen food or something they cook up for you there. 

Let’s take a look at its calorie contents and what goes inside a typical Hotteok dish. 

For every 7 grams of fats, there are 30 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein.

Not bad at all considering how delicious this is!

Although the carbs are a little high, you can see that there aren’t that many calories coming from fats as Hotteok doesn’t contain butter and is not cooked with butter. 

It’s definitely a healthier alternative to traditional pancakes and is more of a snack or dessert rather than a breakfast item.

Our tip here is to eat this in moderation and on days where you know you can afford the extra carbs. 

10. SikHye (Sweet Rice Drink) 

SikHye is a sweet and flavorful drink that contains basic ingredients such as barley and brown sugar.

It’s simple but packs a punch when it comes to flavor and how refreshing it can be after a long day of work. 

It’s a drink that goes best with Korean BBQ in my opinion and, the best part is, it comes in a small portion so it’s hard to overeat on carbs. 

Let’s take a look at what goes inside a typical SikHye drink and see what makes up its calorie content. 

There are 0 grams of fat in the drink and 24 carbs with 1 gram of protein.

Let’s compare this drink to a typical coke or sprite that you can get at a restaurant.

Coke and Sprite usually contain 40 grams of sugar while this drink has 16. 

Our tip here is to replace any sodas or juices that you might order at a restaurant and switch to your SikHye drink if you’re at a local Korean joint.

You can save up to 24 grams of sugar and way less calories this way. 

9. Yakbap (Dried Nuts With Fruit) 

Koreans love nuts, granola, and honey.

If you love those things too then you’re definitely going to love Yakbap as it’s a mixture of all those things with dried fruit in it as well.

It’s essentially similar to Gangjeong except it’s coated with a sticky layer of sugar and usually contains dried Cranberries. 

It’s a delicious dish that surpasses most granola bars and is a step up from Gangjeong as it contains way more flavors and textures.

Let’s take a look at its calorie content and what goes inside a typical Yakbap dish. 

For every 1.5 grams of fat, there are 27 grams of carbs and 2 grams of protein. Not bad at all and, for the flavor it contains, 27 grams of carbs is very affordable.

Our tip for this is similar to many of the other dishes we have talked about: make sure to not overeat and be mindful of your carbs. 

8. Goguma Mattang (Candied Sweet Potatoes) 

Korean sweet potatoes are definitely the best you can find out there.

It’s not your typical yam as the inside is yellow and the outside is purple or violet colored.

It’s much sweeter than your typical yam and is packed with a ton of fibers that are great for filling you up while on your diet. 

This dish is essentially a roasted sweet potato dish that is coated with caramelized sugar and topped with sesame seeds to add a bit of a crunch factor. It sounds delicious and it very much is delicious.

It’s usually eaten as a dessert at the end of a meal which is always a happy treat that you can look forward to. 

Let’s take a look at what goes inside a typical Goguma Mattang dish and what the calorie content is. 

For every 8 grams of fat, there are 12 grams of carbs and 1 gram of fat.

This is not bad at all as it’s great to eat a lot of this and still stay low on the calories.

There are only 12 grams of carbs per serving which is crazy for how good this tastes.

You definitely have to try it out and, if you want to try this at home, here is a recipe on how you can do that. 

https://mykoreankitchen.com/candied-sweet-potato-in-caramel-sauce-goguma-mattang/

7. Bungeoppang (Fish Shaped Pastry With Red Bean Stuffing) 

Bungeoppang is usually confused for Tayaki which is also a fish shaped pastry that is stuffed with red bean.

The difference, however, is the amount of batter used and the texture of the dish.

When I explain the difference between Bungeoppang and Tayaki (I have this conversation regularly with my friends because I’m passionate about this dish) I like to say that Bungeoppang has the consistency of a pancake while Tayaki has the consistency of a waffle. 

This is definitely a preference thing and, if you like pancakes over waffles, then you’ll definitely like Bungeoppang over Tayaki (I prefer pancakes). 

Let’s take a look at what goes inside a typical Bengeoppang dish and what the calorie content is. 

For every 2.5 grams of fat, there are 20 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of protein.

The carbs are low for what this dish is and the red bean inside is very satiating which is great for when you’re dieting.

This is a dish that provides both flavor and fills you up so it’s hard to overeat. It’s a great option if you’re craving some dessert. 

6. Bung Tui Gi (Puffed Rice Disc) 

Going back to one of the more traditional foods in Korean, we’re going to take a look at Bung Tui Gi which is a disc made out of sweetened rice.

It’s crunchy on the outside and airy on the inside.

It has a subtle flavor which means that there is hardly any sugar used to season this dish. 

Growing up, this was the dish that I just liked to munch on and, if you’re Korean, you can probably relate.

It’s subtle flavor is somehow addicting and keeps you coming for more throughout your snacking session. 

Let’s take a look at what goes inside a typical Bung Tui Gi dish.

For every 0 grams of fat, there are 23 grams of carbs and 2 grams of protein.

Once again, this dish is not bad as it is low on the carbs for a snack and actually contains some protein.

It’s easy to overeat this dish so make sure you don’t eat too much! 

5. Dan Pot Juk (Sweet Red Bean Porridge) 

This dish is definitely one of the most famous Korean snacks that can fall into the soul food category. It’s served warm and has a creamy consistency with an awesome sweet flavor that comes from the boiled red beans. 

It can be served as a dessert but is usually eaten throughout the day as a snack that you can eat. There’s something so special about this dish as its hearty flavors really comfort you. It’s nostalgic and takes me back to spending time with my family as a kid. 

Let’s take a look at its nutrition facts and what goes inside a typical Dan Pot Juk stew. 

For every 0.5 grams of fat, there are 27 grams of carbs and 8 grams of protein.

For a dish as hearty as this one, 27 grams of fat for virtually no fats and 8 grams of protein is a great macronutrient ratio.

It’s a unique dish and is a healthy alternative to some other snacks you can find out there. 

4. Dan Hobak Jeon (Korean Pumpkin Pancakes) 

If you love pumpkin flavored things then this is definitely the dish for you.

Unlike many other snacks out there that use pumpkin flavorings, this dish let’s pumpkin shine as it is its main ingredient. 

You essentially shred a lot of pumpkin and add flour to the mix along with some sugar.

You end up with a pancake like batter that smells amazing as the pumpkin really takes over.

You then cook it just like you would a pancake and dip it into a syrup or savory dipping sauce. Here is a recipe you can use to make it at home. 

http://www.beyondkimchee.com/korean-pumpkin-pancakes/

Let’s take a look at what goes inside a typical Dan Hobak Jeon dish and what the calorie content is. 

For every 2 grams of fats, there are 10 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein.

This is great as there are barely any calories in this dish as you’re really just eating pumpkin and a little bit of flour.

You can find that you can eat a lot of these pancakes and not overeat as its simple nature keeps it nice and healthy. 

3. Gim Bugak (Seaweed Chips) 

Seaweed on its own can be a little boring but, when made into a disk like Gim Bugak, it can turn into a whole other dish that has a ton of unique and interesting flavors.

What makes this dish so great is the addition of rice flour and seasonings such as sesame seeds and spicy red peppers. 

It’s essentially a Korean seaweed chip that has been lightly fried and contains a crazy umami taste to it.

It’s hard to explain but it’s definitely one of those dishes with a wow factor to it.

Here’s a recipe you can try if you want to have these for your next snack! 

https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/gim-bugak

Let’s take a look at what goes inside a typical Gim Bugak dish and what the calorie contents are. 

For every 1.5 grams of fat, there are 16 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein.

Low calorie, low carb, and delicious, what more can you ask for when snacking on something?

This is definitely a great snack for how much you get per serving. It’s really hard to overeat as one serving is plenty for a bite before your next meal. 

2. Pat Bingsoo (Korean Shaved Ice) 

Pat Bingsoo is a shaved iced dish that can come in a variety of different flavors and toppings.

The traditional Pat Bingsoo is served with a peanut powder and red beans with little pieces of rice cakes to add some chew to the dish. 

Koreans love this dish as there’s a ton of nostalgia and good memories behind it.

It’s also a very healthy snack as there isn’t much sugar or fat added as it focuses more on the red bean and rice cakes.

There’s usually condensed milk, a shaved ice or snow dish so Pat Bingsoo is like the healthier version with a small amount of both of these. 

What’s also great about Pat Bingsoo is the fact that they serve a lot of fruit when traditionally served.

Fruits contain a lot of fiber and fructose which keeps you nice and satiated when dieting.

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and what goes into a typical Pat Bingsoo dish. 

For every 2 grams of protein, there are 8 grams of carbs and 5 grams of protein.

This is a great dish and is super low on the calorie range for such a refreshing and delicious dessert.

It’s not too sweet and is packed with awesome flavors that come from the red bean, the peanut powder, and the fresh fruit that come with it. 

1. SuJeongGwa (Cinnamon Punch) 

Taking the number one spot on this list has to be a Korean drink called SuJeongGwa.

It’s essentially a cinnamon and sugar dish that is super refreshing and goes beyond a typical beverage you can find at any other restaurant. 

The drink is flavored with cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, and dried dates.

It’s a really delicious dish and is served usually at the end of the meal or as a drink that you sip on throughout the day.

It’s really amazing what kind of flavors you get from that combination and how healthy the drink can be while tasting so good. 

Let’s take a look at the calories and what goes inside a typical SuJeongGwa drink. 

There are 0 grams of fat for every 30 grams of carbs and 1 gram of protein.

This is great for a drink as it’s low in calories for such a large amount consumed.

It’s a great way to add some sweetness to your diet without going overboard on the carbs. 

There it is! 

13 Healthy Korean snacks that can be added to your list of foods to eat when dieting and reaching your fitness goals.

Each of these foods have a special place for Koreans since they’re flavors are amazing and their calorie counts are low.

If you want to know more about healthy Asian foods, then make sure to check out our other articles for healthy eats and fitness tips!

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