Q. There are so many diet snacks sold at Olive Young; as a TKM doctor, which ones would you recommend?

I completely understand the temptation; I've often stood in front of snack aisles thinking a certain treat would be 'fine,' only to deal with bloating afterward. I've been there too. Low-calorie snacks have clear advantages: they reduce calorie anxiety while satisfying sugar cravings. However, from a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) perspective, there is a downside. High amounts of sugar substitutes and artificial additives can easily promote the formation of Dam-eum (痰飮), which refers to abnormal fluids and metabolic waste stagnant within the body. Particularly for those with Bi-heo (脾虛)—a deficiency in the Spleen leading to poor digestive capacity—these snacks can cause excessive gas or irregular bowel movements. This happens because the body does not recognize these processed substances as 'proper food,' causing the digestive system to become overloaded while trying to process them. For this reason, it is difficult to name one specific 'correct' product. Every individual has a different constitution (Sasang typology), and the levels of Eohyeol (瘀血, blood stasis) or Dam-eum vary from person to person. Ultimately, the best approach is to examine why your body is craving sweets in the first place before relying on snacks. We should investigate whether your body is 'screaming' because your diet is too restrictive. If you visit the clinic, I can carefully assess your current digestive state and constitution to provide a personalized guide.