There are so many diet foods at Costco; from a Korean Medicine doctor's perspective, which ones would you recommend?
Rather than focusing solely on nutritional labels, the most important factor is whether your body can currently digest those ingredients. Instead of searching for a 'miracle' product, the best diet food is one that aligns with your specific constitution and current digestive capacity.
Costco is filled with products that appear healthy, and even I have occasionally bought too much only to find they didn't suit me. From a clinical perspective, low-sugar and high-protein products are efficient for busy professionals to manage blood glucose. However, they have drawbacks; artificial sweeteners can disrupt the gut microbiome, leading to bloating or indigestion in some individuals.
In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), those with 'Spleen Deficiency' (Bi-heo, 脾虛)—meaning weakened digestive function—may find these processed diet foods counterproductive. When digestive capacity is low, relying strictly on high-protein or synthetic substitutes can lead to the accumulation of 'Dam-eum' (痰飮), which are metabolic wastes or phlegm-like fluids. This often manifests as lethargy or dizziness.
The answer ultimately depends on your body's current state. While a chicken breast shake might work for one person, a bowl of warm vegetable porridge could be a more effective path for another. The priority should be clearing 'Eo-hyeol' (瘀血, blood stasis) and toxins to restore digestive health first. If you are curious about the best food combinations for your specific constitution, please visit the clinic for a personalized consultation.
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