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KT:Koreans believe that pork and pears protect

 
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dairyairy



Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:16 am    Post subject: KT:Koreans believe that pork and pears protect Reply with quote

Is there any truth to it?

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2014/03/123_152541.html

Quote:
Pork sales jump on concerns over fine dust
By Kim Tae-jong

The nation has been hit by ultrafine dust originating in China over the past few weeks. People are concerned about associated health risks. But pork producers seem to have one reason not to hate the heavily polluted air.

According to major supermarket chains, sales of samgyepsal or sliced pork belly have jumped drastically after a series of warnings against the worst-ever levels of ultrafine dust here.

The robust sales are due to a belief held among the public that elements in the greasy pork slices absorb dust away from the respiratory organs and help the body excrete any accumulations of the dust.

For example, the nation’s largest supermarket chain e-mart said that pork sales jumped by 48.3 percent between Feb. 14 and 27, when the worst levels of ultrafine dust blanketed the country, compared to the same period last year. In comparison, sales of overall livestock products only jumped by 12.5 percent in the cited period.

Sales of pork peaked suddenly as health authorities warned that toxic particles carried by winds from China could cause and exacerbate respiratory problems such as asthma and contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Although the benefits of eating pork to help respiratory organs is nothing but a myth without any scientific proof, large numbers of people believe there are health benefits, because it is known that miners used to enjoy eating pork after working underground.

Along with pork, sales of pears also jumped by 19.2 percent and 21 percent, respectively, in the cited period, because they are also known to be good for respiratory organs.

“As clouds of ultrafine dust became more intense, sales of pork, pears and balloon flower roots have drastically jumped as well as protective cotton masks,” said an official from e-mart.

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yodanole



Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Location: La Florida

PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just out of curiousity, what would you accept as a bona fides of "truth" in this case? I'm guessing that any research originating on the Korean peninsula wouldn't be acceptable and that research originating elsewhere would be exceedingly scarce.
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dairyairy



Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yodanole wrote:
Just out of curiousity, what would you accept as a bona fides of "truth" in this case? I'm guessing that any research originating on the Korean peninsula wouldn't be acceptable and that research originating elsewhere would be exceedingly scarce.


Did you read the article and not just the headline?

Quote:
Although the benefits of eating pork to help respiratory organs is nothing but a myth without any scientific proof,
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Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I told those young whippersnappers that they were fools for taking pork-bellies off the commodities market.
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Smithington



Joined: 14 Dec 2011

PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any statement that begins with, "Koreans believe that......" is just going to be ridiculous. Anything that is uniquely believed by Koreans is just going to be more peasant-based ignorance. Kimchi does this, leaving a fan on will do that, eating dog meat will cure this, giving your child the wrong name will lead to this, blah blah blah.

The moment a Korean 'belief' adds anything to human knowledge let me know. Until then it's just more peasant blather.
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Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smithington wrote:
Any statement that begins with, "Koreans believe that......" is just going to be ridiculous. Anything that is uniquely believed by Koreans is just going to be more peasant-based ignorance. Kimchi does this, leaving a fan on will do that, eating dog meat will cure this, giving your child the wrong name will lead to this, blah blah blah.

The moment a Korean 'belief' adds anything to human knowledge let me know. Until then it's just more peasant blather.


Meh...that whole survey about science and things like 'the Earth revolves around the sun" showed that sometimes the statement 'Koreans believe that...' can be more than old superstitions.
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yodanole



Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Location: La Florida

PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I read the article. I answered your question. Now answer mine , if you please. What would you accept as proof of the "truth" you asked about?

dairyairy wrote:
yodanole wrote:
Just out of curiousity, what would you accept as a bona fides of "truth" in this case? I'm guessing that any research originating on the Korean peninsula wouldn't be acceptable and that research originating elsewhere would be exceedingly scarce.


Did you read the article and not just the headline?

Quote:
Although the benefits of eating pork to help respiratory organs is nothing but a myth without any scientific proof,
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IamBabo



Joined: 16 Jun 2005

PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:35 pm    Post subject: Pork Reply with quote

Was watching a TV show with my wife about this. Since all this crap, they have raised the price of pork to take advantage of this "belief."
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actionjackson



Joined: 30 Dec 2007
Location: Any place I'm at

PostPosted: Fri Mar 07, 2014 12:23 am    Post subject: Re: Pork Reply with quote

IamBabo wrote:
Was watching a TV show with my wife about this. Since all this crap, they have raised the price of pork to take advantage of this "belief."

It was only a matter of time. Actually when I first read this I figured it was probably some pork farmers who got together and started the whole rumor in the first place.
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Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 9:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dude, we seriously need to get some kind of racket going on all of this. Buy a bunch of commodities and then hype them up with crap like this. Technically, it's not insider trading, right?
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Zyzyfer



Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?

PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nah this myth has been around for a while. I was working on the subtitles for a television program - 싱싱일요일 to be specific - way back in 2007 or maybe 2008, and the middle segment was always about the beneficial properties of some food or ingredient. It was at least mildly believable, to be fair. Lo and behold, one day they break out the pork belly segment, and started banging on about how the grease clears dust and other crud out from the throat. I thought it was hilarious, even for a KBS program.
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yodanole



Joined: 02 Mar 2003
Location: La Florida

PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't really need an excuse to eat pork. Most Koreans that I know eat pork at any & every opportunity.
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