Stress Relief Through Food: Does It Work for North Koreans?

Yulseong Lee

North Korean Defector (Seoul City University Student)

Recently, Rodong Sinmun introduced several foods believed to help relieve stress, including peppermint tea, dried fruits, legumes, citrus fruits, and brown rice. These foods are said to support normal serotonin levels and reduce anxiety.

It is unusual for North Korean media to use the term "stress." Recently, North Korea has enacted strict laws, such as the Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Law and the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act, banning South Korean terms, dramas, and other elements of K-culture.

Stress is not simply a reaction to external events but rather how a person perceives and responds to a situation. It occurs when the demands of a situation surpass an individual's ability to cope, straining their personal resources. This cognitive evaluation of one's environment ultimately triggers stress.

Given North Korea's food supply issues, one might question whether these foods are realistic for the average resident’s daily meals. While legumes are relatively accessible for products like tofu and soybean paste, fruit production is regionally uneven, and poor storage and distribution hinder consistent supply nationwide.

While peppermint is easy to grow, it requires a temperature of 25-30°C, limiting its cultivation to certain regions in North Korea. With rice production insufficient, North Koreans mainly rely on corn and potatoes. In rural areas I observed, starvation forced people to eat potato skins. Under these conditions, brown rice for health benefits is nearly impossible.

The foods mentioned may help with stress relief, but given North Korea’s food shortages and living conditions, their impact would be minimal. Stress isn’t relieved by food alone—it also requires proper nutrition, exercise, rest, and, most importantly, psychological stability.

Instead of relieving stress with the foods introduced by Rodong Sinmun, many North Koreans turn to drugs at an alarming rate. Narcotic use raises dopamine levels, often causing hallucinatory effects.

High-ranking officials, ordinary citizens, and even teenagers in North Korea are involved in drug use and distribution. Instead of addressing survival needs, the regime focuses on control, driving many to drugs as a coping mechanism.

North Korean authorities must do more than recommend certain foods for mental health. Effective policies addressing health, nutrition, and psychological well-being are needed.