Learn Korean: Actors' Healthy Tomato Juice Habit

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Korean Reading Practice

“혈압 낮춘다” 이민정·이병헌 부부 매일 마시는 ‘이 ...

Date: February 18, 2026

Introduction

This reading passage discusses how actress Lee Min-jung and her family enjoy drinking tomato juice regularly, which can help lower blood pressure. The article also provides information about the health benefits of tomatoes and lycopene, the antioxidant compound that gives tomatoes their red color.

Vocabulary

Korean Romanization Meaning Example
항산화 hangsanhwa antioxidant 토마토에는 항산화 성분인 라이코펜이 들어있습니다.
콜레스테롤 kolleseuterol cholesterol 라이코펜은 나쁜 콜레스테롤 수치를 낮춥니다.
동맥경화 dongmyeokgyeonghwa atherosclerosis 라이코펜은 동맥경화 위험을 줄여줍니다.
심장질환 simjangjihwan heart disease 토마토 주스를 마시면 심장질환 예방에 도움이 됩니다.
고혈압 gohyeolap high blood pressure 토마토를 많이 먹으면 고혈압 위험이 줄어듭니다.
라이코펜 raikopen lycopene 토마토의 붉은 색은 라이코펜 때문입니다.
체내흡수 chenaeseupsu absorption (in the body) 라이코펜은 주스로 섭취할 때 더 잘 흡수됩니다.
섭취 seopchu intake, consumption 하루 110g 이상의 토마토를 섭취하면 좋습니다.
발생 balsaeng occurrence, incidence 토마토를 많이 먹으면 고혈압 발생 위험이 줄어듭니다.
감소 gamso decrease, reduction 토마토 주스를 마시면 콜레스테롤 수치가 감소합니다.

Reading Text

배우 이민정(43)이 가족들이 토마토 주스를 즐겨 마신다고 밝혔다. 이민정은 최근 자신의 유튜브 채널에서 가족이 매일 마시는 아이템들을 공개했다. 이 중 토마토 주스가 포함되어 있었다. 이민정은 "사실은 아빠(이병헌)가 토마토 주스 당 없는 걸 먹고 싶다고 했는데 딸에게 뺏긴 것이다"라고 말했다.

Actress Lee Min-jung (43) revealed that her family enjoys drinking tomato juice regularly. Lee recently shared the items her family consumes daily on her YouTube channel, which included tomato juice. She said, "Actually, my dad (Lee Byung-hun) wanted to drink tomato juice without sugar, but he had it taken by his daughter."

토마토의 붉은 색을 내는 항산화 성분 라이코펜은 혈중 나쁜 콜레스테롤 수치를 낮추고 혈관 벽을 보호해 동맥경화와 심장 질환 위험을 줄인다. 연구 결과, 하루 110g 이상의 토마토를 섭취한 그룹은 그렇지 않은 그룹보다 고혈압 발생 위험이 약 36% 감소했다. 라이코펜은 토마토를 생으로 먹을 때보다 주스 형태로 섭취할 때 체내 흡수율이 더 높아진다.

The antioxidant compound lycopene, which gives tomatoes their red color, can lower bad cholesterol levels in the blood and protect blood vessel walls, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Research shows that the group consuming more than 110g of tomatoes per day had about a 36% lower risk of developing high blood pressure compared to the group that did not. Lycopene is better absorbed by the body when consumed as tomato juice rather than eating raw tomatoes.

Grammar Points

-고 싶다 want to

Attached to a verb stem to express desire: 'want to do something'. Formed by adding -고 싶다 to the verb stem.

📖 이민정은 "사실은 아빠(이병헌)가 토마토 주스 당 없는 걸 먹고 싶다고 했는데 딸에게 뺏긴 것이다"라고 말했다. Lee Min-jung said, "Actually, dad (Lee Byung-hun) said he wanted to eat one without sugar, but it was taken by his daughter."

✏️ 저는 오늘 피자를 먹고 싶어요. I want to eat pizza today.

보다 more than

Used after a noun or noun phrase to make a comparison meaning 'more than'. Here it compares two situations.

📖 라이코펜은 토마토를 생으로 먹을 때보다 주스 형태로 섭취할 때 체내 흡수율이 더 높아진다. Lycopene has a higher absorption rate in the body when consumed in juice form than when eating tomatoes raw.

✏️ 버스보다 지하철이 더 빨라요. The subway is faster than the bus.

Cultural Notes

Tomatoes are a relatively recent addition to the traditional Korean diet, having been introduced from the West in the late 19th century. However, they have become a staple ingredient in many popular Korean dishes and are widely consumed across the country today. The health benefits of tomatoes, particularly their high lycopene content, have also become more well-known among Koreans in recent years.

Source: 네이버 뉴스 | Original Article
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📝 Comprehension Questions

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Q1

Why does Lee Min-jung's family enjoy drinking tomato juice regularly?

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Q2

What are the health benefits of the antioxidant lycopene found in tomatoes?

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Q3

How does consuming tomato juice differ from eating raw tomatoes in terms of lycopene absorption?

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Q4

How much tomato consumption per day was found to reduce the risk of high blood pressure?

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Q5

Who in Lee Min-jung's family initially wanted to drink tomato juice without sugar?

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