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In Algeria, people consume about 2255 g of food per day, with produce taking the biggest share at 47%, and fish and seafood coming in last at 0%. In South Korea, the daily total is around 2047 g, with produce leading at 43% and eggs and dairy at the bottom with 5%.
Grains
Fish and seafood
Produce
Eggs and dairy
Meats
Sugar, fats and nuts
At the core of daily Korean meals are rice, a variety of banchan with spinach, bean sprouts, radish, seaweed, often seasoned with garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Fermented condiments, such as gochujang chili pepper and soybean paste, doenjang soybean paste, and ganjang soy sauce, provide distinctive depth and umami. Modest portions of meat, fish, tofu, or eggs round out the meal.
Korean cuisine stands out for balancing contrasts: spicy against mild, fermented against fresh, hot dishes alongside cold ones. It’s also a bold cuisine – the use of chilies is a defining marker, setting it apart from Japanese, or Chinese traditions. Korean soy sauce is darker and richer than Japanese; food generally is heartier and flavored more.
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Grains 597 G
503 G
12 G
46 G
36 G
0 G
0 G
0 G
0 G
0 G
Grains 422 G
142 G
229 G
46 G
3 G
0 G
0 G
1 G
0 G
1 G
In Korea, rice (bap) is the staple, always eaten with soup and side dishes. Rice is rarely stir-fried or served alone; it’s central to the table and carries cultural symbolism. Historically, Korea had over 1,500 rice varieties, but most disappeared under colonial rule and modernization. White rice became common only in the late 20th century; earlier, people mixed it with barley, millet, beans, or sorghum (boribap, japgokbap).
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Produce 1059 G
18 G
575 G
176 G
290 G
0 G
Produce 870 G
4 G
574 G
54 G
137 G
93 G
Korean food is far from vegetable-poor. Traditionally, meals were plant-centered, with meat reserved for special occasions. Home-style banchan are vegetable-heavy: spinach, bean sprouts, cucumbers, radishes, greens. Stews feature tofu and mushrooms. The BBQ image is more dining-out than everyday.
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Meats 56 G
17 G
0 G
12 G
22 G
1 G
4 G
Meats 233 G
60 G
107 G
52 G
1 G
0 G
13 G
Are Koreans heavy meat eaters today? Compared to the past, absolutely more than before. Modern Korea has one of the highest per-capita pork consumption rates in the world, and barbecue culture is central to dining out. Yet meat is still paired with plenty of vegetables, rice, and sides — so the meal feels varied rather than dominated by meat.
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Fish and seafood 10 G
10 G
0 G
Fish and seafood 152 G
95 G
57 G
Each Korean coastline has something to brag about – oysters from the south, crabs and clams from the west, sea cucumbers and abalone from Jeju. Seafood also has a whole ecosystem in Korean cuisine. Fish and seafood are eaten daily – grilled fish on open flames, skewered squid, dried cuttlefish, and fishcakes. Koreans are the world’s heaviest eaters, averaging around 55 kilos (1,940 oz) per person each year.
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Eggs and dairy 362 G
18 G
341 G
3 G
Eggs and dairy 109 G
34 G
62 G
13 G
Eggs are very common in Korean cuisine. You’ll see them in gyeran-jjim (savory steamed egg custard), fried eggs topping bibimbap or noodles, and rolled omelets gyeran-mari packed in lunchboxes.
Milk and dairy are not traditional, most Koreans are lactose intolerant. After the Korean War, when U.S. aid introduced powdered milk and school milk programs. Today, yogurt drinks and cheese are present, but only as a modern Western influence.
SUGARS, FATS AND NUTS 171 G
6 G
88 G
0 G
61 G
16 G
SUGARS, FATS AND NUTS 261 G
29 G
135 G
0 G
65 G
32 G
Nuts do appear, but as a garnish, not an everyday ingredient, but sesame and sesame oil are big. It’s actually the signature Korean oil – aromatic, nutty, used more as a seasoning over bibimbap, japchae, namul vegetables, or any other dish. South Koreans use moderate amounts of neutral oils for frying. When used, they’re soybean and canola at home, and palm oil is widespread in foodservice for cost reasons.
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BAY LEAVES
CILANTRO
MINT
PARSLEY
THYME
ANGELICA
CHIVES
JAPANESE PARSLEY
MUGWORT
PERILLA/SHISO
SESAME LEAVES
BAY LEAVES
CILANTRO
MINT
PARSLEY
THYME
ANGELICA
CHIVES
JAPANESE PARSLEY
MUGWORT
PERILLA/SHISO
SESAME LEAVES
ANISEED
CARAWAY
CINNAMON
CLOVES
CORIANDER
CUMIN
GINGER
NIGELA SEED
NUTMEG
PAPRIKA
SAFFRON
TURMERIC DRY
BLACK PEPPER
DRY CHILI
ANISEED
CARAWAY
CINNAMON
CLOVES
CORIANDER
CUMIN
GINGER
NIGELA SEED
NUTMEG
PAPRIKA
SAFFRON
TURMERIC DRY
BLACK PEPPER
DRY CHILI
BELL PEPPERS
LEMON
ORANGE WATER
CHILI PEPPERS
GARLIC
ONION
CHINESE CHIVES
DRIED MUSHROOMS
GINGER
SPRING ONION
YUZU
BELL PEPPERS
LEMON
ORANGE WATER
CHILI PEPPERS
GARLIC
ONION
CHINESE CHIVES
DRIED MUSHROOMS
GINGER
SPRING ONION
YUZU
CLARIFIED BUTTER
DATES
FERMENTED BUTTER
OLIVE OIL
PEPPER PASTE
PRESERVED LEMONS
TOMATO PASTE
ANCHOVIES
DOENJANG
DRIED FISH/SEAFOOD
DRIED SEAWEED
FERMENTED FISH/SEAFOOD
FISH SAUCE
GOCHUJANG
GRAIN VINEGAR
HONEY
PLUM SYRUP
RICE SYRUP
RICE VINEGAR
RICE WINE
SESAME OIL
SESAME SEEDS
SOY SAUCE
CLARIFIED BUTTER
DATES
FERMENTED BUTTER
OLIVE OIL
PEPPER PASTE
PRESERVED LEMONS
TOMATO PASTE
ANCHOVIES
DOENJANG
DRIED FISH/SEAFOOD
DRIED SEAWEED
FERMENTED FISH/SEAFOOD
FISH SAUCE
GOCHUJANG
GRAIN VINEGAR
HONEY
PLUM SYRUP
RICE SYRUP
RICE VINEGAR
RICE WINE
SESAME OIL
SESAME SEEDS
SOY SAUCE
The seasoning profile of Algerian cuisine is more about spices than high spiciness. Sweet and savory combinations are not as common in Algeria as in Morocco. In a global context, Algerian flavor building sits in the moderate range — not as minimalist as Northern European cuisines, but simpler and more direct than Persian or Indian cooking. Parsley, cilantro, and mint are the most popular herbs, alongside generous use of cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, caraway, ginger, and turmeric. Spices are usually added together early in cooking. Base building starts with onion, garlic, oil or smen (fermented butter), followed by ground spices.
Spice mixes Ras el hanout, Hror, Za’atar, Tabil are popular.
RAS EL HANOUT – a complex blend of spices that can include up to 80 (!) ingredients, is popular with cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, and ginger at its core.
HROR is a mixture of dry-roasted peppercorns, cumin, coriander, cloves, and nutmeg until they’re toasted and gain a distinctive smoky flavor. The mix of flavors in slow-cooked stews adds a robust and warm spice profile. This is a lesser-known but valued regional spice blend of French origin.
Levantine ZA’ATAR – dried oregano, thyme or marjoram, sumac, sesame seeds, salt.
TABIL – a warm and earthy spice mix beloved in Algeria and Tunisia, used to flavor meats, stews, and vegetables. Made of caraway, coriander seeds, cumin and dried chili.
Popular Algerian sauces are harissa, derssa, and hmiss. Also, chermoula, which may be more associated with Moroccan cuisine, yet some versions are used in Algerian seafood and vegetable dishes. Also, the garlic-based toum, originating from Lebanon, is not traditionally Algerian but has found a way to urban areas.
HARISSA – spicy chili paste from dried chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, cumin, coriander. It is used as a condiment to add heat and flavor to stews, soups, and grilled meats and as a marinade for proteins.
DERSSA is a slightly milder, made of garlic, chili, caraway, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, cilantro, and mint. It is often used as a dipping sauce for bread, vegetables, and grilled meats, as a marinade or dressing for salads. It might sound similar to harissa, but dersa is garlic-forward rather than chili-forward, and has a unique flavor profile due to the caraway seeds and fresh herbs.
HMISS is another popular spicy and tomatoey condiment from roasted red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and chili peppers. Usually served as a dip or spread with bread or grilled meat, it can also be used as a topping for sandwiches or pizzas. In some parts of Algeria, hmiss is made with the addition of cumin and paprika, giving it a unique regional variation.
South Korean cooks build flavors through depth, fermentation, and balance. At its core are jang – fermented soybean trio – doenjang, ganjang, and gochujang, which provide the earthy, savory, spicy, and salty base. Fermented vegetables, especially kimchi, give tang and pungency that cuts through the richness of other foods.
Garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds are everyday staples that create warmth and nuttiness. Dried chili flakes, specifically gochugaru, add heat and a deep red color, defining much of Korea’s flavor identity. Overall, Korean food is moderately to very spicy, but on average, it is milder than the hottest regional Thai, Sichuan/Hunan Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Jamaican, or Ethiopian dishes.
A daily, structural ingredient and core stock builder is dashima, kelp. It is simmered to create umami, mineral richness, and subtle ocean flavor, and then it acts as the backbone of soups, stews, and broths. Dashima is almost always combined with dried anchovies to make yuksu broth.
Unlike cuisines that layer in many dried spices, Korea doesn’t. South Korean cooking is anchored by a fermented bases and chili seasonings:
GOCHUGARU – Korean chili flakes. Sun-dried, mildly smoky and fruity chili with medium heat; essential for kimchi, jjigae, namul, and sauces where clean chili flavor and color are needed.
GOCHUJANG – red chili and fermented soybean paste. Thick, sweet-spicy-umami paste of chili, glutinous rice, and fermented soy; foundational for tteokbokki, bibimbap sauce, spicy stir-fries, jjigae, and chicken wing glazes.
DOENJANG – long-fermented soybean paste. Rustic, deeply savory paste from fermented soy; used to season stews (doenjang-jjigae), soups, namul, and as a marinade component.
CHEONGGUKJANG – fast-fermented whole-bean paste; pungent, probiotic-rich; for hearty stews.
GANJANG – soy sauce. Light yangjo soy for all-purpose seasoning and soup soy guk-ganjang for broths; controls salinity, color, and umami in nearly every dish.
AEKJEOT – fish/anchovy sauce. Salty, umami booster for kimchi brines, stews, and some marinades; used sparingly to deepen savoriness.
