Mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang doesn’t gain weight — here’s why a doctor says it’s all about digestion speed
Mukbang star Tzuyang is famous for eating servings that feed ten people, yet she barely gains weight. Medical expert Seo Jae Gul breaks down the science behind it.
Seo explains the human stomach can stretch to hold up to a 2-liter bottle of food, way bigger than its usual size.
Seo Jae Gul
“Usually, the stomach is flattened to less than half the size of a paper cup, but when food comes in, it continues to open and stretches enough to hold up to a 2-liter bottle of bottled water.”
However, the real reason Tzuyang stays slim isn’t stomach size, but how quickly her body processes food.
Seo Jae Gul points out that Tzuyang “doesn’t keep food in her stomach for a long time and sends the food she eats to her bowels right away.”
Seo Jae Gul
“If you look at mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang, she doesn’t keep food in her stomach for a long time and sends the food she eats to her bowels right away.”
He compares it to pouring water into a jar with a crack—food keeps moving out fast, so it doesn’t turn into fat.
Seo Jae Gul
“We gain weight when food is stored in the form of fat in our bodies, but if the body doesn’t absorb the food and sends it from the intestines to excrement quickly—if it goes in through the mouth and leaves through the anus—there is no big change in our bodies. That’s why our weight stays the same.”
That speed comes with a downside. Tzuyang herself has said her intestines aren’t healthy, causing frequent bathroom trips during eating.
Seo warns this could mean her body isn’t absorbing nutrients well, which is a potential health risk.
Seo also compares other mukbang eaters:
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Kim Dong Eun, a health trainer with muscles and a high metabolism, eats a lot but doesn’t gain weight easily.
- Hyun Joo Yup, a former basketball player with a big frame, can eat a lot but gains weight if he overeats because his body absorbs food thoroughly without rushing it out.
Seo Jae Gul
“We have a ‘switch’ that suppresses appetite. If we fill 60% to 70% of your stomach, our bodies need to say, ‘You’re full! Stop eating.’ … That is when Leptin hormones come out. It makes you feel full.”
Eating fast stops the body from triggering fullness signals in time, which is why “food fighters” like eating a ton quickly.
Seo urges people not to envy mukbang pros, but to understand their own bodies and eat accordingly for a healthy stomach.
Seo Jae Gul
“We don’t know what’s going on inside our bodies when we’re happily eating. … Don’t envy mukbangs and find out what type you are, and eat according to your type. Then you can have a healthy stomach.”
