For busy office workers, deciding what to eat for lunch is a major dilemma, and many people just get it over with. Over the long term, this can inevitably affect health and trigger various chronic diseases. This article offers some tips on how to have an affordable and healthy lunch for office workers.
What to eat? Recommended ingredients suitable for lunch
Anti-aging and anti-cancer food—Broccoli. Broccoli is rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and carotene. Scientific research has proven that broccoli is the best food for anti-aging and cancer prevention.
Steamed Sea Bass
Best source of protein—Fish. Fish can provide a large amount of high-quality protein with a very high rate of digestion and absorption, making it the best choice for supplementing high-quality protein. At the same time, fish has a very low cholesterol content, so it doesn't bring in more cholesterol while providing high-quality protein. Some studies have shown that eating more fresh fish also helps prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Dried Shrimp and Onion
Blood lipid-lowering food—Onion. Onion can purify the blood and help lower cholesterol.
Shrimp and Tofu
Antioxidant food—Tofu. Besides lean meat and fish, tofu is also a good source of protein. At the same time, legumes contain a chemical substance called "isoflavones," which is an effective antioxidant. Please remember, "oxidation" means "aging".
Energy-boosting food—Cabbage. Cabbage is very rich in vitamin C and also rich in fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal motility and keep the digestive system young and vibrant.
Beauty-enhancing food—Fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Carotene is the best element for anti-aging; it keeps the outer tissues of the body's organs healthy, while vitamins C and E can delay the aging of cells caused by oxidation. In addition, these fresh fruits and vegetables rich in dietary fiber can also promote colon health and help with detoxification.
● For those who bring their own lunch? Cook dishes until about 80% done
When bringing your own lunch, ingredient selection is key. You should mainly choose dishes that are suitable for reheating multiple times. Vegetables should be mainly root and stem types, such as carrots, celery, bamboo shoots, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.; you can vary the meat dishes; and the staple food should be a mix of coarse and fine grains, such as half a portion of rice plus a steamed sweet potato, or one steamed potato. It should be noted that fish and seafood are prone to spoilage and are not suitable for bringing.
Generally, the variety of food brought from home is limited, so you need to pay attention to "mixing and matching." "Shredded pork with celery, mushrooms, and bean curd" is a great option. It fits the "one meat, one vegetable, one mushroom" health guideline proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Scrambled eggs with tomatoes is also a good choice.
In the summer, many people worry that their lunch will spoil. To solve this problem:
First, choose the right lunch box, prioritizing one that is both heat-resistant and airtight. You can consider buying a sealed jar with thick walls or a sealed stainless steel lunch box.
Second, fill the lunch box to about 2/3 or 3/4 full.
Finally, cook the dishes until about 70-80% done. From a nutritional perspective, the biggest disadvantage of bringing lunch is the fear of nutrient loss.
Therefore, the dishes to be brought should be cooked until about 70-80% done to prevent further destruction of their nutrients when heated in the microwave. After cooking, pack them into the box immediately. If you bring cold dishes, add more vinegar and minced garlic to inhibit bacteria.
● For cafeteria-goers: A balanced mix of meat and vegetables is the most nutritious
The main problem with cafeteria food is nutrient loss. Some water-soluble vitamins and minerals in vegetables should be washed before cutting. However, cafeterias often cut first and then wash, causing nutrients to be easily lost. Therefore, you must try to eat as many different types of dishes as possible to ensure adequate nutrient intake. Cafeterias also have a lot of fried food, which, although delicious, causes significant loss of vitamins.
Another major problem with cafeterias is unbalanced meals. Although they may appear to have a mix of meat and vegetables and a variety of foods, the calories, fat, and protein often exceed limits, with insufficient vegetables. Many people also tend to make do with things like steamed buns or noodles, which is difficult for those who get off work late and have high work intensity to ensure their energy supply for the entire afternoon.
Therefore, when eating in the cafeteria, choose different staple and non-staple foods each day to achieve variety in your selections. If you like starchy foods, you should pair them with other foods, such as a meat patty or steamed bun with a congee and a vegetable; or noodles with an egg and some greens.
● For those who eat out: More steaming and boiling, less frying
At better restaurants, hygiene is generally guaranteed. But there are also many disadvantages to sharing meals, such as dishes being generally greasy and heavily seasoned. If meat dishes always take center stage, it's inevitable to consume too much energy, leading to obesity.
Whether a shared meal is healthy or not depends on how you order. If four people are eating, it's best to order four dishes: two cold and hot vegetable dishes, one cold meat dish, and one stewed dish with a mix of meat and vegetables. The dishes should be light, with more steaming and boiling and less frying and sautéing. Occasionally order some heavily flavored dishes like Kung Pao Chicken as a change of pace.
● For those who order takeout: Throw away the fatty meat and eat only half the rice
Takeout box meals are convenient and quick, and the price is relatively cheap. For busy office workers, it's all sorted out with a single phone call. However, the health problems associated with them cannot be ignored. Some Chinese-style box meal operators lack knowledge of food hygiene and nutrition, and have a habit of cooking with excessive oil, salt, and MSG, mostly using stir-frying, sautéing, and deep-frying. Therefore, Chinese-style box meals are often greasy, heavily seasoned, have little variety in style, have unreasonable pairings, with an imbalance of meat and vegetables, and the staple food is often just plain rice. To save costs, some small box meal shops do not provide fresh seasonal vegetables.
To ensure food safety, it's best to check if the restaurant has a food hygiene license before ordering. If you find the ingredients are not fresh, too greasy, or too salty, switch to another one. To solve the problem of insufficient vegetables, you can choose a small portion of a box meal, order one with someone else, and then share it.
Potato bread