As senior "foodies," we eat every day, but are we really eating right? As the saying goes, "illness enters through the mouth," and many modern diseases are actually caused by diet. It's good to love food, but if you don't eat correctly, your body will suffer. Quickly check against the 7 most common dietary mistakes below and don't be a "nutritionally blind" person.
The latest data released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission shows that the number of overweight and obese people in our country has surged, and the incidence of hypertension and diabetes is increasing. It has to be said that these diseases are closely related to "diet." As people's living standards have rapidly improved, and Chinese cuisine is world-famous, Chinese people are increasingly pursuing "delicacies for the palate." However, many people still do not pay attention to a nutritious diet. A closer look at Chinese family meals reveals widespread dietary problems.
"Eating" holds a very important position in the daily lives of Chinese people, but eating must be healthy enough to prevent "illness from entering through the mouth." Here are the seven biggest dietary mistakes most commonly made in Chinese family meals. See if your family is on the list.
NO.1 Unreasonable meal combination: skipping breakfast and having late-night snacks
Breakfast is often monotonous, eaten carelessly just to get by, or even skipped. Lunch is often fast food or boxed meals, or eating out with colleagues. Dinner is a large meal, or just eating fruit. And then a late-night snack before bed... This is the reality for many people's daily meals today.
However, being hungry when you should eat and overeating when you shouldn't can easily induce digestive system diseases, lead to obesity, and cause various chronic diseases. Eating breakfast every day is a healthy lifestyle advocated by the World Health Organization.
Suggestions:
High-quality breakfast: Include staple foods (bread, porridge, etc.) and at least two protein-rich foods (eggs, milk, meat, soy products), at least one vegetable or fruit, and preferably some nuts.
Adequate lunch portions: Eat enough staple foods and dishes, with as many varieties of ingredients as possible.
Lower-energy dinner: Try to make up for what was missed or not eaten enough at breakfast and lunch, such as vegetables, whole grains, and potatoes.
Avoid late-night snacks before bed: If you need a snack for work, eat it 1-2 hours before bedtime. The best choices are milk, fruit, or hot foods like soups and congee.
Cold Cucumber SaladNO.2 Refined staple foods, low intake: preferring fine grains over coarse grains
Data shows that residents in our country are eating less and less staple food. Compared to 30 years ago, each person eats about two taels less of staple food per day. Insufficient intake of staple foods, coupled with excessive intake of fat and protein, can easily lead to problems such as fatigue, decreased memory, and kidney dysfunction.
Many people also only prefer refined rice and white flour, rarely eating coarse grains, which leads to insufficient intake of dietary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals.
Suggestions:
Adults should generally consume 250-400 grams of grain foods daily, including 50-100 grams of coarse grains. Eat some coarse grains like millet, mixed beans, and potatoes, as well as rice and flour with low processing precision.
This is beneficial for intestinal health and reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Pumpkin and Millet PorridgeNO.3 Insufficient vegetables and fruits, low consumption of dairy and soy products
Data shows that residents in our country eat only about half a jin of vegetables per day on average, mostly light-colored vegetables, and only about one liang of fruit per day on average. This is far from the recommended intake of one jin of vegetables and half a jin of fruit per day.
The intake of dairy and soy products is even pitifully low. In large cities, residents drink an average of less than 50 grams of milk and eat less than 15 grams of soy products per day. However, the Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommend an intake of 300 grams of milk and dairy products and 30-50 grams of soy products per day.
The current dietary structure has led to widespread deficiencies in nutrients like calcium and vitamin D among residents, indirectly leading to a high incidence of diseases like osteoporosis.
Suggestions:
Eat more dark-colored vegetables and leafy greens of various colors (green, red, yellow, purple), and eat 1-2 types of fruit daily.
Buy fresh, local, and seasonal foods.
Drink at least half a jin of milk daily and eat more soy products like tofu and soy milk.
Tofu Pudding with BeefNO.4 Unscientific heavy-flavored cooking, excessive intake of oil and salt
Many families cook with heavy flavors and prefer to use deep-frying and pan-frying methods. The average daily consumption of cooking oil per person in our country is over 45 grams, and salt intake exceeds 10 grams, which is far higher than the 25-30 grams and 6 grams recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society, respectively. Excessive intake of oil and salt increases the risk of heart disease and hypertension.
Suggestions:
Cook more by steaming, boiling, and stewing, and less by frying, deep-frying, and smoking.
Eat less salted and preserved foods, soy sauce products, and reduce the use of seasonings like chicken essence.
Wash vegetables before cutting, cook them quickly over high heat, and add vinegar to cold dishes.
Minced Pork with Crystal Winter MelonNO.5 Preferring to buy ready-to-eat foods from supermarkets, drinking soup and discarding the solids
Ready-to-eat foods in supermarkets are often high in salt and are not suitable for long-term consumption, let alone for children.
Many people also love making soups but only drink the broth, discarding the ingredients (the solids). In fact, the nutritional content in the soup itself is very low; the nutritional essence is still in the ingredients.
Suggestions:
Try to eat less commercially prepared ready-to-eat foods, or pair them with fresh vegetables.
When drinking soup, eat the ingredients used to make it as well.
Countryside Pork Rib SoupNO.6 Focusing on the acidity and alkalinity of food, believing in food incompatibility
Many people believe that an "acidic constitution" is the "root of all diseases" and are afraid to eat acidic foods. Many also believe that foods are incompatible, for example, that seafood with vitamin C can produce arsenic.
The pH value of blood in a normal human body is stable between 7.35 and 7.45 and will not change because of a specific food.
Suggestions:
When choosing foods, don't focus on their acidity or alkalinity; focus on variety and completeness.
It's best to eat more than 20 different types of food each day.
The idea of food incompatibility is mostly a rumor that has been passed down incorrectly, so there is no need to worry.
NO.7 Poor choice of snacks, preference for alcohol and beveragesMany people like to eat fried, sweet, salty snacks that are overly colorful or have a strong aroma. At gatherings, sugary and alcoholic drinks are always the most popular. High-energy snacks and sugary drinks can easily lead to obesity, while excessive alcohol consumption not only harms the liver but can also damage the brain.
Suggestions:
Snacks can be eaten in moderation between meals, choosing mostly dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
The best choices for drinks are tea, yogurt, and soy milk.
For adult men, the daily alcohol limit should not exceed 750 ml of beer or 250 ml of wine.
For adult women, the daily alcohol limit should not exceed 450 ml of beer or 150 ml of wine.