Meat is a primary food for people. There are more than 100 types of poultry, livestock, and fish. Its main component is protein. Because animal protein is rich in essential amino acids, it can better promote human health when supplemented with staple foods. In lean meat, protein accounts for about 20%, with pork, beef, chicken, and rabbit having relatively high nutritional value. The fat content in meat varies from 5% to 50%, making it an important source of calories. Except for the liver, most meats are low in carbohydrates. Meat is a good source of vitamin B and niacin. Meat broth generally contains a small amount of animal gelatin, a small amount of meat protein, and B vitamins. Due to its special aroma and umami, it can stimulate gastric juice secretion and promote digestion, so many people have a special fondness for meat broth.
Various poultry eggs are easily accessible and nutritious foods. The protein in eggs contains all essential amino acids and is easily utilized by the human body. Meanwhile, one egg contains 30 milligrams of calcium and 1.5 milligrams of iron, making it a good supplement for pregnant and lactating women, as well as for children and adolescents. The yolk also contains a considerable amount of vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin, all of which are essential for human growth, development, and health.
[Nutrition Tip] Follow the "Five Principles" for consuming animal foods
1. More poultry, less livestock: According to statistics, pork accounts for 85% of the meat consumed by residents in China, while poultry and fish account for only 15%. Experts believe this meat ratio structure is extremely unreasonable. The impact of livestock and poultry meat on human health is vastly different. Analysis shows that the chemical structure of goose and duck fat is closer to olive oil, which is not only harmless to the heart but may even have a certain protective effect. Therefore, it is more reasonable to reduce the proportion of pork in meat consumption to 60% and increase poultry and fish to over 30%.
2. More fish, less meat: Pork has a high content of saturated fatty acids, and excessive intake can lead to hyperlipidemia. Fish, on the other hand, is low in fat and high in protein, about twice that of pork. Its content of linoleic acid, which is beneficial to the human body, is also much higher than that of pork. Fish is high in protein and easy to digest, and eating fish can also help prevent hyperlipidemia to a certain extent.
3. More bones, less meat: When it comes to livestock foods, don't just focus on the meat. Taking pork bones as an example, their protein, calcium, iron, and energy content are all superior to pork. What's particularly valuable is that these nutrients are easily absorbed by the human body, making them suitable for the elderly whose appetite and digestive function have declined to varying degrees.
4. More stewing, less stir-frying: In terms of cooking methods for pork, among methods like steaming, stir-frying, and stewing, stewing is the best method for middle-aged and elderly people. Firstly, stewed meat is tender and soft, which is more suitable for middle-aged and elderly people whose chewing function has mostly declined. Secondly, stewing can eliminate certain drawbacks of pork. Experiments have shown that after long stewing, fat is reduced by 30% to 50%, unsaturated fatty acids increase, cholesterol content decreases, and the taste is also better.
5. Combination of meat and vegetables: Mixing animal and plant proteins can increase each other's nutritional value, a phenomenon known as protein complementarity. If pork and poultry are combined, since both are complete animal proteins, their complementary effect is small and cannot improve the utilization rate of protein. However, pairing pork with soy products or vegetables can compensate for the low methionine content in legumes and the low lysine, tryptophan, and methionine content in vegetables. Vegetables are rich in vitamins and mineral salts. Vitamins can promote protein metabolism, while mineral salts can neutralize acidic products produced during meat metabolism to maintain the body's normal acid-base balance.
6. Eat vegetables before meat: When dining, restaurants often serve vegetables last, but the best order for a meal is as follows: Soup → Vegetables → Rice → Meat → Fruit (eat half an hour later).