Technical Guidance: Dr. Fang Shi, Deputy Chief Physician, Department of Nutrition, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, gained excess fat after half a month of rich meals
Everyone's height, weight, labor intensity, and physical condition are different. The job of a nutrition doctor is to create a personalized diet plan for individuals, controlling excessive nutrients in the body and supplementing deficient parts. Dr. Fang Shi found: "Nowadays, people value nutrition but don't understand it. Especially at the end of the year, with too many social engagements, it's hard to control meals full of rich food. For an average person, after 15 consecutive days of heavy meals without adequate exercise, it's hard to avoid excessive fat." An average person's daily food intake should consist of 50-70% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 12-15% protein, with the remainder being minerals, various vitamins, and other trace elements. How to balance and complement within three meals a day, learn basic常识, and manage it according to your own condition. When the banquet begins, every dish has its rules.
First Dish: Tea Water
Doctor's View: Plain water is the best
According to Guangzhou's dining customs, before the main meal, the waiter will always ask: "What would you like to drink?" Dr. Fang Shi suggests that from the perspective of nutrient absorption, it's best not to drink highly concentrated tea. Because the chemical components in tea can combine with proteins to form tannic acid protein, and also react with calcium in the body to form tannic acid calcium. These substances are not absorbed by the human body and do not participate in blood circulation, which means drinking tea will affect the normal absorption of protein and calcium.
The doctor believes that plain water is the simplest and safest beverage. If you must choose tea, the doctor recommends chrysanthemum tea. Chrysanthemum tea can stimulate the appetite, reduce internal heat, and detoxify, without affecting the intake of nutrients.
Second Dish: Beverages and Alcohol
Doctor's View: 100ML of red wine is just right
Alcohol seems to be an indispensable prop in social situations. In the eyes of a nutrition doctor, liquor provides no nutritional elements, only empty calories, and reduces the desire to eat staple foods. After drinking, the solute load in the body increases, increasing the metabolic load on the liver and kidneys, which can make people feel tired. Therefore, it is recommended not to drink more than 50ML of liquor per meal. During toasts, you often hear "drinking red wine is good for beauty and health." This is because red wine contains a substance called resveratrol, which has an oxidizing effect on the blood. Simply put, it "helps blood vessels exercise." However, alcohol inevitably contains ethanol, which is harmful to liver function. Therefore, it is recommended that each serving of red wine should not exceed 100ML.
Ladies often prefer corn juice and yogurt, especially the latter, which is rich in probiotics and can regulate gastrointestinal function. But don't forget the doctor's reminder: both beverages contain about 3% protein, and the total amount needs to be controlled according to individual needs.
Third Dish: Slow-cooked Soup
Doctor's View: The essence is in the meat residue
The signature of Cantonese banquets—slow-cooked soup—is deeply popular with the public for its mellow taste and various health benefits introduced through Chinese herbal pairings. However, experts in nutrition research have mercilessly listed the three major drawbacks of slow-cooked soup: no nutrition, high fat content, and high purine content. The Department of Nutrition, Sun Yat-sen University Medical School, once conducted a component analysis of soups, and the results showed: 90% of the meat protein did not enter the soup at all; and the longer the soup is stewed, the higher the content of nitrogen extractives, purines, and other substances. Excessive intake of these urea components is difficult for the body to excrete and will increase the burden on the kidneys. Especially for gout patients, purine metabolism disorders cause uric acid to deposit in tissues, triggering joint pain.
Fourth Dish: Platter of Braised Delicacies
Doctor's View: Try a small piece of each
Pork liver, braised tofu, braised meat, pork tripe, beef tripe—a wide variety of platters of braised delicacies are often the first course in Cantonese cuisine. The doctor reminds to pay attention to the processing methods, hygiene, and storage time of the braised platter to be careful about getting an upset stomach. Secondly, control the portion size. Braised platters often contain animal organs, which are high in cholesterol and fat. A few bites of each can basically meet the daily requirement. But since the banquet has just begun, it's best not to overindulge.
Fifth Dish: White-cut Chicken
Doctor's View: Eat less chicken skin
No banquet is complete without chicken. Chicken is rich in protein and fat and is a high-quality food. The most skillful Cantonese dish, white-cut chicken, retains the energy of the chicken. Because it is not over-processed, a large amount of fat between the skin and muscle is not released. This is the part with the highest fat content. People who need to lose weight are advised not to eat the chicken skin.
Sixth Dish: Fish, Shrimp, and Seafood
Doctor's View: Gout patients must avoid it
It is undeniable that fish and seafood are high-quality protein foods containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. Their biological utilization rate is high, and nutrients are easily absorbed by the human body. In addition to people with skin allergies or gout who must avoid shrimp and seafood, patients with severe liver diseases and those with severe liver damage should also be cautious about eating fish, as it might cause coagulation disorders.
Seventh Dish: Vegetables
Doctor's View: Eat 500 grams a day, divided
Vegetables provide the dietary fiber essential to the human body and are a great helper for balanced nutrition. The doctor believes one should ideally eat 500 grams of vegetables per day, but they should not be consumed in one meal, as this will hinder the body's normal nutrient absorption.
Eighth Dish: Fruit
Doctor's View: Eating fruit before the meal is more scientific
Some people feel bloated soon after eating fruit after a meal. The doctor explains that this is due to the wrong timing for eating fruit. After a meal, the stomach and intestines are already basically "full." A few pieces of fruit get stuck in the stomach, forming gas during digestion and causing bloating. It is recommended that people with low tolerance should not eat fruit after a meal, or eat it before the meal to allow the stomach and intestines to have enough space to digest and absorb.
Special Reminder: Staple foods are an important source of carbohydrates and are indispensable. It is best to ensure you eat 100G of rice per meal.