Considerations for a Nutritious Dinner. What's a good dinner?

Nowadays, many white-collar workers are busy with work and do not pay much attention to their breakfast and lunch, whereas their dinners are quite elaborate. So, what is a good dinner? What should one pay attention to for a nutritious dinner? Today, let's explore some scientifically nutritious dinner recipes.

Chestnut and Yam Porridge

1. Dinner should be light

Society is highly competitive with a very fast work pace. Many people skip breakfast, make do with lunch, and overeat for dinner. All social gatherings, business entertainment, and family time are arranged for dinner, which can easily lead to various health problems.

2. The Three Principles of Dinner: Early, Light, and Simple

Remember the three principles for dinner: early, light, and simple.

The first principle is early. Dinner should be consumed 3 to 4 hours before bedtime to avoid affecting sleep.

The second principle is light. In terms of daily caloric intake, if we use a 10-point scale, breakfast is 4, lunch is 4, and dinner is 2. This is beneficial for the body.

The third principle is simple. This means low oil and low salt. A person's daily oil intake should be between 25 to 30 grams. Exceeding this can lead to high blood lipids. However, nationwide, the average daily oil intake is as high as 40 grams, and in the Beijing area, it's 50 grams. This has resulted in many cases of high blood lipids, being overweight, and obesity.

Daily salt intake should not exceed 6 grams. Otherwise, it can easily lead to high blood pressure. However, the national average daily salt intake has reached 12 grams, leading to a 10% incidence rate of high blood pressure. Therefore, dinner should be early, light, and simple.

3. Porridge is the best choice for dinner

What's a good dinner option? Porridge is an excellent choice because it is considered the best nourishing food. Drinking porridge aids digestion and absorption, and is also said to promote longevity and enhance beauty. We drink different porridges according to the season. For example, in the summer, you can drink mung bean porridge, which helps with detoxification, cooling, and improving complexion. In the winter, red bean porridge is good for nourishing the stomach and enhancing beauty. Middle-aged and elderly friends can drink yam porridge, as yam helps to nourish the kidneys and strengthen the body. Those who have trouble sleeping can drink jujube porridge. To sleep well, add some jujubes to your porridge; to avoid insomnia, add white lotus seeds when you cook it.

Farmhouse Multigrain Rice

4. The best time for dinner is around 6 PM, and don't sleep within four hours after eating

Eating a light dinner leads to better sleep. The specific amount should be determined by each person's physical condition and individual needs, based on the feeling of not being hungry. Dinner should never be filling, let alone overeating. It's best to have dinner around 6 PM and not later than 8 PM. After 8 PM, it's best not to eat anything else, except for water. Furthermore, do not go to bed within four hours after dinner to allow the food to be fully digested.

5. Foods rich in carbohydrates

Rice is the best choice for a late-night snack because it has a good "sleep-inducing" effect. Rice prompts the brain to release two sleep-promoting chemicals: tryptophan and serotonin, making it easier to fall asleep. Besides rice, bread is also a good choice. Foods rich in tryptophan include whole grains (millet, soybeans), bananas, seaweed, etc.

Among these, millet is the best sleep aid because it is the richest source of tryptophan among all grains. Millet also contains a large amount of starch, which creates a feeling of fullness and promotes insulin secretion, thereby increasing the amount of tryptophan that enters the brain.

6. Foods rich in B vitamins

For example, foods rich in vitamin B12, such as animal liver, milk, and eggs, can maintain stable nerve function and help alleviate anxiety and promote sleep. Foods rich in vitamin B6, such as wheat and cabbage, can help with serotonin synthesis in the brain, which also aids in sleep.