Many people think that eating meat often can easily lead to fatty liver, obesity, and other issues. Eating vegetarian dishes should be the safe choice, but these three vegetarian dishes are even worse. Not only do they exceed calorie limits, but they can also lead to food poisoning.
"Let's cut back on the meat and order some vegetarian dishes." When dining out, we need to balance our enjoyment of food with our health, right?
"For me, the Di San Xian," "I'll have the dry-fried green beans"...
Is this delicious combination of meat and vegetables nutritionally balanced?
"After a 'bath in the hot oil,' even the healthiest vegetable dish becomes unhealthy." Professor Shen Yanying, Deputy Director of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital and a health education expert, says that dishes like Di San Xian, dry-fried green beans, and oil-fried eggplant, although vegetarian, have higher calories than meat after being deep-fried.
1. Di San Xian
The main ingredients are potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers. Professor Shen Yanying explains that potatoes, when deep-fried at high temperatures, produce carcinogens like acrylamide. Eggplant is rich in vitamin P and inhibitin, which can lower blood lipid levels when consumed regularly, but it has an incredible ability to absorb oil. A fried eggplant is practically a little oil packet. After a "baptism" in the hot oil, the vitamin C in green peppers is almost completely depleted.
2. Dry-fried Green Beans
The name might suggest it's not fried, but it's often deep-fried. Deep-fried dry-fried green beans not only exceed calorie limits but also pose a safety risk. If green beans are not cooked thoroughly, they can cause food poisoning. During deep-frying, the beans can be charred on the outside while still raw on the inside.
So, how should you order vegetarian dishes when dining out? Follow the "two less, two more" principle. "Use less oil and add less salt." She always reminds the restaurant staff. When choosing vegetarian dishes, opt for "two more": choose more seasonal vegetables, and more cold-dressed, steamed, or stewed dishes. For example, right now, chives and spinach are very nutritious seasonal vegetables. When dining out, Professor Shen might order a cold-dressed spinach dish or stir-fried chives with peas.