The hustle and bustle of a busy work life often leads to irregular eating habits. Many people, in a rush to save time for work, opt for convenience foods. Little do they know, it is these convenient "substitutes" that are taking them further and further away from good health.
Habit 1: Instant Noodles for Breakfast
Frequently replacing breakfast with instant noodles is very detrimental to human health and development. This is because the human body requires six essential elements for normal physiological metabolism, while instant noodles are primarily composed of carbohydrates with very few other nutrients. Therefore, long-term substitution of breakfast with instant noodles can lead to dizziness, fatigue, weight loss, palpitations, and listlessness. In severe cases, it can result in a decline in body weight and muscle atrophy, which are signs of malnutrition.
Habit 2: Fruits for Vegetables
Both fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, leading many to believe that eating some fruits daily makes it fine to skip or eat fewer vegetables. In reality, vegetables are a food essential to the human body, second only to staple grains. They are more effective in promoting the absorption of the three major nutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. If one only eats animal-based foods, the protein absorption rate is 70%; however, when combined with vegetables, the absorption rate can reach over 90%. Furthermore, the unique plant fiber in vegetables stimulates intestinal peristalsis, aiding digestion and preventing colon cancer.
Habit 3: Fresh Vegetables for Refrigerated Vegetables
This statement holds true if referring to fresh vegetables just picked from the field. However, in reality, the vegetables we eat are rarely that fresh. They are usually stored for several days, during which their vitamin content gradually degrades. On the contrary, refrigerated vegetables can retain more vitamins because refrigeration after harvesting effectively prevents vitamin loss.
Habit 4: Mineral Water for Tap Water
Many people believe that mineral water is rich in minerals and stop drinking tap water, using mineral water as a complete substitute. However, mineral water can also be contaminated by harmful substances from the soil. Recently, Dutch scientists analyzed bottled mineral water and found it is more susceptible to contamination by dangerous microbes and bacteria. Although these bacteria may not pose a significant threat to healthy individuals, for those with weaker immune systems, the bacteria in bottled mineral water can be quite dangerous.
Habit 5: Livestock Meat for Fish
It is a common habit for most Han Chinese to eat pork and consume little to no fish. Although the protein content and absorption rates of the two are not significantly different, their fat compositions vary greatly. Fish fat contains a certain type of polyunsaturated fatty acid, which is beneficial for children's brain development and preventing cardiovascular diseases. In contrast, the fat from livestock, especially beef and mutton, is predominantly saturated, and excessive intake is unhealthy.
Habit 6: Brown Sugar for White Sugar
Both brown sugar and white sugar are extracted from sugarcane or sugar beets. The production process for brown sugar is slightly simpler than that of white sugar, and it contains more glucose and cellulose, releasing energy more quickly and with a higher absorption rate. However, brown sugar is not as sweet as white sugar, so people tend to use more of it when adding it to tea and coffee. Consequently, brown sugar can sometimes be more harmful than white sugar.
Habit 7: Tonic Supplements for Nutritional Supplements
When advised to improve their nutrition, many people turn to various tonic supplements. However, experts point out that tonics cannot replace nutritional supplements. Amino acids are common tonics, but they are unnecessary unless one has difficulty eating. Blindly administering amino acids can cause allergic reactions and, for individuals with poor kidney function, may lead to hepatic coma or uremia. Many people believe that vitamin supplements are beneficial and that taking more is harmless. This is not the case; long-term use of vitamin A and D pills can lead to vitamin A poisoning, causing bone pain, vomiting, itching, and hair loss. Therefore, improving nutrition should start with dietary adjustments, and nutritional supplements should never be abused.
Habit 8: Nutritional Supplements for Natural Foods
As more and more people place importance on nutrition, which is a good thing, the abuse of nutritional supplements can turn this good thing into a bad one. Some use protein powder as a meal replacement and vitamins as substitutes for fruits and vegetables, believing that consuming these supplements will guarantee long-term health. Furthermore, many believe that vitamin supplements are beneficial and that taking more is harmless, which is not true. For example, large amounts of vitamin C are associated with kidney stone formation. In principle, nutritional improvement should begin with dietary regulation. If diet is insufficient and supplementation is indeed necessary, it should be done under the guidance of relevant experts; self-supplementation should be strictly avoided.
Habit 9: Expensive for Cheap
Expensive does not necessarily mean best. For example, expensive shark fin is mainly composed of collagen. The amino acid composition of collagen is not comprehensive and does not well match the human body's needs, making it far less nutritious than the albumin and globulin found in eggs and milk. Rather than eating shark fin to get that bit of collagen, it is more nutritious to eat eggs and drink milk to absorb albumin and globulin.