Love raw foods, steam and boil more often
Our country's Dietary Guidelines recommend cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, and cold dressing for better nutrition and health. The Japanese do a great job in this regard. First, they enjoy eating raw vegetables like lettuce, carrots, and cucumbers directly with dressings. Second, many dishes are prepared by steaming or boiling, then finished with a drizzle of oil. This not only reduces the destruction of nutrients by high-heat oil but also decreases oil intake, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Advocate for a salt-reduction campaign
The Japanese government began focusing on reducing salt intake for its citizens as early as 1975 and launched a series of salt-reduction campaigns. Moreover, under the supervision of the World Health Organization, the Japanese people now pay close attention to controlling salt in all aspects of their diet. For example, they don't drink too much miso soup and avoid drinking the broth when eating ramen. They add salt last when stir-frying or stewing to minimize salt intake as much as possible.
In contrast, the salt intake of Chinese residents far exceeds the recommended amount by the World Health Organization, being 2.4 times higher. The large number of patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and hypertension in our country is closely related to a high-salt diet. Therefore, we must improve our "salt IQ," keep our diet as light as possible, and use seasonings like Sichuan peppercorns and vinegar in cooking, while using less soy sauce, MSG, and chicken extract. We should also eat less processed food, pickled vegetables, soy sauce-preserved dishes, and instant noodles.