On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, with the bright moon high in the sky, families gather beneath it to admire the moon while tasting mooncakes, which is a wonderful enjoyment in both spirit and substance. However, there are many considerations to keep in mind when pursuing health while enjoying mooncakes. Recently, reporters visited major hotels in Panyu, such as Shichang, Yuekai, and Zizhulou, to learn that some hotels also often remind customers of certain details to pay attention to when tasting mooncakes. Delicious mooncakes require an even greater focus on health.
Eat Fresh, Not Stale; Prefer Early, Not Late
As is well known, mooncakes should be eaten fresh, not after being stored for a long time. Mooncakes that have been stored for too long not only lose their fragrance but are also very prone to spoilage; fresh mooncakes have better appearance, a rich aroma, and a delicious taste. Some people believe that storing mooncakes in the refrigerator with their packaging boxes and taking them out before eating can also preserve their deliciousness. In an interview, Qiu Mingxian, a "master pastry chef" with 20 years of rich mooncake production experience at the Mei Lihua Hotel, said: "If mooncakes are stored in the refrigerator, the skin will harden and the flavor will be lost over time. It is best to eat them while they are fresh, and the storage time should not exceed 30 days at most." Preferring early over late is an important detail for healthily tasting mooncakes. Mooncakes should not be eaten as a main meal; it is best to consume them between meals. "One should eat less or not at all in the evening, especially within two hours before going to bed. The elderly should pay special attention to this point," Chef Qiu emphasized. Salty First, Then Sweet; Eat While Drinking Tea
Cantonese mooncakes mainly come in salty and sweet flavors. According to Chef Qiu, when having salty and sweet mooncakes in the same meal, one should eat the salty ones first and then the sweet ones to be able to taste the flavors of both. Conversely, if you eat sweet first, the salty flavor will be "overpowered" by the sweet one, which is similar to the principle of not eating dessert first at the dinner table. Eating mooncakes while drinking tea can not only quench thirst, relieve greasiness, and aid digestion, but also refresh the palate, enhance the flavor, and add to the fun. Chef Qiu also specially recommends drinking Pu'er tea with salty mooncakes because of its detoxifying, stomach-nourishing, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, fat-removing, and beautifying weight-loss effects, making its health benefits almost "unmatched in the world of tea." Of course, green tea and oolong tea are also good choices, and when eating sweet mooncakes, it is advisable to drink floral teas such as jasmine or chrysanthemum. Healthy Tasting: Less is Better
Although the mooncake market has heavily promoted "healthy mooncakes" in recent years, with mooncakes on the market using as little sugar and oil as possible, and the emergence of "sugar-free mooncakes" made with natural nutritional sweeteners like maltitol and xylitol (as shown in the picture), healthy tasting of mooncakes still emphasizes less over more. Chef Qiu said: "When tasting mooncakes, it is best to cut them into small pieces and eat only a small piece at a time. Mooncake enthusiasts should not eat more than half a mooncake at a time (as shown in the picture). Moreover, one should chew slowly when tasting mooncakes, which not only allows one to savor the delicious flavor but also aids digestion." A Dr. Wang from a hospital also commented on this, believing that regardless of how they are made, mooncakes contain a certain amount of sugar and fat. Even if the outer skin contains starch, these carbohydrates can be converted into glucose, leading to an increase in blood sugar. Overconsumption can produce a greasy feeling, easily causing fullness, bloating, indigestion, loss of appetite, and in severe cases, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or vomiting. The digestive abilities of the elderly and infants are relatively poor, and excessive consumption can加重 the burden on the spleen and stomach, leading to various diseases caused by indigestion. Patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, coronary heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and other diseases should especially try to avoid them.
Chef Qiu also revealed that many customers specially come to custom-make "healthy mooncakes" based on their own health conditions. Only by tailoring the mooncakes to their specific needs and choosing the most suitable one for themselves can they better guarantee their health. Healthy Tasting: Less is Better
Although the mooncake market has heavily promoted "healthy mooncakes" in recent years, with mooncakes on the market using as little sugar and oil as possible, and the emergence of "sugar-free mooncakes" made with natural nutritional sweeteners like maltitol and xylitol (as shown in the picture), healthy tasting of mooncakes still emphasizes less over more. Chef Qiu said: "When tasting mooncakes, it is best to cut them into small pieces and eat only a small piece at a time. Mooncake enthusiasts should not eat more than half a mooncake at a time (as shown in the picture). Moreover, one should chew slowly when tasting mooncakes, which not only allows one to savor the delicious flavor but also aids digestion." A Dr. Wang from a hospital also commented on this, believing that regardless of how they are made, mooncakes contain a certain amount of sugar and fat. Even if the outer skin contains starch, these carbohydrates can be converted into glucose, leading to an increase in blood sugar. Overconsumption can produce a greasy feeling, easily causing fullness, bloating, indigestion, loss of appetite, and in severe cases, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or vomiting. The digestive abilities of the elderly and infants are relatively poor, and excessive consumption can加重 the burden on the spleen and stomach, leading to various diseases caused by indigestion. Patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, coronary heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver, stomach and duodenal ulcers, and other diseases should especially try to avoid them.
Chef Qiu also revealed that many customers specially come to custom-make "healthy mooncakes" based on their own health conditions. Only by tailoring the mooncakes to their specific needs and choosing the most suitable one for themselves can they better guarantee their health.