"From a health perspective, mooncakes can be broadly divided into five categories: high-fat mooncakes, high-sugar mooncakes, high-calorie mooncakes, sugar-free mooncakes, and fruit and vegetable mooncakes," said Zhang Haiping, director of the Nutrition Department at Qingdao Municipal Hospital. So what are the nutritional effects of these five types of mooncakes, and who are they suitable for?
■ High-fat mooncakes: Not for those with liver or gallbladder problems
Typical examples: Lotus seed paste mooncakes, egg yolk mooncakes
Lotus seeds are sweet and neutral in nature, good for nourishing the spleen and stomach, nourishing the heart and kidneys, clearing heart fire, and have the effects of calming the mind, nourishing the kidneys, and securing essence. Egg yolk is sweet and neutral in nature, nourishing yin and moistening dryness, calming the mind, and benefiting the spleen and stomach.
Director Zhang Haiping reminds people with cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, liver and gallbladder diseases, gallstones, cholecystitis, and pancreatitis not to eat this type of mooncake. Because after eating these mooncakes, the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood will rise, making the blood thicker. For people with cholecystitis and pancreatitis, eating mooncakes can easily cause a relapse of chronic cholecystitis and chronic pancreatitis. For gallstone patients, eating mooncakes can stimulate bile, which can easily trigger an attack of the disease. For adolescent gallstone patients in particular, eating mooncakes can lead to acute pancreatitis. In addition, even for others, do not eat too much at once; one-quarter of a mooncake is enough.
■ High-sugar mooncakes: Bad for your teeth, the more you eat, the more it hurts
Typical examples: Five-nut mooncakes, red bean paste mooncakes
Although the almonds, walnuts, black sesame seeds, and other nuts in five-nut mooncakes are all healthy ingredients, and the original red beans and mung beans in red bean paste are also highly nutritious foods, this type of mooncake contains a large amount of sucrose during the production process. Director Zhang Haiping reminds people with diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, and cavities not to eat them. This is because for diabetics, it will cause blood sugar to rise; for people with gastrointestinal diseases, eating mooncakes can increase gastric acid secretion, which is extremely detrimental to gastrointestinal healing; for people with cavities, eating mooncakes can also trigger pulpitis and worsen the pain.
■ Sugar-free mooncakes: "Diabetics" should ask their doctor before eating
Typical examples: Sugar-free coconut paste mooncakes, sugar-free red bean paste mooncakes, sugar-free black sesame mooncakes
Reporters found that sugar-free mooncakes have also appeared in this year's mooncake market. "These mooncakes use maltitol and xylitol to replace sucrose, which means they do not contain monosaccharides, so they can also be eaten by special populations such as those with high blood pressure and high blood lipids," Director Zhang told reporters: "But I would like to remind everyone that although the filling does not contain monosaccharides, the mooncake skin is still made from refined grains like wheat. Therefore, diabetics should use them with caution. If they do eat them, they should consult a specialist doctor and reduce their intake of refined grains according to how much they consume."
■ High-calorie mooncakes: Overindulging can easily lead to constipation
Typical examples: Ice cream mooncakes, coffee mooncakes, chocolate mooncakes
Everyone knows that ice cream, coffee, and chocolate are all high-calorie foods. For these three types of mooncakes, the groups mentioned above who should avoid high-sugar, high-fat, and high-calorie foods should also be cautious. In addition, the theobromine in chocolate mooncakes has the effect of dilating blood vessels, relaxing smooth muscles of the digestive tract, and stimulating the central nervous system. Eating too much can cause problems such as constipation and insomnia.
■ Fruit and vegetable mooncakes: Choose a reputable brand when buying
Typical examples: Pumpkin mooncakes, seaweed mooncakes, nori mooncakes, tea paste mooncakes, matcha mooncakes
This year, many manufacturers have launched fruit and vegetable mooncakes with the theme of "green and healthy." For this type of mooncake, Zhang Haiping recommends buying from well-known manufacturers to ensure authenticity. But even so, she advises eating them in moderation, because even if the filling is low-sugar fruit and vegetable, the skin is still high-fat and high-oil.