Men's diets are filled with many misconceptions that must be avoided to prevent health troubles. Additionally, men should learn from women how to eat to build a strong and healthy body.
Men might find women's dietary rules overly meticulous: "only eat until 80% full," "no food before bed," "always pay attention to your weight," "drink low-fat milk," "stand for half an hour after a meal," "even snacks must be counted by calories." However, in her new book, "Eat Like a Woman," American doctor Sally Squiers points out that it is precisely these "meticulous eating habits" that allow women to live healthier than men. "Men tend to eat whatever they think of at any time, without a regular schedule, which invisibly increases the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. If men were willing to learn from women's eating habits, they would be much healthier."
Major Misconceptions in Men's Diets
Misconception 1: A meal isn't satisfying without meat.
Virtually all men have a preference for animal fats. However, red meat like steak can actually increase the risk of cancer. On a global scale, countries with high consumption of red meat also have higher rates of prostate cancer. "But this doesn't mean all meat should be avoided," Sally points out in her book. White meat (like fish and poultry) has anti-cancer properties, and eating fish 2-4 times a week can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 50%.
Misconception 2: When drinking, you must drink to your heart's content.
In China, men often drink for business socializing. "Everyone knows drinking is bad, but these days, you simply can't get anything done in the business world without it. I drink to the point of unconsciousness almost every day," says Lu, a salesperson at a company. Regardless of the reason for drinking, statistics from American experts show that heavy drinkers have a lifespan about 15 years shorter than non-drinkers.
Misconception 3: Eat until completely full during main meals and firmly resist snacks.
Unlike women, most men aren't fond of snacks. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but unfortunately, men tend to eat until completely full during every main meal. This not only easily leads to weight gain but also raises cholesterol levels. French nutrition expert Jenkins says that French people are slim because they eat at least four times a day, whereas people in Northern Europe, who only eat three meals a day—a substantial breakfast, lunch, and dinner—tend to be overweight.
What Men Should Learn from Women About Eating
"Why is the average lifespan of men shorter than women's?" What parts of women's dietary beliefs are worth learning from? Sally offers the following suggestions.
Don't eat before bed. This is clearly a rule women set for themselves to lose weight. If you go to sleep right after a large meal, fat is more likely to be stored in the body, causing weight to increase daily. Many might think that women are more likely to eat snacks while watching TV before bed, and there are differences in snack choices between men and women. Women prefer low-calorie snacks like fruits and yogurt, while men favor high-fat foods like fried foods, meat, and instant noodles. As a result, when eating late-night snacks, men naturally consume more calories than women.
Only eat until 80% full. Women have much stronger self-control than men and can stop eating when they are 80% full. The results of China's 2002 dietary survey show that among young and middle-aged people, the obesity rate for women is significantly lower than for men. The main reason for this weight difference is likely that women are more attentive to controlling their diet.
Be mindful of food pairings. Just like with clothing, women are particular about how they pair their foods. Nowadays, many women prefer tea over coffee. "My usual practice is to replace stimulating drinks like coffee and black tea with herbal tea rich in iron and vitamin C when working late. It feels pretty good," says an office lady.
Always be conscious of your weight. No matter how tempting a food is, women tend to associate it with calories. "Even very thin women will stay away from high-calorie foods," experts say. When men see their favorite dishes, they forget their "weight loss plans," even if they already have a big belly, always saying, "Only when you're full can you feel truly happy in life." In reality, paying more attention to calories and watching what you eat can help avoid "troubles caused by eating," such as fatty liver and gout.
Special Reminder: Dietary Misconceptions Can Easily Trigger "Affluent Diseases"
These various dietary misconceptions are causing men's physical health to decline progressively, and diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease are also becoming more common. Yu Kang, Deputy Director of the Clinical Nutrition Society of the Beijing Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, explains that a preference for animal fats puts the kidneys under excessive strain, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and malignant tumors. Even in "lean meat," invisible hidden fat accounts for 28%. Furthermore, a greasy diet leads to excessive cholesterol and fatty acids in the blood. Excess cholesterol and fatty acids can attach and deposit on blood vessels, causing arteriosclerosis, and eventually forming blood clots.
Therefore, men should learn to eat a light diet, especially reducing animal fats (like fatty meat, fried meats, and animal organs), and the average daily meat intake should be controlled to two or three liang (about 100-150 grams). In addition, when eating pork, it is best to pair it with legumes because soy products contain a large amount of lecithin, which can emulsify plasma, making cholesterol and fat particles smaller and preventing the formation of hardening plaques.
The dangers of drinking are self-evident—prostatitis and liver and gallbladder diseases are all related to alcohol. When faced with social situations where drinking is unavoidable, it's best to eat some food first to "line your stomach" and mitigate the damage alcohol does to the body.