In the hustle and bustle of urban life, meals are often irregular, with many people not taking it seriously. Recently, the "Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)," aligned with international standards, were released. Its purpose is to help people safely consume various nutrients, avoiding the potential harms of nutritional deficiency or excess. It includes: Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI), Adequate Intake (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL). As for how we, as individuals, can "nourish" ourselves every day, Professor Wen Zhimei, a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene of the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, has provided an explanation. Eat more coarse grains, and try to develop the habit of having millet and other miscellaneous grain porridge for dinner.
The term "balanced diet" is very popular nowadays, but while it's common in books and newspapers, it's hard to control at the dinner table. Although various nutrients are contained in different foods, it's impossible to know exactly how many nutrients you consume in a day. This is especially true for busy office workers who grab a quick bite for breakfast, make do with lunch, and then have a large, compensatory dinner, completely contradicting the scientific division of the three daily meals. As a result, the three meals a day lose their function as a health fuel station. The body is like a car that is low on oil for a long time, and this will affect health in the long run.
What constitutes a reasonable diet? "Not being picky and having a diverse diet is the most important," said Professor Wen Zhimei. Some people suggest eating more than 40 different types of food every day, while also ensuring that the daily diet is primarily based on grains and that more unprocessed foods are consumed. For example, two slices of whole wheat bread for breakfast can provide the human body with the necessary Vitamin B1, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B2. Drinking a bag of milk with breakfast, combined with the daily diet, can basically meet the body's calcium needs for the day. Processed foods should be eaten as little as possible. When food is processed too finely, most of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, as well as dietary fiber in the grain's outer layer, are lost in the bran, because the nutrients of grains are mainly in the germ and bran. Try to develop the good habit of drinking millet and other miscellaneous grain porridge for dinner. For example, millet is relatively high in Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and a deficiency of it can lead to symptoms like glossitis, angular stomatitis, oral ulcers, and scrotal dermatitis. In addition, miscellaneous grains are rich in dietary fiber, and consuming more can effectively prevent constipation. Professor Wen believes that it is unscientific for many people to skip staple foods to lose weight or maintain their figure. Staple foods must be eaten, though the amount can be reduced. Staple foods mainly provide carbohydrates, which are complex carbohydrates that need to be slowly converted to be absorbed by the body, leading to slower absorption and a slower increase in blood glucose concentration.
For office workers, the three daily meals are even more important. Professor Wen Zhimei offers the following suggestions:
The staple food should be mainly grains, with an appropriate daily intake of half a jin to eight liang (250g to 400g). However, if your daily activity level is high, such as having exercised or engaged in physical labor, you can increase it appropriately, as staple food is used to provide energy.
There is a wide variety of non-staple foods, which are also the main source of nutrients for people. Eat about half a jin (250g) of vegetables and fruits daily; for meat, such as chicken, fish, and other animal foods, do not exceed two liang (100g) per day, as even lean meat has a relatively high fat content; eat about one liang (50g) of soy products on average per day; one bag of milk, for breakfast; and one egg, which can also be eaten at breakfast. At the same time, Professor Wen reminds that red meat should be eaten as little as possible, such as pork, beef, and mutton; eat more fish, shrimp, etc.
Eat more vegetables, fruits, and tubers. There are many varieties of vegetables, and the nutrient content varies greatly, even significantly, among different types. Dark-colored vegetables, such as red, yellow, and green ones, have higher vitamin content than light-colored vegetables and common fruits. They are the main or important sources of carotene, Vitamin B2, Vitamin C, folic acid, minerals, dietary fiber, and natural antioxidants. Although some fruits have lower levels of vitamins and certain trace elements than fresh vegetables, they contain more substances like glucose, fructose, citric acid, malic acid, and pectin than vegetables, so neither can replace the other. Tubers include potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, etc., which are rich in starch, dietary fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. These foods are very important for maintaining cardiovascular health, enhancing disease resistance, reducing the incidence of xerophthalmia in children, and preventing cancer.