The most popular dessert during the Spring Festival is none other than Tangyuan (sweet rice balls). However, Tangyuan is a high-calorie, high-sugar food, so you shouldn't eat too much at once, and certainly not indulge your cravings at the expense of your health. Generally, for a dessert, it's best to eat no more than 5 large Tangyuan or 10 small ones at a time; children should have even fewer. Special populations and those with certain chronic illnesses should pay particular attention to reducing their intake or avoiding them altogether. Diabetic patients
It is best not to eat sweet-filled Tangyuan and should opt for savory ones instead. If you have Tangyuan as a dessert, be sure to reduce the amount of staple food in your main meals. Patients with cardiovascular disease and hypertension
Should try to avoid eating this hard-to-digest food. If they eat too much and are exposed to cold wind, these patients are more prone to acute angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, etc. Patients with ulcers
Eating Tangyuan can stimulate increased gastric acid secretion, aggravating the irritation of the ulcer surface. In severe cases, it can induce gastric bleeding, gastric perforation, etc. People with poor gastrointestinal and digestive function
Tangyuan is made from glutinous rice flour, which is quite sticky and not easy to digest. Eating it can lead to stomach pain, bloating, belching, acid reflux, and even diarrhea. Patients with acute gastroenteritis
Many people who overindulge during the Spring Festival are prone to acute gastroenteritis. At this time, eating more Tangyuan will instead加重 the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. The elderly
Many elderly people have diminished digestive function, missing teeth, and a slower swallowing reflex. They might choke on Tangyuan due to rapid swallowing, leading to difficulty breathing and even suffocation. Therefore, the elderly must chew Tangyuan slowly and carefully. Infants and young children
Infants and young children under 3 years old are not suitable for eating Tangyuan. Because glutinous rice is very sticky, children under 1 year old could easily get Tangyuan stuck in their esophagus, blocking the airway. Children from 1 to 2 years old may not be able to chew the filling ingredients like peanuts well. Children with respiratory diseases should eat as little Tangyuan as possible to prevent worsening their condition. Furthermore, children's digestive functions are weaker, and their swallowing reflex is not fully developed. Even older children should not eat a whole Tangyuan at once; they should break it into thirds or halves, eating one piece before starting the next, to prevent accidents. Health Link
There are also tricks to cooking Tangyuan. Boil in boiling water: Once the water is boiling, place the Tangyuan in the pot and gently push them with a ladle to make them rotate a few times without sticking to the pot walls.
Simmer on low heat: Once the Tangyuan float to the surface, quickly reduce the heat to a simmer. Otherwise, if they keep rolling vigorously, the outsides will be cooked while the insides remain hard and unpleasant.
Add cold water: During the cooking process, add a small amount of cold water each time the water comes to a boil, to keep the Tangyuan in a state of near-boiling. After the water has boiled two or three times, cook for a while longer, and they are ready to eat. This method produces Tangyuan that are soft, not hard, and sweet and delicious.
Cook promptly: The raw glutinous rice flour in Tangyuan has a high moisture content and will spoil if left for too long; it can also break apart easily when frozen. Tangyuan are best made and eaten fresh, and should not be kept for more than 3 days. Once you notice a change in color, they should not be eaten. Pre-frozen Tangyuan bought from the store should also be eaten promptly and preferably not stored for more than a week.
Additionally, whether boiled or deep-fried, Tangyuan must be cooked through. When deep-frying, it's best to poke some small holes in the Tangyuan to prevent them from bursting and causing burns.