Preparing for the Gaokao: A Guide to Nutrition for Candidates
As the Gaokao approaches, both students and their parents are in the final stages of intense preparation. During this period, planning nutritious and delicious meals and snacks for their children becomes a top priority for many mothers. Some parents also buy large quantities of fruit to supplement their children's nutrition and boost their immunity, but they can easily fall into various pitfalls.
Now, we offer a "fourteen-character" piece of advice to all parents of Gaokao candidates: "One bite of meat, two bites of rice, three bites of vegetables, four bites of fruit." We hope every student can achieve their desired results.
Balanced Nutrition for Three Meals
When it comes to meal planning during the Gaokao preparation, four experts have put forward the following basic guidance and principles: Nutrition for the three meals should be balanced; meals should be light, stomach-soothing, brain-nourishing, and sleep-promoting.
First, attention should be paid to balanced nutrition, with a reasonable mix of meat and vegetables. Professor Wang Qun emphasized this point, stating that the diet during the Gaokao period should not be too greasy. Instead, there should be a reasonable mix of meat and vegetables, with a ratio of "one bite of meat, two bites of rice, three bites of vegetables, and four bites of fruit," which is quite appropriate.
Second, the three meals should be treated differently. Professor Tang Qingya believes that lunch can include more meat dishes, while there's no need to intentionally reduce the dinner portion. Breakfast can be primarily based on carbohydrate-rich staples like congee, rice, and noodles to directly nourish the brain. Lunch should supplement with more high-quality protein. For dinner, one can opt for lighter, stomach-soothing meals that also include high-quality protein, which is beneficial for sleep at night.
Third, choose more brain-nourishing, easily digestible, and absorbable foods. Brain-nourishing foods mainly include fish, soy products, lean meat, eggs, milk, and fresh vegetables and fruits. Additionally, Professor He Yumin also advises against consuming too many high-sugar foods.
Fourth, the variety of foods can be丰富, and cooking methods should also be diverse. Professor Cai Meiqin believes that while parents should consider their children's usual dietary preferences, they can also make minor adjustments to flavors and food types and try different cooking methods, such as steaming, boiling, and stir-frying, but be careful to use spicy seasonings sparingly.
Three Major Supplementation Pitfalls to Avoid During the Final Sprint
■ Pitfall 1: The child is working hard for the exam, so prepare a big feast of meat and seafood
Xiao Xiao's mother has recently prepared a lot of meat, planning to provide the most nutritious meals for her child during the three days of the Gaokao.
However, experts believe that children should not be given excessive amounts of meat and seafood. Instead, they should supplement more with vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. This is because a large amount of meat actually加重s the burden on the digestive system and is not conducive to blood supply to the brain.
■ Pitfall 2: Drastic changes in the diet, regardless of the child's usual eating habits
Jing Jing's mother plans to change to a method not commonly used at home to give her child a new taste and add some freshness.
Professor Cai Meiqin points out that some parents disregard their children's usual eating habits, and this approach can be counterproductive. For example, some children usually eat more meat, and suddenly switching to a very light diet will disrupt their habits. Others usually eat lighter meals, but to seek supplementation, they suddenly eat very greasy food, which can actually be detrimental to their health.
■ Pitfall 3: Buying many supplements to boost nutrition
Su Su's father has already bought many nutritional health supplements for his child, while Su Su's mother has bought foods like soft-shelled turtles and black-bone chickens, planning to make soups for supplementation.
This kind of excessive supplementation has been rejected by experts. Experts say that if supplementation is excessive and the student's body cannot absorb or adapt, it can lead to problems like diarrhea, allergies, and colds or "heatiness," which is the opposite of the parents' intentions.
If supplementation is indeed necessary, one should also pay attention to moderation and not滥用 it. It should be done in moderation.
Kiwis and Yogurt: A Nutritious Combination
It's currently the peak season for fruits, and many parents choose various fruits as side dishes or late-night snacks to boost their Gaokao candidates' immunity and nutrition. In this regard, Professor Cai Meiqin recommends that "small amounts and variety" is the best way to supplement nutrition.
First, the variety of foods like meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products should be diverse daily, with at least 5 types of vegetables and 2 types of fruits. Because each food contains different nutrients—for example, meat contains more fat and protein, while fruits have more vitamins and minerals—only a diverse diet can ensure comprehensive and balanced nutrition.
Second, to achieve "small amounts and variety," in addition to the three main meals, one can have some snacks around 10 AM and 4 PM, mainly consisting of dairy products and fruits. Eating kiwis and yogurt together is especially recommended. Kiwis are rich in vitamin C and magnesium, low in sodium and high in potassium, and are also a good source of dietary fiber, making them nutritionally dense.
Most fruits not only contain a lot of vitamin C but also plenty of dietary fiber. Regular consumption can indeed help promote intestinal peristalsis, improve intestinal function, prevent constipation, and boost immunity. Regarding the common practice of using fruits to supplement extra nutrition for candidates, Professor Cai Meiqin believes that Gaokao candidates should pay special attention to the following points:
First, don't eat too much at once. For example, eating half a watermelon at a time can not only easily lead to weight gain but also affect the candidate's appetite for other foods. A daily amount of 200-300 grams is more appropriate.
Second, pay attention to the variety of fruits. Instead of just eating one apple or one banana at a time, it's better to slice or cut them up for the whole family to share, which makes the nutrition more balanced.
In addition, pay attention to the timing of eating fruit. You cannot eat fruit immediately after a meal, nor can you eat it with the meal. The best time to eat fruit is before a meal or 2 hours after.