As the saying goes, "disease enters through the mouth." Previously, this referred to infectious diseases often being caused by consuming unhygienic food. However, nutrition experts unanimously agree that the top two causes of death among Chinese residents—cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and tumors—are clearly linked to an irrational dietary structure. In other words, common chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, tumors, and diabetes are largely caused by diet! A balanced diet of both animal and plant foods is the only healthy and qualified dietary structure.
Dietary structure refers to the quantity of various foods in a diet and their proportion. Based on the proportion of animal and plant foods, as well as the intake of energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrates, the dietary structures of countries around the world today can be broadly divided into three types: 1. Balanced animal and plant foods; 2. High animal, low plant foods; 3. High plant, low animal foods. A diet high in animal foods and low in plant foods is of good quality but is often accompanied by high energy, high fat, high protein, and low fiber, making it a risk factor for inducing chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. A diet high in plant foods and low in animal foods is of poor quality, with low intake of protein and fat, and is a major cause of nutritional deficiency diseases. Only a balanced diet of animal and plant foods is a healthy and qualified dietary structure. As animal food intake increases, so do chronic diseases.
With China's economic development and the improvement of people's living standards, the dietary structure of residents has undergone significant changes: animal food intake has increased, plant food intake has decreased, fat intake has increased, and carbohydrate intake has decreased. Along with this, the incidence of related chronic diseases has also risen. Preventing chronic diseases requires adjusting the dietary structure.
In response to the changes in the dietary structure and the health and disease status of Chinese residents, relevant experts have formulated a current dietary structure adjustment plan: "Stabilize grain, ensure vegetables, increase dairy, and adjust meat." Stabilize grain
From the perspective of modern nutrition, a diet primarily based on plant foods can avoid the "three highs and one low" (high energy, high fat, high protein, low fiber) defects common in developed countries like Europe and the US, and is beneficial for preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and malignant tumors. Therefore, the consumption of grain in the diet can no longer be reduced. Ensure vegetables
Vegetables are an important source of vitamin C, carotene, and various minerals and have multiple functions in the body. Especially in recent years, the antioxidant effects of vitamin C and carotene have attracted considerable attention. It is generally believed that eating more fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C and carotene is beneficial for preventing cancer and cardiovascular disease. Increase dairy
Dairy products are an important source of high-quality protein and calcium. Calcium, in particular, is not only abundant but also highly absorbed and utilized, which is of great significance for promoting the growth and development of children and adolescents and preventing osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly people. Adjust meat
This means adjusting the meat structure. The vast majority of Chinese people primarily consume pork. Compared to poultry, pork has a lower protein content and a higher fat content. Therefore, the meat structure should be adjusted to be based primarily on fish, poultry, and other meats.
Experts emphasize that maintaining the basic characteristic of the Chinese diet—plant-based foods as the mainstay with animal foods as a supplement—while also improving dietary quality, especially the quantity and quality of protein and calcium, can prevent the defects of a "three highs and one low" diet. This approach can prevent both nutritional deficiency diseases and chronic diseases and should be promoted.