China has long been known as the "kingdom of cuisine," with a vast array of delicious delicacies famous both at home and abroad. The traditions and history surrounding "eating" are exceptionally long and profound. However, with the development of science and technology and the increasing focus on health, some dietary habits that we have taken for granted in our daily lives have been revealed to be unhealthy. Here, the editor has compiled a list of these improper practices, hoping to offer some insights. Misconception One: The whiter the rice, the higher its quality
Expert Reminder: People who frequently consume refined white rice are prone to deficiencies in Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B2. Therefore, rice is not better simply because it is whiter. Misconception Two: Vegetables are not as nutritious as meat, fish, and eggs
Expert Reminder: The human body needs a comprehensive and balanced intake of nutrients. One cannot focus solely on the intake of protein and fat while neglecting vitamins and minerals. Misconception Three: Fruits can replace vegetables
Expert Reminder: Various foods should be consumed in conjunction with each other; fruits cannot replace vegetables, otherwise a comprehensive and balanced nutritional intake cannot be achieved. Misconception Four: Meat bone soup is good for supplementing calcium
Expert Reminder: The daily calcium requirement for adults is about 800 mg, with a higher requirement for patients with fractures. Supplementing calcium with meat bone soup is far from sufficient. Milk or calcium supplements should be used instead. Misconception Five: Patients with kidney stones cannot supplement calcium
Expert Reminder: The dietary intake of calcium is generally insufficient for the average person and should be increased. An increase of calcium in the digestive tract can form calcium oxalate with oxalic acid, reducing the absorption of oxalic acid and thus lowering the risk of kidney stones. Misconception Six: Fish without scales have high cholesterol
Expert Reminder: This generalization is not entirely comprehensive. Indeed, some fish without scales have high cholesterol, such as whitebait, river eel, loach, rice eel, and cod. However, not all scaleless fish are high in cholesterol; for instance, the cholesterol content in hairtail is similar to that of scaled fish like grass carp, yellow croaker, pomfret, and sea bass. Misconception Seven: Eat less animal fat and more vegetable oil
Expert Reminder: The intake of vegetable oil should not be excessive either. The daily intake for adults should be 20-25 grams. It is best to choose vegetable oils with a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, such as olive oil or tea oil. Misconception Eight: For diabetic patients, the less carbohydrates, the better
Expert Reminder: For diabetic patients, the consumption of carbohydrates should not be as low as possible, but rather should be reasonably arranged. Misconception Nine: Eating only dishes and no rice at night can help with weight loss
Expert Reminder: Eating less rice can reduce the intake of carbohydrates and thus reduce energy intake. However, eating more dishes leads to excessive fat intake, which generates even more energy. This approach fails the goal of weight loss and instead leads to an imbalance in nutrient intake. Misconception Ten: Carotene is only found in carrots
Expert Reminder: Besides carrots, carotene is also found in other fresh yellow-green vegetables, such as pea shoots, tomatoes, red peppers, sweet peppers, rape, bok choy, and amaranth.
Editor's Reminder: People should change the traditional practice of "eating carrots with alcohol." Carrots are not suitable as a side dish for alcohol. When drinking, one should also avoid taking carotene nutritional supplements, especially not drinking immediately after consuming carrot juice, to prevent harm to health. Misconception Eleven: Drinking milk can cause cataracts in the elderly
Expert Reminder: The formation of cataracts is due to a variety of factors and is not caused simply by drinking milk. The antioxidant capacity of the elderly is low, and they can supplement with antioxidant nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, β-carotene, lutein, and trace elements selenium and zinc to prevent senile cataracts. Misconception Twelve: "Winter tonic" means supplementing with protein powder
Expert Reminder: The dietary protein supply for our residents is sufficient, and there is generally no need for further supplementation for the average person. Excessive protein supplementation instead increases the burden on the liver and kidneys, increases calcium excretion, and can easily lead to calcium deficiency. Therefore, under normal circumstances, there is no need to supplement with protein. Misconception Thirteen: Relying on medication to relieve constipation
Expert Reminder: Senile constipation is a common ailment, mainly caused by insufficient dietary fiber intake and decreased intestinal peristalsis. The solution is not to rely on medication, but to eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as 500 grams of fresh vegetables daily to promote blood circulation in the intestines. Abdominal massage and increased physical exercise can also promote intestinal peristalsis. Relying on dietary improvement, exercise, and establishing good bowel habits can fundamentally solve the problem of constipation. Misconception Fourteen: Supplementing with Vitamin C can easily lead to kidney stones
Expert Reminder: As long as the daily intake of Vitamin C is under 1000 mg, it will not cause kidney stones.
The first, second, third, fourth, seventh, ninth, and tenth misconceptions are basically fixed mindsets in our daily lives.