Introduction: When dining out, what vegetarian dishes do you order? Have you ever tried "Di San Xian" (Fried Potato, Eggplant, and Green Pepper), "Gan Biao Dou Jiao" (Stir-fried Green Beans), or "Guo You Qie Zi" (Deep-fried Eggplant)? Is this way of eating nutritionally sound? Is it healthy? A nutrition expert helps us analyze it.
"The meat is settled, let's add some vegetarian dishes." When eating at a restaurant, we need to balance indulgence and health, right? "I'll have the Di San Xian," "I'll have the Gan Biao Dou Jiao"... Is this seemingly well-balanced meal of meat and vegetables nutritionally reasonable?
"After a 'bath in hot oil', even the healthiest vegetable becomes unhealthy." A nutrition expert explains that while dishes like Di San Xian, Gan Biao Dou Jiao, and Guo You Qie Zi are vegetarian, once they are deep-fried, their calorie content can be even higher than that of meat.
The main ingredients of Di San Xian are potatoes, eggplant, and green peppers. When potatoes are deep-fried at high temperatures, they produce carcinogens like acrylamide. Eggplant is rich in vitamin P and inhibitors that can help lower blood pressure.
A deep-fried eggplant turns into a little packet of oil; after a "baptism" in the hot oil, the vitamin C in the green peppers is almost completely depleted.
Meanwhile, Gan Biao Dou Jiao, which might seem unrelated to deep-frying, is often fried as well. The deep-fried version of Gan Biao Dou Jiao not only exceeds the recommended calorie intake but also poses a safety risk. If green beans are not cooked thoroughly, they can cause food poisoning. During deep-frying, the beans can end up burnt on the outside and raw on the inside.
A nutrition expert advises that when ordering vegetarian dishes, one should follow the "two less, two more" principle. "Less oil, less salt." The "two more" are: choose more seasonal vegetables, and opt for more cold dishes, steamed, or braised dishes. For instance, right now, chives and spinach are highly nutritious seasonal vegetables.