Introduction: As the saying goes, "illness enters through the mouth, and disaster exits through the mouth," which shows that diet plays a crucial part in causing diseases. To stay healthy, one must pay attention to daily eating habits. But how should one eat to maintain good health?
Rule 1: Don't Skip Meat, Dairy, Beans, Vegetables, Fruits, or Staple Foods
Current Satisfaction: ★☆
Less than 30% of people eat enough of the five major food groups daily, according to the "Survey on Nutrition, Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Chinese Netizens" released by the China Health Education Center in early 2012. The "five food groups" include: grains and tubers; animal-based foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk); beans and nuts; vegetables, fruits, fungi, and algae; and energy-dense foods (oils, sugars, alcohol, etc.). Among these, grains and tubers, as staple foods, should account for more than half of the daily energy source.
Are nutrient supplements enough for nutrition? No. Nutrition should first come from daily meals; artificially synthesized nutrients can only be a supplement to the diet. In general, there is no need to supplement them daily. Food also contains phytochemicals that are beneficial for preventing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Additionally, consuming food initiates processes like chewing and gastrointestinal motility, which are greatly beneficial to the digestive system. How can you appreciate the delicious taste of food when swallowing a nutrient tablet with water?
Rule 2: Have Vegetables with Every Meal and Eat Fruit Daily
Current Satisfaction: ★★☆
The World Cancer Research Fund has analyzed research results from various countries and concluded that there is sufficient evidence to show that vegetables and fruits can reduce the risk of many cancers.
The results of the "Chinese Residents' Nutrition and Health Status Survey" show that the daily vegetable intake is 275 grams, which is lower than the recommended 300-500 grams; while fruit intake is 45 grams per day, far below the recommended 200-400 grams per day.
When choosing vegetables, you can be a bit more "colorful," comparing whose shopping cart is more vibrant. Spinach, romaine lettuce, carrots, purple cabbage, red amaranth... dark-colored vegetables should make up half. Of course, don't forget edible mushrooms (button mushrooms, shiitake, wood ear) and seaweed (kelp, nori, sea lettuce). For fruits, choose seasonal and fresh ones, buying them as you eat them.
Is eating either vegetables or fruit enough? Of course not. Both vegetables and fruits are treasures, but their nutritional values have different focuses. Vegetables are rich in plant chemicals, while fruits are rich in organic acids and aromatic substances; the two cannot replace each other.
Rule 3: Use a Salt Spoon When Cooking and Don't Ignore Hidden Salt
Current Satisfaction: ☆
Internationally, the recommended salt intake has been lowered, but the "heavy taste" of Chinese residents has not improved. Data from the 2002 "Chinese Residents' Nutrition and Health Status Survey" showed that the average daily salt consumption per person was 12 grams, twice the recommended amount. Ten years later, an unpublished nutrition survey shows that the nation's salt consumption has not decreased significantly.
The harm of "excessive salt," while not as overwhelming as a flood or a ferocious beast, is its long-term erosion of the body. A high-salt diet is one of the internationally recognized risk factors for hypertension and can induce cerebral thrombosis and myocardial infarction. Therefore, in daily diets, use less salt, less, and even less.
If you really can't control your salt spoon, try using a salt-limiting spoon. Measure the family's salt for the day based on 5 grams per person (the World Health Organization's recommended amount), and limit yourself to that amount each day. In addition, pay attention to the "hidden salt" in soy sauce, pickles, and various sauces.
Rule 4: Drink Enough Water and Limit Beverages
Current Satisfaction: ★★
The current situation for Chinese residents is not only insufficient water intake but also a preference for beverages. A 2011 survey on drinking water in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou, led by researcher Ma Guansheng's team, showed that 30% of residents drank less than 1200 milliliters of water per day. The survey also pointed out that although only 4.7% of people considered beverages the healthiest, 80% still drank them.
"The harm of excessive consumption of sugary drinks is well-known: they are high in energy and can lead to many health problems, but in reality, many people drink them for the taste," said Ma Guansheng. In fact, plain water (such as boiled water, mineral water, purified water) is the best drink in daily life, and among plain waters, boiled water is the best.
Drinking enough water daily is important for maintaining the body's metabolism and the function of various physiological systems. Insufficient water intake can lead to a decline in physical and mental energy, affecting work and study efficiency, and may even cause some diseases (such as hypertension, nephritis, kidney stones, etc.). Therefore, drinking water should be done in small amounts and multiple times throughout the day.
Rule 5: Eat Less Pork and Choose Fish as the First Option
Current Satisfaction: ★☆
China's pork consumption accounts for half of the global total. The China Meat Association once released data in 2007 showing that China's per capita pork consumption had nearly doubled in the 16 years after 1990. Eating too much meat is, of course, not good. The number of people with cardiovascular diseases in China has exceeded 270 million, becoming a leading cause of death among residents, which is not unrelated to this.
"Nutritional Epidemiology," an authoritative book on nutrition by Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University, illustrates the evolution process between excessive intake of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and myocardial infarction. And what is most abundant in pork is the main cause of this process—saturated fat and cholesterol.
Currently, the public has two problems with eating "meat": one is eating too much pork, and the other is eating too little fish and seafood. The protein in fish is easy to digest and absorb, it is low in fat, and rich in unsaturated fatty acids that are beneficial to the cardiovascular system (especially deep-sea fish like tuna, cod, and sardines). Intake should be increased, eating 1 to 2 ounces daily.
Dietary Guidelines of Various Countries
China 1. Eat a variety of foods, with grains as the main staple, and a mix of coarse and fine grains; 2. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and tubers; 3. Eat dairy products, soybeans, or their products daily; 4. Eat fish, poultry, eggs, and lean meat in appropriate amounts regularly; 5. Reduce the amount of cooking oil used, and eat a light, low-salt diet; 6. Do not overeat, exercise every day, and maintain a healthy weight; 7. Distribute meals reasonably, and eat snacks in moderation; 8. Drink enough water daily, and choose beverages wisely; 9. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation; 10. Eat fresh and hygienic food.
USA 1. Enjoy your food, but eat less; 2. Avoid super-sized portions; 3. Half of your plate should be fruits and vegetables; 4. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk; 5. Compare the sodium content in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose foods with lower sodium; 6. Replace sugary drinks with water.
Japan The Japanese Dietary Guideline is represented by a top, divided into four layers, from top to bottom: 1. Staple foods (including rice, grains, noodles); 2. Side dishes (including vegetables, fungi, tubers, seaweed, etc.); 3. Main dishes (including meat, fish, eggs, soy products); 4. Milk and dairy products (such as cheese, yogurt, etc.) and fruits. Only through the combination of daily exercise and a balanced diet can the top keep spinning, achieving the goal of a healthy life.
Korea 1. Eat a variety of foods daily, including grains, vegetables, fruits, fish, and dairy products; 2. Choose low-salt foods and use less salt when cooking; 3. Increase physical activity and maintain a healthy weight; 4. Enjoy every meal and don't skip breakfast; 5. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation; 6. Choose healthy foods and pay attention to portion sizes; 7. The diet should be based on grains.
Three Major Dietary Problems Facing Chinese People
Incomplete Diet According to surveys, less than 30% of people eat enough of the five major food groups daily; the proportion of vegetable intake is just over half, and fruit intake is only one-fifth; 30% of people drink less than 1200 milliliters of water per day.
Overeating China's pork consumption accounts for half of the global total; people eat too much and move too little, and the number of overweight and obese people has increased by 100 million in 10 years; internationally, the recommended salt intake has been lowered, but China's "excessive salt" problem has not decreased in ten years.
Wrong Diet In the structure of China's meat consumption, pork has accounted for about 65% in recent years, while fish and seafood, which are beneficial to the cardiovascular system, are less than one ounce per day; many people have a "beggar's breakfast and an emperor's dinner"; food is processed too finely and meticulously, which is not conducive to the prevention and control of chronic diseases.