How to eat cured meats healthily during the twelfth lunar month?

Introduction: The Lunar New Year is getting closer. While Laba congee is a side dish, the real stars of the "La Yue Chi La" (eating cured meats in the 12th lunar month) tradition are various cured meats like cured pork, sausages, cured duck, and cured fish, which are now in their prime season for preparation and consumption. Few people in Guangzhou cure their own meats at home, but many frequent the old cured meat shop, Huangshanghuang, to buy them. When returning to the countryside to visit family and friends during the 12th lunar month, homemade "all-natural" cured pork is a traditional dish hosts serve to guests. However, cured meats are high in salt and fat and may even contain carcinogens like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Although the amount might be small, they are certainly not "healthy foods." Experts say that cured meats are not off-limits, but the key is to understand how to eat them without harming your health.

Eating cured meats in the 12th lunar month: savory, fresh, and fragrant

Many places have the custom of eating cured pork for the New Year. Eating cured meats during the cold 12th lunar month is a Chinese tradition. Many families in the countryside consider cured meats a must-have for the New Year. When family and friends get together, homemade cured pork is a constant presence on the dinner table. In Guangzhou city, few households cure their own meats, but many people patronize the old cured meat shop Huangshanghuang, and you can also find dishes made with cured meats in restaurants.

Stir-fried cured pork with garlic stalks

Eating cured meats in the 12th lunar month: How to eat them without harming your health?

Different regions have different flavors. For example, Cantonese people like to use cured meats in clay pot rice and radish cakes, Hunanese people prefer to steam them together, and people in Yunnan love to add cured pork ribs to their hot pot. Although the preparation methods vary, people's deep affection for cured meats remains unchanged year after year. Perhaps because they've been eating them every New Year since childhood, cured meats have even become a "homesickness" for new Hakka people who have settled in big cities. Some people are particularly fond of them, not for any other reason, but simply for their savory, fresh, and fragrant taste.

Cured meats are not "healthy foods"

Among the many types of cured meats, the most popular is cured pork. When you take a bite and your taste buds are delighted, don't rush to indulge. First, understand how this savory, fresh, and fragrant flavor comes about—

Savory and fresh: This is essentially high salt. Whether cured through traditional smoking and sun-drying or processed with modern methods, salt has always been the most important additive for cured meats. High salt is an effective traditional method for inhibiting bacteria, preserving, and keeping food fresh, so the salt concentration in cured pork is never low. Reports indicate that 100 grams of cured pork can contain nearly 800 milligrams of sodium, over ten times the average amount in regular pork. The salt content in homemade cured meats may vary, but to achieve that savory flavor, a lot of salt is definitely added.

Quick-fried cured pork

There are no bad foods, only bad ways of eating them

Fragrant: This is almost greasy. The meat selected for making cured pork cannot be too lean, as lean meat is too "dry" and has a poor texture. Therefore, pork with a significant amount of fat is generally chosen, so how could the fat content be low? Especially for high-quality cured pork with a golden color and tempting fragrance, the fat content per 100 grams can be as high as 50%! When you are devouring the meat, enjoying its rich fragrance, have you ever thought about how much greasy fat you are consuming?

According to science writer Yun Wuxin, besides being high in salt and fat, cured meats also suffer significant nutrient loss during the smoking and sun-drying processes. Most vitamins disappear after these processes. Furthermore, some "carcinogens" like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may be produced. Although the amount might not be significant, it's more than what's found in fresh meat. Therefore, modern dietary guidelines recommend limiting intake. He reminds us that whether it's "all-natural" cured pork or meticulously made "traditional cuisine," it is still an "unhealthy food."

Sausage and egg fried rice

Soak first, and try to avoid pan-frying

Cured meats are not something you can't eat; the key is to know how to eat them without affecting your health. Focusing on their main characteristics of being high in salt and fat, experts suggest that people with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or high blood lipids should be cautious. If you really love them, eat them occasionally and in moderation.

For the general population, it's advised not to eat too much cured meat, no matter how good it is. Before eating, soak it to reduce the salt content and wash away some unhealthy substances. Cook it with other fresh vegetables by stir-frying, boiling, or steaming to balance the salty flavor, and try to avoid high-temperature pan-frying. Most importantly, control your intake. It is recommended to consume about 50 grams per person per time, not exceeding 100 grams. Eating it once a week to change your palate and satisfy a craving is enough. Don't overindulge frequently for the sake of your taste buds, lest you harm your health.

Sausage stir-fried with snow peas