On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, every household is busy buying mooncakes. Mooncakes are delicious, and the moment of reunion is heartwarming, but health factors must not be ignored when selecting them. Now, let's focus on how to manage health in three aspects: selecting, storing, and eating mooncakes.
1. Selection
In recent years, the raw materials, shape, quality, variety, and flavor of mooncakes have been constantly innovating. Originally, mooncakes were mainly sweet, but now they come in all five flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty, and some even have numbing and spicy flavors. However, no matter how much they change, the main ingredients for making mooncakes are inseparable from flour, cooking oil, sugar, eggs, and various fillings. The nutritional content of mooncakes varies depending on the ingredients. From a nutritional perspective, a 1-liang (50g) mooncake contains about 200 kcal of energy, which is equivalent to the energy in a bowl of rice; 5-8 grams of protein, about 10 grams of fat, and also some minerals and vitamins. Generally speaking, the nutritional characteristics of mooncakes are high in energy and fat. Therefore, when selecting and consuming mooncakes, carefully read the relevant information on the packaging, especially the ingredient list and nutrition label, and then choose according to your taste, preference, and health status.
Check the label. Look at the name, ingredient list, production date, shelf life, manufacturer's address, product execution standard number, QS mark, and production license number.
Choose products from regular manufacturers, not "three-no" products (no name, no date, no certification).
Prefer packaged products and choose unpackaged products less or not at all.
"Sugar-free" products do not mean they are calorie-free.
The so-called "health" benefits of "health" mooncakes are unreliable.
Choose according to your taste, preference, and health condition.
2. Storage
The shelf life of different types of mooncakes varies. The shelf life of fresh meat mooncakes is only 1 day, unpackaged mooncakes are at least 10 days, and boxed mooncakes are at least 25 days. Do not eat mooncakes that have exceeded their shelf life. Soft-filled mooncakes contain more moisture and can only be stored for about 7 to 10 days, while hard-filled mooncakes can be stored for about 1 month. Because mooncakes contain a lot of fat, they should be protected from light during storage to prevent oil oxidation. When storing, they should not be placed with other foods or items to avoid flavor transfer and loss of their original taste and character.
3. Consumption
The nutritional value of mooncakes is far less comprehensive and balanced than that of a regular meal, and mooncakes cannot replace a regular meal.
Focus on tasting, with small amounts and a variety. Share with family, friends, or colleagues to taste different flavors of mooncakes without overeating.
For those who are overweight or obese, choose mooncakes with fruit or vegetable fillings that are lower in calories to avoid consuming excessive energy and adding burden to an already overweight body.
For individuals with high blood sugar or diabetes. Mooncakes have a high sugar content. Diabetics with good blood sugar control can eat 1/4 of a regular-sized mooncake between meals. Diabetics with poor blood sugar control should avoid eating mooncakes, even "sugar-free" ones.