Worried about weight gain and indigestion after eating rice dumplings during Dragon Boat Festival! Nutritionist: 3+4 tips for Dragon Boat Festival, eat zongzi healthily without gaining weight

The Dragon Boat Festival is coming soon. We are currently in the period of epidemic prevention, and eating rice dumplings is still indispensable during the Dragon Boat Festival, but we should eat rice dumplings in a healthy way and not too "heavy"! The various kinds of rice dumplings on the market are so appetizing that one can’t help but want to devour them, but one is afraid of gaining weight, worsening chronic diseases, and indigestion after eating them. Nutritionists share the four main principles of "eating zongzi without gaining weight", including understanding the calorie mines of zongzi and adopting the high-fiber, low-fat principle, so that you can eat healthily without burden.

Traditionally, a zongzi has 500-600 calories, which is equivalent to a bento.

The traditional meat dumplings that most people love to eat have fillings including glutinous rice, peanuts, salted egg yolks and pork belly, all of which are high-fat ingredients. The calories in one dumpling are about 500-600 calories, which is equivalent to the calories in a bento, which is not conducive to large-scale consumption by patients with the three highs. In addition, people who like to eat sweet dumplings should also pay attention. For sweet dumplings with red bean paste filling, extra sugar and oil are added to enhance the flavor, so the calories in one dumpling are about 300-400 calories. Eating too much may still cause blood sugar to soar.

Faced with the dazzling array of rice dumplings available on the market, Cancer Care Foundation nutritionist Ke Xiaotong provides the "3+4" tips for the Dragon Boat Festival: "3 points to pay attention to when shopping online for food safety" + "4 principles for eating rice dumplings without gaining weight". Hope you can enjoy the festival by eating rice dumplings in a healthy way!

★ Dragon Boat Festival "3+4" health tips

【Three points to note when shopping online for food safety】

1. The packaging is complete and the labeling is clear

It is difficult to distinguish the authenticity of information on the Internet. It is recommended that people choose to buy from reputable manufacturers. The packaging should be intact and undamaged, with clear labels. Also pay attention to the manufacturing date and shelf life. If you have any doubts, you should report it to the merchant or platform immediately.

2. Buy in moderation and store appropriately

In the past, we often heard that the rice dumplings eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival were still frozen and eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Food stored for too long can easily breed bacteria and endanger health. It is recommended to make plans before purchasing. After arrival, those that need to be refrigerated should be kept below 7°C, and those that need to be frozen should be kept below -18°C, and should be consumed as soon as possible.

3. If it smells strange, refuse to eat it

After opening, if the food is found to have an abnormal color, or has a corrupt, sour, or pungent odor, it means it is no longer fresh or may have been improperly processed. It should not be eaten at this time to avoid more serious food safety issues.

Nutritionist Ke Xiaotong said that traditional rice dumplings are usually made with high-fat ingredients such as glutinous rice, peanuts, salted egg yolks and pork belly. Northern rice dumplings also have glutinous rice fried in oil, so they have higher calories, about 500-600 calories per dumpling, which is almost as high as a bento.

[Four principles for eating zongzi without gaining weight]

1. Taste in moderation

Nutritionist Ke Xiaotong said that traditional meat dumplings are often made of high-fat ingredients such as glutinous rice, peanuts, salted egg yolks and pork belly. The glutinous rice in the northern dumplings is also fried in oil, so the calories are higher, about 500-600 calories per dumpling, which is almost the same as the calories in a bento. Sweet dumplings are most commonly filled with red bean paste, and extra sugar and oil are added during the production process to enhance the flavor. Each dumpling has about 300-400 calories, and the calories and sugar content are considerable. It is recommended that people eat one dumpling a day as a main meal rather than a snack, and pair it with a portion of vegetables and fruits. The nutrition is more balanced and can increase satiety. It can also be shared with relatives and friends, and tasted in moderation to reduce the burden.

2. High fiber and low fat

There are a wide variety of rice dumplings available in the market. Nutritionist Ke Xiaotong recommends that people try to follow the "high fiber and low fat" principle when choosing. Traditional rice dumplings are made of glutinous rice, which is a high-GI food and is not suitable for diabetic patients. It is recommended to replace it with whole grains such as brown rice, coix seed, oats, and quinoa, which can increase the intake of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, and help manage blood sugar after meals.

In addition, the ingredients of traditional salty rice dumplings, such as pork belly, salted egg yolks and peanuts, are high in calories and fat, and are not suitable for patients with the three highs. You can instead choose healthy rice dumplings with lean meat, chicken, soy products and high-fiber mushrooms as ingredients, which can significantly reduce fat and calorie intake.

3. Reduce dipping sauce

Nutritionist Ke Xiaotong recommends eating zongzi in its original flavor because the zongzi itself is already seasoned. The sweet and spicy sauce that is often served with salty rice dumplings contains about 200 mg of sodium in 10 grams; the sugar that is served with alkaline rice dumplings has 60 calories per 15 grams; the habit of eating rice dumplings with dipping sauce will cause people to unknowingly consume too much sodium, refined sugar and calories, which can easily cause edema and weight gain, and is a major risk for patients with chronic diseases.

4. Chew slowly

It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to receive the fullness signal from the stomach after eating, so eating too fast can easily lead to overeating. The glutinous rice in rice dumplings is rich in branched starch, which is not easy to digest. In addition, high-fat ingredients will prolong gastrointestinal emptying time. Both are causes of indigestion.

Therefore, when enjoying rice dumplings, you should chew them slowly and eat slower, which will help digestion and avoid excessive intake. In addition, carefully selecting rice dumpling ingredients, avoiding eating them with every meal, and exercising after meals can also help reduce the burden on the stomach and intestines and avoid indigestion!