Refuse to be a "sodium" beauty during the Mid-Autumn Festival! Nutritionist: Homemade salsa can reduce the calories of barbecue by 60%

Barbecue, mooncakes and pomelo are essential for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but don’t neglect your gastrointestinal health! In addition to controlling calories, you also need to be careful about using too much high-sodium dipping sauce when grilling. After swallowing it, it can not only easily cause edema, but it is also a huge burden, especially for patients with high blood pressure or kidney disease! Nutritionists urge people to stop being "sodium lovers" during the Mid-Autumn Festival and make their own salsa sauce to eat smartly, healthily and without burden!

During the epidemic prevention period, people may choose to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival by barbecuing at home. However, according to data from the National Health Administration, the number of cases of colorectal cancer has ranked first among the top ten cancers for many years in a row, among which the love of barbecue and red meat are both risk factors. Cancer Care Foundation nutritionist Ke Xiaotong shares with everyone the secrets of healthy grilling during the Mid-Autumn Festival, so that you can enjoy delicious food and stay healthy this Mid-Autumn Festival.

Cooking first and then baking saves time! Reduce exposure to carcinogens

Nutritionist Ke Xiaotong said that when grilling meat, the high temperature over the fire will produce carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HCAs). The process produces grilling smoke and a strong aroma, but it also produces carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that attach to the food. The longer the grilling time, the more carcinogens are produced! Nutritionist Ke Xiaotong suggests that you can shorten the grilling time by cooking before grilling, and cover the grill with aluminum foil to prevent direct contact between the carbon fire and the food. She also reminds that the burnt parts must be removed and not eaten, so as to reduce exposure to carcinogens while enjoying the fun of barbecue.

Grilled meat and colorful vegetables are paired together to make it healthier and more delicious

Sausages, hot dogs, bacon and various red meats (pork, beef, lamb) are common options for barbecue. However, these meats are generally high in calories and have carcinogenic risks. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) points out that eating more processed meat and red meat is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Chemical substances (such as nitrites or phosphates) are added during the production process of processed meat, which may produce carcinogens and are even listed as "first-class carcinogens" with the same harm as cigarettes!

In terms of food selection, nutritionist Ke Xiaotong recommends choosing low-fat chicken (white meat) and seafood, and pairing them with colorful vegetables, such as broccoli, corn shoots, king oyster mushrooms, bell peppers, etc., and using skewers of meat mixed with vegetables or lettuce wraps to replace refined starches such as toast or tempura. This can not only increase freshness and reduce greasiness, but vegetables are also rich in antioxidant nutrients, rich in dietary fiber to increase satiety, which can reduce the intake of meat and refined starches, thereby avoiding excessive intake of calories and saturated fat and reducing the risk of cancer.

Reduced sodium dipping sauces to keep you informed! Refuse to be a "sodium" beauty during the Mid-Autumn Festival

One spoonful (15 grams) of commercially available barbecue sauce contains 300-500 mg of sodium. If you repeatedly apply sauce to the meat while grilling, you will inadvertently consume too much sodium, which can easily cause edema and is a heavy burden for patients with hypertension or kidney disease. Nutritionist Ke Xiaotong recommends diluting the barbecue sauce with water, or using vegetables to make a refreshing dipping sauce, which can be eaten after grilling the ingredients, both of which can significantly reduce sodium intake! A special salsa sauce recipe is provided, which is designed with beef tomatoes, bell peppers and onions as the main ingredients. Compared with ordinary barbecue sauce, the calories are reduced by 60%, and the sodium content is reduced by more than 90%. It can prevent you from becoming a "sodium beauty" during the Mid-Autumn Festival. We highly recommend that you DIY a refreshing salsa sauce!

【Salsa Sauce Recipe】(Serves 3)

Ingredients: 300g beef tomatoes, 70g bell peppers, 150g onions, 30g honey, 40cc lemon juice, a little salt, a little chili powder.

practice:

(1) Remove the stems of the tomatoes, seeds of the bell peppers, and skin of the onions, then wash and cut into small cubes.

(2) Mix the ingredients in step (1) with honey, lemon juice, salt and chili powder.

(Recipe reference source: His cancer cells disappeared! Written by Chen Yueqing, Chairman of the Cancer Care Foundation)