Zongzi is high in oil and salt, and it is difficult to digest if you eat too much! Nutritionists share tips on eating and buying zongzi in a healthy way

During the Dragon Boat Festival, all kinds of rice dumplings are indispensable. However, as people pursue healthier diets, while retaining traditional delicacies, paying attention to food safety and balanced nutrition has become a topic of concern for everyone. The Taipei City Government Health Bureau invited a nutritionist from the Zhongxiao branch of Taipei Municipal United Hospital to share tips on healthy eating and homemade rice dumplings. They also used natural ingredients to design "Sweet Potato and Quinoa Rice Dumplings" and "Whole Grain and Bean Rice Dumplings" that are simple to make, delicious and healthy, a special Dragon Boat Festival gift for both big and small babies.

The Taipei City Government Health Bureau also reminded that traditional rice dumplings are made of glutinous rice and often use high-fat, high-salt ingredients, such as marinade, stir-fried seasoning, salted egg yolks, dried radish, braised pork belly and peanuts as fillings. Glutinous rice is highly sticky and difficult to digest. For the elderly or infants at home, it should be a better choice to enjoy it with the family.

Healthy eating of Zongzi and tips on how to make your own

The following are nutritionists' recommendations for healthy eating and homemade rice dumplings:

1. Easy to eat and nutritious

Babies over 1 year old should choose foods that are soft, easy to digest, and lightly seasoned, and avoid foods that are too sticky, too hard, or difficult to chew and swallow. Therefore, this time the nutritionist designed the "Sweet Potato and Quinoa Rice Dumpling", using yellow sweet potato and quinoa instead of the stickier glutinous rice, mixed with banana puree, milk and eggs, steamed into banana milk egg pudding, cut into pieces as the rice dumpling filling, and topped with sugar-free yogurt as the rice dumpling dipping sauce. At the same time, it can increase the baby's intake of protein and fruit foods needed for growth.

2. Balanced fiber content with less burden

One commercially available rice dumpling has about 400-600 calories, and eating one is equivalent to eating 1.5-2 bowls of rice. The fillings are high-fat meat and salted egg yolks, and the seasoning is high in oil and salt, which is not suitable for the elderly with poor teeth or gastrointestinal digestion. The "Whole Grain Bean Rice Dumpling" designed this time uses high-fiber whole grains instead of glutinous rice, uses edamame and soybeans as fillings, and replaces braised pork belly with plant protein to reduce saturated fat. Paired with cashew nuts to provide a high-quality source of fat, quail eggs are used instead of salted egg yolks to reduce sodium intake.

3. Tips for choosing and eating

When purchasing commercially available rice dumplings, one should choose reputable merchants. If purchasing rice dumplings from retailers or those made on site, one should pay attention to the environmental hygiene of the store and the manufacturing site. Ingredients should not be placed directly on the ground to avoid contamination or deterioration. The temperature during the Dragon Boat Festival is hot, and bacteria can grow rapidly between 7 and 60 degrees, which is the "dangerous temperature zone" for food preservation. Therefore, it is recommended to eat the rice dumplings within 1 hour after purchase, or refrigerate or freeze them as soon as possible to extend the shelf life and eat them early. Frozen rice dumplings must be thoroughly heated. Note that the center temperature must reach above 70 degrees when reheated to kill most pathogens and ensure safety for consumption.

The Taipei City Government Health Bureau reminds people not to forget to do moderate exercise after eating rice dumplings during the Dragon Boat Festival, as this can not only burn excess calories but also help gastrointestinal motility. The above information can be found on the Taipei City Government Health Bureau website .