Stay slim and don’t gain weight during the Chinese New Year! Learn about the Chinese and Western diet weight loss strategy

The Lunar New Year is coming, and it is inevitable that we will eat and drink a lot again. Every time the New Year holiday is over, the weight will soar! It is common to gain 2 or 3 kilograms during the Chinese New Year. However, who says that the only option during the Chinese New Year is to "get fat"? As long as you eat smartly, the New Year can be a good time to lose weight! Chinese medicine practitioners provide tips on reducing calorie intake for Chinese food, Western food and hotpot that are commonly eaten during the Chinese New Year, so you can maintain your figure even during happy gatherings.

During the Chinese New Year, in addition to the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, there are various occasions for dining with relatives and friends. Sometimes we eat hearty Chinese food with chicken, duck, fish and meat; sometimes we eat high-calorie Western food with steak and thick soup; sometimes we eat hot pot with meatballs and fish dumplings! No matter what type of diet you choose, there are calorie mines. Here’s how to deal with them!

【Chinese New Year Dishes】

Eat less food that thickens the stomach and has a small amount of fruit

Fried fish, poached chicken, Dongpo pork, Buddha jumps over the wall... these delicious Chinese dishes with good ingredients are indispensable New Year dishes for every family gathering around the fire. Add to that the sweet soup, drinks, and melon seeds after the meal, and the calorie count for the whole meal is really over the limit! While waiting for the food to be served, you may want to eat some fruit to fill your stomach and increase your sense of fullness, so as to avoid wolfing down too much after the food is served.

After the dishes are officially served, you must know how to choose the food to eat! Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Ruowei reminds that foods that require thickening, such as soups, risotto, braised cabbage, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, etc., usually contain a lot of cornstarch and oil, and are quite high in calories, so it is recommended to eat less. If you really want to taste it, you can drain the soup first, or rinse it with water and remove the starch on the surface before eating.

Replace red meat with white meat and seafood, and peel fried food before eating

Chinese New Year dishes are bound to include fish and meat, and they are often high in oil. Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Ruowei recommends choosing more non-fried chicken, duck, and seafood, and reducing the intake of red meat such as pork, beef, and lamb, in order to reduce the intake of calories and saturated fat. However, remember to remove the skin when eating chicken and duck. Try not to eat high-calorie fried or crispy foods. If you really want to eat them, don’t forget to peel off the high-fat skin before eating.

Choose sugar-free tea for beverages and replace desserts with fruits

After a big meal, it is necessary to have some drinks and desserts. As for beverages, it is recommended to drink boiled water or sugar-free tea, especially green tea and oolong tea, which can remove the greasiness. If you have to drink, you might as well add some ice cubes to the glass to dilute the alcohol concentration and reduce your alcohol intake. It is also a good way to control calories and protect your liver!

As for Chinese desserts, such as date paste cake, brown sugar cake, red bean soup, peanut glutinous rice balls, etc., the sugar content is generally high. It is recommended to replace them with an appropriate amount of fresh fruit. In addition, there is another type of snack after meals that is high in calories but is often overlooked. This is when your weight may be rising...

Peanuts and melon seeds are high in calories and will not make you fat if you eat a small amount

Many people like to eat melon seeds and chat about family matters after dinner, or eat a bucket of peanuts or pistachios while watching TV. careful! Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Ruowei reminds us that nuts such as peanuts, melon seeds, cashews, pine nuts, pistachios, etc. are high in fat and calories. For example, 15 peanuts are approximately equal to 1 teaspoon of oil! It's easy to eat too many calories without realizing it, so remember to eat in small amounts.

【Western-style dinner】

The feasts during the Chinese New Year are not just about Chinese cuisine. When gathering with friends, people often order Western food such as steak and pasta. If you are not careful, the entire meal, from appetizers, hot soup, main course to dessert, often exceeds the calorie limit!

Clear soup instead of thick soup Lemon juice Olive oil with salad

Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Ruowei reminds that Western-style soups such as corn soup, seafood soup, and pumpkin soup are often prepared with flour, butter, cream, and fresh cream, and are high in calories. It is recommended to choose clear soups, such as onion soup, mushroom soup, and seafood soup. Garlic bread is a common appetizer, but because it contains more fat, it is recommended to replace it with small buns without butter and jam.

When eating salad, since most salad dressings are made with oil, sugar, and eggs and are high in calories, it is recommended to replace them with vinegar, lemon juice, and an appropriate amount of olive oil.

The staple food is chicken, seafood, and potatoes are baked but not fried.

As for the main course, it is recommended to choose chicken, fish and shellfish instead of steak, and the best cooking method is steaming or boiling. The common French fries in Western cuisine can be replaced with baked potatoes (without cheese) or macaroni, which can greatly reduce the calories.

For the final dessert, you may choose fresh fruit or sugar-free jelly. As a drink, unsweetened black tea or black coffee is recommended as a perfect ending to the meal!

In addition to regular Chinese and Western food, hot pot is also a favorite of Taiwanese people! What are some tips for eating hotpot without gaining weight?

【hot pot】

Don't use vegetables as soup base when eating hot pot ingredients

As for the soup base, it is recommended to use vegetable clear soup instead of other flavors of broth. When drinking the soup, remember to remove the floating oil before drinking. As for meat, it is recommended to replace beef and pork with seafood and chicken, and pair them with abundant vegetables. Also, try to avoid hot pot ingredients such as meatballs, fish dumplings, tempura, cheese balls, etc., to reduce the intake of fat, calories, and artificial additives. If you want to eat food with a rich taste, you can choose low-calorie konjac.

Shacha sauce contains more fat, soy sauce, onion and garlic are healthier

Finally, Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Ruowei specially reminded that hot pot dipping sauce is also a big calorie trap. It is recommended to use an appropriate amount of soy sauce and avoid high-oil condiments such as shacha sauce. If you want to enhance the flavor, you can add natural spices such as onions, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers in moderation. It is healthy and delicious!