Corn and pumpkin are not vegetables! Be careful with these starchy foods when eating hot pot

When the weather is chilly, I want to eat hotpot, which warms my stomach and heart! But, you know? After a hotpot meal, which includes large amounts of beef, pork, seafood, as well as various meatballs, fish dumplings, and small sausages, it is common for the calorie intake to approach 2,000 calories! That’s almost an adult’s daily calories. In addition, some starchy foods that are often mistaken for vegetables, such as corn, pumpkin, water chestnut, etc., will increase calories if you eat a few more bites, and the more you eat, the fatter you will get! If you want to eat hotpot without getting fat, just read this article.

It turns out that corn and pumpkin are not vegetables? When eating hot pot, most people often choose not to eat rice or eat less fatty meat in order to control calories, but they easily overlook starchy foods other than staple foods, which are actually the main source of calories.

Corn and pumpkin starches as staple food replacements to control calories

Nutritionist Zhang Peirong reminds us that corn, taro, pumpkin, yam, and water chestnut are all rich in starch. Although fresh corn kernels are often added to lettuce salads, corn does not belong to the vegetable category. Instead, it is classified as a "whole grain root vegetable" among the six major food categories, just like bread, rice and noodles. The same applies to pumpkin, taro and the other foods mentioned above. Therefore, if you want to eat hot pot without gaining weight, you cannot eat these starchy foods without restriction, but should replace them with staple foods such as white rice, udon noodles, and vermicelli.

Eat more vegetables and mushrooms, low in calories, high in fiber and antioxidant

Relatively speaking, you can supplement more fresh vegetables, such as cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, chrysanthemum, tomato, and loofah. Mushrooms are also a good choice, including shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, black fungus, etc. They are not only low in calories and refreshing, but also rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and their unique phytochemicals and other nutrients, which can help maintain body functions, prevent attacks by free radicals, and achieve the healthy effect of antioxidants!

Eat vegetables first, then starch and protein.

Nutritionist Zhang Peirong said that when eating hot pot, you might as well make vegetables your first priority. Eat more vegetables when you are hungry, which can also fill your stomach. The high-fiber properties can prevent blood sugar from rising quickly in a short period of time and help control blood sugar. Next, you can eat starchy foods such as rice, noodles, pumpkin, yam, etc. as the main source of energy, but remember to control the intake.

Although you want to control your weight, don't forget that you still need protein. Remember to eat an appropriate amount of protein foods, such as beans, fish, meat, and eggs. Among them, nutritionists recommend giving priority to one type of food, which is not only rich in high-quality protein, but also can help lower cholesterol!

Eating tofu can supplement protein, lower cholesterol and prevent dementia

Nutritionist Zhang Peirong recommends that refreshing and delicious tofu should be the first choice, because tofu is a high-quality protein, rich in lecithin and soy protein, which can lower blood cholesterol, enhance memory, prevent and improve cardiovascular diseases, and even senile dementia. In addition, tofu is rich in natural soy isoflavones, which can regulate female functions, alleviate menopausal discomfort, and is a great source of protein!

Prioritize chicken and seafood, and eat less processed food

After eating tofu, it is time to choose meat and seafood, with low-fat meat such as chicken, fish and other seafood being prioritized. Red meat and offal such as pork, beef, lamb, etc. contain high saturated fat and cholesterol, so it is best to eat less of them, and the total intake should not exceed 4 servings (one serving is about half the size of a palm).

As for foods that most people like to eat, such as tempura, meatballs, dumplings, fish cakes, fried tofu skin, etc., they usually contain high sodium, high fat, high calories, and even many chemical additives. Not only are they not conducive to weight control, but eating too much can easily have adverse effects on the body, so it is best to avoid them.

Vegetable soup base, kelp dipping sauce, homemade, natural

Learn to choose good ingredients, and don’t forget to choose a good soup base for yourself! Nutritionist Zhang Peirong reminds us that spicy hotpot, milk hotpot, and kimchi hotpot are usually high in calories and sodium. Even if you don’t drink the soup, the various ingredients will absorb the soup when they are cooked in the soup, making it difficult not to consume the high calories! It is recommended to choose clear soup made from fruits and vegetables, or Japanese-style bonito and kelp soup. It can not only control calories, but also bring out the freshness of the ingredients. It is delicious and healthy!

As for hot pot dipping sauces, it is recommended to avoid high-calorie sauces such as shacha sauce and sesame paste. It is better to use clear soy sauce as the base, and then add appropriate amounts of white vinegar, onions, ginger, garlic, chili and other natural spices according to personal taste to reduce the burden on the body. With good ingredients, good soup and good dipping sauce, you can eat hot pot healthily without gaining weight!