4 stuffed large dumplings = 1 bowl of rice Calories 3 principles to eat without gaining weight

The "Winter Solstice" is approaching, and many people eat glutinous rice balls to suit the occasion, symbolizing family reunion and perfection of everything. However, the National Health Administration reminds the public that glutinous rice balls are high in calories and should not be eaten too much. Before purchasing, the public should master the three healthy principles of "reading labels, clever combinations, and reducing portions" to avoid excessive calorie intake, so as to "eat glutinous rice balls wisely, healthily and for family reunion."

The "Winter Solstice" is approaching, and the National Health Administration reminds the public that glutinous rice balls are high in calories and should not be consumed in excess. (Photo/Information)

4 large stuffed dumplings = 1 bowl of rice calories

Director-General Chiu Shu-ti of the National Health Administration pointed out that December 22 is the "Winter Solstice" in the lunar calendar. Eating glutinous rice balls is a traditional folk tonic custom, but eating tonic is not as good as eating smartly, because glutinous rice balls are not low in calories. The calories in 4 large glutinous rice balls with stuffing or 20 small glutinous rice balls with stuffing are equivalent to the calories in 1 bowl of rice. Eating too much can easily make you fat, so people should avoid excessive intake.

In addition, glutinous rice balls are difficult to digest, so the elderly and children must chew them slowly and avoid talking while eating to prevent choking. People with weak digestive function or gastrointestinal diseases should not eat too much. As for large glutinous rice balls, it is enough to eat 1 or 2 at most. Eating too much may cause stomach pain and other gastrointestinal problems.

Three Principles of Eating Tangyuan Smartly to Protect Your Health

Principle 1. Read the labels: pay attention to calories, saturated fat and sugar content

Recommendation: When purchasing glutinous rice balls, people should carefully read the nutritional labels of packaged foods, including labels per 100 grams, per serving, and how many servings this package contains. They should convert wisely and make detailed comparisons. It is recommended to purchase glutinous rice balls with relatively low calorie, saturated fat and sugar content.

Reminder: Excessive intake of saturated fat in the daily diet will cause cardiovascular disease, and excessive intake of sugar will not only cause obesity, metabolic abnormalities and tooth decay, but will also stimulate the rapid secretion of insulin, causing blood sugar and mood instability, and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, sugar is addictive and has a huge impact on health.

The main ingredient of glutinous rice balls is glutinous rice. It is recommended to add more natural vegetable ingredients to aid digestion. (Photo courtesy of National Health Service)

Principle 2. Smart combination: adding natural ingredients, healthy and delicious

a. As the sesame and peanut fillings of sweet rice dumplings are already high in sugar, it is recommended to avoid sugar, red beans or peanuts as ingredients in the soup. Instead, add natural longan, wolfberry or ginger juice to enhance the flavor and reduce the sugar and calories in the sweet soup.

b. The filling of salty rice dumplings contains fat and minced meat. It is recommended that the soup ingredients do not need to be stir-fried with fried shallots, shredded meat and other additional ingredients. Instead, add vegetables such as Chinese spinach, bok choy, leeks, mushrooms, etc. to cook. This will reduce fat and calories, make the soup nutritionally balanced and delicious, and also supplement dietary fiber, increase satiety and promote intestinal motility.

Principle 3. Reduce the amount of food: Smart substitution of staple food, reunion and keeping the body in shape

The main ingredient of glutinous rice is glutinous rice, which is a whole grain root tuber like rice and noodles. The meat, fat and sugar in the fillings are all sources of calories. Therefore, when eating, you need to pay attention to reducing the amount of whole grain root tubers, meat and fat in other meals to avoid overeating and consuming excess calories.

The National Health Service reminds people with chronic diseases that glutinous rice balls are high in calories and should not be consumed in excess.

Health Tips

1. Diabetes: Pay attention to the replacement of food portions. It is recommended to include it in the diet plan to monitor blood sugar. Because glutinous rice has a high glycemic index, it is easy to cause blood sugar to rise rapidly after eating. Diabetic patients are reminded to eat salty glutinous rice in moderation and pair it with more vegetables.

2. Hypertension and kidney disease: The sodium content of salty glutinous rice balls with fillings is higher, about 75 times that of sweet glutinous rice balls with fillings. It is recommended that patients with hypertension and kidney disease eat sweet glutinous rice balls in moderation. If eating salty glutinous rice balls, they should avoid drinking the soup to reduce sodium intake.

3. Gastroesophageal reflux: Glutinous rice is not easy to digest, and sweets can easily cause gastroesophageal reflux. It is recommended that people with weak digestive function or poor stomach should eat it in moderation and chew slowly.