Control oil and calories in New Year's dishes, and focus on four less and one more

During the Spring Festival, families gather together and prepare sumptuous New Year dishes to enjoy with relatives and friends, adding to the festive atmosphere. In addition to the table full of New Year's dishes and the pits and valleys full of snacks, wine is also an indispensable drink for Chinese people to reunite during the New Year. Nutritionists point out that it is easy to eat without restraint during the New Year holidays. Combined with drinking or other beverages, a single meal can easily exceed 1,000 calories, causing weight to rise sharply. It is recommended that the principle of "four less and one more" should be followed in diet to reduce the burden on the body.

To eat healthy during the Chinese New Year reunion dinner, the most important thing is to eat four less (less oil, less salt, less sugar, less alcohol) and one more (more fiber). (Photography by Huang Zilun)

Jin Meilin, a nutritionist at the Linsen Chinese Medicine Hospital in Taipei City, said that New Year's dishes are high in calories because they contain a lot of oil, starch, and fried foods. For example, one serving of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall has about 350 calories, one bowl of stewed vegetables has about 80 calories, two slices of fried radish cake has 220 calories, two slices of braised fish has about 170 calories, and four slices of fried rice cake has as much as 500 calories. Add to that the fact that beer, spirits, etc. can easily contain more than 150 calories, and you can easily consume too many calories if you are not careful.

Moreover, during the New Year holidays, families gather around the fire and chat while eating, which results in people eating more and more. This may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and increase the health burden on patients with chronic diseases. Nutritionist Jin Meilin suggested that people can follow the principle of "four less and one more", namely "more fiber, less oil, less salt, less sugar, and less alcohol" to reduce calorie intake.

【Multi-fiber】

Fiber is a nutrient found in plants that helps cleanse the human digestive system. There are two types of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber is beneficial to the digestive system, making stools soft and loose and preventing constipation. Surveys show that whole wheat products, corn bran and flax seeds contain insoluble fiber, and moderate intake is beneficial to human health.

Soluble fiber is good for the heart and circulatory system. It can lower blood cholesterol and control blood sugar levels. Soluble fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, oat bran, oatmeal, barley, flax seeds and legumes. Adding more of the above-mentioned high-fiber foods to New Year's dishes can not only provide more fiber but also increase the intake of vitamins and minerals.

【Less oil, less salt, less sugar, less alcohol】

Avoid eating oily (thickened) soups and fried foods. Cooking methods include blanching, mixing cold dishes, steaming, etc., and reduce the use of seasonings. You can eat more vegetables and fruits on the plate, and limit your soup and wine to one bowl or one cup each. Eat more fish or remove the skin of meat before eating, and you can easily have healthy New Year's dishes.