Who says vegetarians are less likely to suffer from stroke? (middle)

Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital nutritionist Cao Changan also said that if one wants to prevent cardiovascular disease by eating a vegetarian diet, there are still prerequisites. Cao Changan said that vegetarians still need to be careful not to consume too many calories, otherwise it will "ruin the effect".

For example, if you use cooking oil that contains unsaturated fatty acids, but the amount of oil used during cooking is too high, it may still accumulate in the blood vessels and increase the risk of arteriosclerosis. Some people are afraid that they will not be full if they eat vegetarian food, so in order to feel full, they unknowingly eat half a bowl of rice at each meal, which increases the total calories. In particular, refined sugars should be consumed as little as possible, such as beverages containing fructose and sucrose, various sweets, candies, and cakes. They are not only high in calories, but also lead to an increase in triglycerides in the blood.

Be careful when choosing oil and ingredients

Cao Changan also suggested that vegetarian conditioning can be compared to the concept of the "DASH diet" for lowering blood pressure. The DASH diet refers to high potassium, high magnesium, high calcium, high dietary fiber, and rich in unsaturated fatty acids, while controlling the intake of saturated fatty acids.

By eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, you can get high potassium ions, and increase your magnesium intake by eating whole grains such as brown rice, oats, and cereals. As for oil, you can use salad oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, etc. instead of butter, lard, and cream. How to choose unsaturated fatty acid oil? Cao Changan said that people can easily distinguish them. If the oil is as clear as water like salad oil, it is unsaturated fatty acid. If it is easy to solidify like lard, it is saturated fatty acid.

When cooking, try to choose cooking methods such as steaming, stewing, boiling, roasting, and braising. Cao Changan gave an example, saying that fried eggplant has a lower oil content than deep-fried eggplant. Try not to add too much oil and salt. If you are worried that the taste of vegetarian food is too monotonous, you can use natural ingredients such as coriander, basil, and fruits to enhance the flavor. For example, in the hot summer, you can add seasonal fruits such as passion fruit, mango, pineapple, and kiwi to dishes. They are sweet and sour and refreshing, can stimulate appetite, and will not increase the burden on the body. Otherwise, if you excessively pursue taste, use too many seasonings, or use heavy oils and high salt, you will end up consuming too much fat and sodium, which will mask the advantages of being a vegetarian.

In addition to choosing the oil to use, you also need to put some effort into selecting the ingredients in order to eat vegetarian food in a healthy way. Cao Changan said that in order to increase the flavor and variety of vegetarian dishes, there are many processed products such as vegetarian chicken, vegetarian duck, vegetarian ham, and vegetarian fish. However, because they are processed through multiple procedures such as frying and smoking, the sodium content is relatively high, and it is more likely to consume excessive food additives. It is not recommended to eat them often. It is best to choose more natural fruits and vegetables, and low-processed soy protein products, such as dried tofu, tofu, bean skin, frozen tofu, and bean curd.

Cao Changan said that compared to foreign vegetarians, it is not easy for them to get enough high-quality protein in their diet, but Chinese people can easily buy a variety of soy protein ingredients. They should try to reduce the use of highly processed products and avoid eating too many food additives and fats, which will increase the burden on the body.

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