A bowl of corn has only half the calories of a bowl of rice, a good helper for healthy eating

Is the starch in corn the killer of obesity? A survey pointed out that replacing part of the staple food with corn for 8 weeks can effectively lower cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglycerides. Since the calories in corn are only half of rice, it will produce a feeling of fullness, which is very suitable for the dietary needs of those who want to lose weight. It can be more convenient when managing diet and not easy to get tired of it.

The calories in corn are only half of rice, which can make you feel full. Corn is healthy and nutritious and is very suitable for office workers' weight loss diet. (Photo provided by Changhua Christian Hospital)

The proportion of Chinese people suffering from cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome due to obesity is not only increasing, but also tends to be younger. Dr. Xie Mingjia, CEO of Weight Management at Changhua Christian Hospital, pointed out that many people think they will lose weight by not eating starch, but this is actually wrong. Appropriate intake of starch is helpful for burning fat. Compared with other foods, corn is a high-quality whole grain starch. Its calories are only half of the same amount of white rice. It also contains natural dietary fiber, lutein and multiple vitamins. It has nutritional value but relatively low calories. It can achieve the goal of nutritional balance while controlling calories.

The study found that replacing part of the staple food with convenient canned corn is a good choice. According to a survey, among the 12 people who participated in health management, their ages ranged from 29 to 45 years old, and their lifestyles included frequent eating out, high-calorie diets, many social events, irregular meals, and working overtime and staying up late. After investigation, it was found that many people’s health had already shown signs of danger without knowing it, and this is also a common problem for many modern people. After replacing part of the staple food with corn for 8 weeks, the members lost an average of 6.5 kg in weight, their waist circumference decreased by an average of 4.21 cm, their total cholesterol decreased by an average of 10.4%, their blood sugar, triglycerides and body fat percentage all decreased significantly, and they even felt their physical strength improved.

Christian Hospital nutritionist Chen Yiping also explained that many people are unable to manage their diet, mainly because the food they can eat is restricted, the ingredients are difficult to prepare, the unbearable hunger affects their mood, or they can only eat one kind of food and get tired of it quickly, making it easy for them to give up halfway.

Dietary intervention using corn to replace part of the staple food takes into account the healthy concept of balanced nutrition. It will not affect the mood due to hunger or lack of food choices. All participants believe that their mood is always good during the health management process, which is also an important key for the participants to persevere to the end.

In fact, modern people eat fast. Although they eat less, their food is exquisite. They usually have low fiber intake and no vegetables and fruits. In addition, the overall metabolism slows down after the age of 30, making it even more difficult to lose weight. However, corn recipes are simple and easy to prepare, and canned corn is easy to carry, which is relatively in line with the busy lifestyle of office workers.