Eat the little glutinous rice balls to learn a lot! Take this guide to eating during the Lantern Festival and unlock a healthy diet

The Lantern Festival is one of China's important traditional festivals, symbolizing reunion and hope. Customs such as eating glutinous rice balls, appreciating lanterns, and guessing lantern riddles add a strong cultural atmosphere to the festival. However, unscientific eating and sleeping habits during the festival may pose a potential threat to health.

1. Health risks of traditional glutinous rice balls

Experts from the Xiangdong Hospital affiliated to Hunan Normal University said that glutinous rice balls are made of glutinous rice flour and wrapped with high-sugar and high-fat fillings such as sesame, peanuts, and red bean paste. They have a soft, glutinous and sweet taste, but their ingredients may bring the following health risks:

1. High glycemic index is not conducive to blood sugar stability

The content of amylopectin in glutinous rice is as high as 80%, which is quickly digested and has a glycemic index (GI value) of about 70-90 (a high GI food). Studies have shown that consuming too much high GI food at a time can cause drastic fluctuations in blood sugar and increase the risk of insulin resistance. Diabetic patients should be especially vigilant, as excessive consumption may induce acute hyperglycemia or even ketoacidosis.

Recommendation: Choose "low-sugar dumplings" with sugar substitutes such as xylitol, eat no more than 4 pieces at a time, and pair them with vegetables rich in dietary fiber (such as broccoli and celery) to delay sugar absorption.

2. High calories and cardiovascular burden

One traditional sesame rice dumpling (about 20g) has about 70 kcal of calories, and four dumplings are equivalent to the calories of a bowl of rice. Saturated fatty acids such as lard and butter in the fillings and trans fatty acids may increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and increase the risk of atherosclerosis. The 2021 "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" points out that saturated fatty acid intake should be less than 10% of total energy.

Recommendation: Use steaming instead of frying to avoid "fried glutinous rice balls"; people with high blood pressure and high blood lipids can choose plant-based fillings such as purple sweet potatoes and pumpkins to reduce fat intake.

3. Glutinous rice is very sticky, which increases the burden of digestion

The amylopectin in glutinous rice tends to form resistant starch after cooling, which may cause flatulence and acid reflux when combined with stomach acid. Excessive consumption by people with weak gastrointestinal function or the elderly may induce indigestion and gastroesophageal reflux.

Recommendation: Eat while warm and avoid eating cold; drink hawthorn and tangerine peel tea (5g hawthorn + 3g tangerine peel soaked in water) after eating to promote gastric acid secretion and gastrointestinal motility.

2. Health management strategies for special populations

1. Patients with chronic diseases: quantitative control and dynamic monitoring

Diabetic patients can use the "food exchange method", counting the glutinous rice balls into the total amount of staple food (every 2 glutinous rice balls ≈ half a tael of rice), and monitor blood sugar 2 hours after the meal. If it is >10mmol/L, reduce the next intake.

Patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases need to be vigilant about their sodium intake and avoid buying salty dumplings with high sodium content (such as fresh meat fillings). Daily sodium intake should be less than 2000 mg.

2. Children and the elderly: prevent choking and focus on nutrition

Rice balls are very sticky, children have imperfect swallowing functions, and the elderly have weakened throat reflexes, which can easily cause choking.

suggestion:

1. Cut the glutinous rice balls into small pieces for eating.

2. Children should not take more than 2 pills at a time and should avoid running, jumping or talking while eating.

3. The elderly can choose liquid dumplings that are easy to swallow (such as glutinous rice wine dumplings).

3. People who want to lose weight: Calorie "replacement" and proper exercise

If you take 4 glutinous rice balls (about 280 kcal), you need to burn them through exercise:

1. Jog for 40 minutes (at 6 km/h)

2. Skipping rope for 25 minutes

3. Housework for 90 minutes (such as mopping the floor, cleaning windows)

It is recommended to adopt the "replacement method": reduce the staple food of the day (such as eating half a bowl of rice) and increase aerobic exercise to avoid calorie surplus.

3. Comprehensive suggestions for a healthy holiday

1. The “three-color principle” of diet matching

Pair "white glutinous rice balls + green vegetables (such as spinach) + red fruits (such as strawberries)" in a meal to supplement vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants, and alleviate blood sugar fluctuations caused by glutinous rice.

2. Do moderate exercise in conjunction with lantern viewing activities

When visiting the Lantern Festival, you can deliberately increase your walking volume. Studies have shown that walking every hour (5km/h) can consume about 250 kcal and promote post-meal blood sugar metabolism. It is recommended to wear a smart bracelet to monitor the number of steps, with a daily goal of 8,000-10,000 steps.

3. Emotional and work-life management

Avoid staying up late at holiday parties. The journal Sleep Medicine points out that sleeping less than 6 hours for 3 consecutive days will significantly increase cortisol levels and suppress immunity. It is recommended to go to bed before 23:00 and soak your feet in hot water (water temperature 40℃) before going to bed to promote blood circulation.

The Lantern Festival carries people's yearning for a better life, but health is the cornerstone of happiness. By scientifically understanding the characteristics of food, adjusting dietary strategies according to individual conditions, and combining moderate exercise with a regular work and rest schedule, we can not only enjoy the warmth of traditional festivals, but also protect the long-term health of the body. I hope everyone will reap the dual joy of health and reunion in the dimming lights.

Source: Publicity and Legal Affairs Department of Xiangdong Hospital Affiliated to Hunan Normal University

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(Edited by ZS)