What you think is a light diet is wrong. Different people have different light diets.

I believe everyone is familiar with the idea of ​​a light diet. In many cases, it is the advice from doctors or family members after an illness to help the patient recover better.

But everyone has different understandings of light diet.

Some people think that drinking porridge is the lightest, and that porridge with side dishes is a meal; some people think that as long as you eat less oil and salt and more vegetables and fruits, you are eating a light diet. There is no taste at all, and eating every day is like being tortured.

However, this simple understanding actually contains many misunderstandings, and such a diet is not conducive to recovery after illness.

What is really beneficial to people's recovery should be a light diet, and different people have different needs for a light diet due to their age, gender, and health conditions. A light diet is not just about simply reducing the use of seasonings and not eating meat, but requires scientifically adjusting the diet structure and content according to individual conditions.

In short, a light diet is a concept that varies from person to person. We cannot generalize that everyone's light diet is the same. Only by understanding and following personalized dietary needs can we truly achieve the goal of healthy eating.

1. Light diet needs of different groups of people

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents 2022" puts forward a specific description of light taste, which requires less salt, less oil, and less seasoning, and advocates cooking methods such as steaming and boiling. Now more and more studies have found that a high-carb diet is also not good for health, so we also need to control the amount of carbohydrates (that is, staple foods) we eat every day.

For certain gastrointestinal conditions (such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and diverticulitis) and before and/or after abdominal surgery, a bland diet consists of easily digestible foods that are soft, low in fiber, cooked, gentle on the gastrointestinal tract, and usually non-spicy. A typical bland diet includes, but is not limited to, low-fat dairy products, eggs, broth, pudding, juice, cream of wheat, tofu, lean meats (skinless chicken, fish, etc.), bland vegetables (beets, beans, spinach, carrots, etc.), eggs, and tea. A bland diet also eliminates raw or undercooked foods.

For the elderly, a light diet should not only be low in salt and fat, but also focus on balanced nutrition. Maintain a variety of food types, whether it is staple food, meat, fruits, or vegetables; try to have vegetables at every meal to maintain fiber intake; meat should be sufficient to supplement enough protein.

Pregnant women have different dietary needs. They need more protein, vitamins and minerals to support the healthy development of the fetus. A light diet for pregnant women does not simply mean reducing the use of seasonings, but ensuring adequate daily intake of nutrients while maintaining low salt and low fat. For example, eating more green leafy vegetables rich in folic acid, red meat and beans rich in iron can not only meet the nutritional needs of pregnant women, but also avoid health problems caused by excessive intake of high-sugar and high-fat foods.

Children's light diet needs to balance nutrition and taste. Growing children need a variety of nutrients to support their growth and development, so their diet should be colorful and varied to stimulate their appetite. Parents should encourage their children to eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, drink milk every day, avoid too much processed food and high-sugar snacks to cultivate healthy eating habits. At the same time, drink enough water to meet metabolic needs.

For patients with chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, the requirements for a light diet are more stringent and specific. Hypertensive patients need to strictly control their salt intake and supplement with sufficient trace elements such as potassium and magnesium to help maintain blood pressure stability. Diabetic patients need to pay attention to the reasonable combination of carbohydrates on the basis of a low-sugar diet and choose foods with a low glycemic index to help control blood sugar levels.

2. How to formulate a light diet that suits you

Formulating a light diet that suits you is not a simple matter. It requires scientific and reasonable adjustments based on individual health conditions and needs.

First of all, we need to conduct a comprehensive assessment of our health status. Regular physical examinations are a key step in understanding our physical condition. Through physical examination reports, we can understand our specific conditions in terms of blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, etc. These data will provide important references for us to formulate a light diet plan. At the same time, it is also essential to consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for advice. They can provide personalized dietary guidance based on our specific health conditions.

Secondly, scientific cooking methods are also an important part of a light diet. Less oil and less salt are the basic requirements of a light diet, but this does not mean that the food must be tasteless. We can retain the nutrients of food by steaming, boiling, stewing, etc., and use natural spices and condiments such as garlic, ginger, pepper, etc. to increase the flavor of food. In addition, choosing fresh ingredients and reducing the intake of processed foods are also important measures to maintain a light diet.

In the process of developing and implementing a light diet plan, we need to remain flexible and constantly adjust and optimize the diet plan based on the body's feedback and actual results. For example, if you find that certain foods are not suitable for you, or the diet plan cannot meet the energy needs of daily activities, you need to make adjustments in time. Maintaining communication with professionals and regularly evaluating diet and health status are also key to ensuring the effectiveness of a light diet.

In short, a light diet is not a fixed formula, but a process that needs to be constantly adjusted and optimized according to individual needs. Through scientific and reasonable diet plans and healthy cooking methods, we can achieve a diet that is both light and nutritious, helping us to better maintain health and vitality.

References:

[1] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for China (2022). Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House. 2022.

[2]Weir SBS, Akhondi H. Bland Diet. [Updated 2023 Jul 25]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538142/

Author: Jiang Yongyuan, Master of Internal Medicine, Third Military Medical University

Reviewer: Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center

The article is produced by Science Popularization China-Creation Cultivation Program. Please indicate the source when reprinting.