Drinking white porridge? Not eating meat? Many people got it wrong when doctors said "light diet"

When we see a doctor, we often hear the doctor say

"Pay attention to a light diet"

But this doesn’t mean you can only

Drink white porridge, no meat, no oil

Extremely bland diet is not conducive to nutritional balance

Not only will it lead to a decline in physical fitness

It may also make people more susceptible to disease

Eating light food means drinking white porridge?

The white porridge we often drink is mostly refined grains with a high glycemic index and, in comparison, a single nutritional value. Drinking white porridge three times a day can hardly meet our daily nutritional needs.

Image source: Photo Network

In addition, many people like to eat white porridge with kimchi and salted duck eggs, which can easily lead to excessive sodium intake.

Therefore, a light diet does not mean drinking white porridge for every meal. You can choose to cook some nutritious porridge for one meal, such as multi-grain porridge, minced meat porridge, shrimp porridge, etc., and then pair it with boiled or cold vegetables and other "side dishes" to ensure that the food intake is rich enough.

Image source: Photo Network

Eating light means not eating meat?

Eating vegetarian meals every day is unbearable, and it is difficult for us to get adequate nutrition and happiness from a vegan diet.

Fish, chicken, duck, pork, eggs, etc. are all animal foods. They are important sources of high-quality protein, lipids, fat-soluble vitamins, B vitamins and minerals, and are an important part of a balanced diet.

Among them, if the protein intake is insufficient and the quality is not high, the immune system will not function properly and the body will lack the "strength" to fight colds and other diseases.

Therefore, it is still necessary to eat meat if you are on a light diet , but you should pay attention to the choice of ingredients and the cooking methods. Rich and thick flavors like braised pork and barbecued meat are not suitable.

Eating light food means not tasting oil or salt?

When some friends hear about the need to eat a light diet, they try to use very little oil when cooking, and some even prefer not to use a drop of oil at all.

But in fact, there is a limit to eating less oil , because fat is an important source of energy for the human body, it can provide essential fatty acids, and it is also a solvent for fat-soluble vitamins. The digestion and absorption of vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin K all require oil.

Without the lubricating effect of oil, crude fiber foods that have their water absorbed by the intestines may also cause problems such as bloating and constipation.

If you don't eat any salt at all, it is easy to cause hyponatremia, especially in the elderly .

Mild hyponatremia may have no obvious symptoms, or it may manifest as fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and other discomforts; moderate hyponatremia may cause headache, obvious fatigue, drowsiness, etc.; severe hyponatremia may cause coma, convulsions, or even more serious consequences.

Therefore, a light diet also requires “oil and salt”, but the amount must be controlled.

1

Diversification of food

It is recommended to combine meat and vegetables in daily diet and diversify the food.

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" points out that daily meals should include cereals and tubers, vegetables and fruits, livestock, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soy beans, nuts and other foods. Each person should consume more than 12 kinds of food per day and more than 25 kinds of food per week .

2

Less oil

The daily intake of cooking oil per person should be controlled at 25-30 grams. Various vegetable oils are preferred, such as peanut oil, olive oil, tea oil, etc., and they should be changed frequently.

3

Less salt

The daily salt intake of adults should not exceed 5 grams. In addition to table salt, you should also pay attention to hidden salt in your daily diet, such as soy sauce, chicken essence, pickles, salted fish, salted eggs, bacon, sausages and other high-salt and pickled foods.

4

Sugar Control

The daily intake of added sugar (such as white sugar, granulated sugar, rock sugar, brown sugar and other sucrose) per person should be controlled below 50 grams, and preferably not more than 25 grams.

Try not to drink or drink less sugary drinks, and eat less sweet foods. Foods like milk tea, cakes, puffs, and twisted dough sticks are not considered light foods.

Image source: Photo Network

5

Don't eat too spicy

Too spicy food has a strong stimulating effect on the digestive system, and it is easy to cause problems such as oral ulcers and constipation. Especially for those with poor gastrointestinal function or digestive tract diseases, eating a lot of spicy food can easily cause acute attacks of digestive tract diseases.

Some people may ask: "How about mild spicy, spicy, sour and spicy, sweet and spicy?"

This depends on the individual. Some friends insist that it is not spicy, but the burning sensation in the mouth, throat, gastrointestinal tract and anus has already given the answer.

It is OK to eat a little occasionally without much reaction. But it is not recommended to eat spicy hot pot, wonton with red oil, fish with Sichuan pepper, turkey noodles, wasabi sushi, etc.

Light diet

It does not mean extreme methods such as blandness or vegetarianism.

As long as you choose ingredients and cooking methods scientifically

Ensure nutritional balance

While achieving lightness

You can also enjoy delicious food and gain health

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts who reviewed this article

References

[1] Chinese Nutrition Society. Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)[M]. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2022.04.

[2]Xu Bin. Misconceptions about light diet: four less and one more should be mastered[J]. Health Guide, 2022, 28(5):45-45.

[3] Qian Duoduo. Does a light diet mean "no oil or salt"? [J]. Health Expo, 2020(5):1. DOI:CNKI:SUN:JKBL.0.2020-05-036.

[4] Zhang Jiaojiao, Geng Qian, Zeng Xiangyun. The significance, connotation and requirements of light diet in the context of Healthy China[J]. Journal of Hubei University of Economics: Humanities and Social Sciences, 2018, 15(3):3. DOI:CNKI:SUN:HBRW.0.2018-03-032.

Content Production

Edit: 100% sweet

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty