Don’t stop eating staple foods, it will really lead to early death! WHO recommends →

Rice, steamed buns, noodles, pancakes, etc. are the staple food choices of many people, but due to the fear of gaining weight and raising blood sugar, many friends choose to eat less or no carbohydrates. Studies have pointed out that "carbohydrates provide 53.7% of energy, which is most beneficial for anti-aging and longevity." The World Health Organization has updated its guidelines: "Carbohydrates, these 4 types are the best!" How to eat carbohydrates to be healthy?

The energy supply ratio of carbohydrates is 53.7%

Most beneficial for anti-aging and longevity

On September 13, 2023, researchers from the Xiangya School of Public Health of Central South University published a study in the journal Nutrients.

The study shows that when daily carbohydrate energy intake accounts for 53.7% of total energy, the longevity-related protein Klotho in the serum reaches its highest value, which can effectively fight aging and prolong life.

From this we can see that not eating "carbs" or eating less "carbs" in order to lose weight may actually affect your lifespan!

If you really don't want to eat staple foods, you can try the four types of carbohydrates recommended by the World Health Organization's latest updated carbohydrate guidelines. These are all high-quality carbohydrates.

These 4 carbohydrates

Highly recommended by the World Health Organization

On July 17, 2023, the World Health Organization updated its carbohydrate guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. The guidelines strongly recommend four types of carbohydrates that should be consumed: whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes.

Image source: Pixabay

The Guidelines state:

1. Eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes is associated with a significant reduction in mortality and disease risk, reducing the risk of all-cause mortality by nearly 20%.

2. Eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits or legumes can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease by 10% to 20%.

3. Eating more whole grains, vegetables, fruits or legumes can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and colon cancer by more than 20%.

How to eat high-quality carbohydrates in a healthy way?

1

Whole grains

Whole grains refer to grains that have not been refined or have been milled (crushed or flaked, etc.) but still retain the endosperm, germ, bran and endosperm components of the entire grain.

Whole grains that have not been finely processed and are fully equipped can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, reduce the risk of diabetes, lower fasting blood sugar, maintain normal weight and reduce weight gain, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Brown rice, oats, corn, millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, coix seed, and quinoa are all whole grains as long as they are processed properly. Incorporating these foods into our three meals can make our staple food healthy and diverse.

How to eat whole grains healthily?
The Chinese Balanced Diet Pagoda recommends that adults eat 50 to 150 grams of whole grains and beans every day, which is equivalent to 1/4 to 1/3 of the day's grains.

2

vegetable

According to the color depth, vegetables can be divided into dark vegetables and light vegetables. Dark vegetables refer to dark green, red, orange and purple vegetables, which have nutritional advantages, especially rich in beta-carotene, which is a provitamin A, so you should pay attention to choosing more.

Image source: Pixabay

How to eat vegetables healthily?

1. Eat vegetables at every meal and ensure 300-500 grams of fresh vegetables per day, of which dark vegetables should account for 1/2.

2. Generally speaking, the darker the leaves of leafy vegetables, the thinner the leaves, the higher the nutritional content, such as purple cabbage and green leafy vegetables. When choosing dark vegetables, you should not only look at the skin, but also see whether the color of the edible part is dark. For example, vegetables such as eggplant, cucumber, winter melon, and carrot are actually light-colored vegetables with dark outer skin.

3

fruit

There are many seasonal fruits in autumn, such as grapes, dates, kiwis, pomegranates, apples, etc., which are all good choices and you can eat different varieties in turn.

Fruits usually contain more sugar, including fructose, glucose and sucrose. Some fruits also contain a small amount of starch, which are easy to absorb. If you choose them improperly, your blood sugar will rise. You can choose fruits based on their sugar content and glycemic index (GI), such as apples and pears in autumn.

How to eat fruit in a healthy way?

1. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" recommends: Eat fruit every day and ensure a daily intake of 200 to 350 grams of fresh fruit (about a medium-sized apple). Processed fruit products such as juice cannot replace fresh fruit.

2. For diabetic patients, those with stable blood sugar control can appropriately choose low-GI fruits, no more than 200 grams per day, and eat them during meal times.

3. Choose fresh seasonal fruits and buy different types, at least 1 to 2 types per day.

4

Beans

The beans here mainly refer to red beans, mung beans, kidney beans, peas and other beans. Although the protein content of beans is not as high as soybeans, it is still 20% (dry beans), which is the most prominent among various staple foods. Moreover, the amino acid composition of bean protein is similar to that of soybeans, which is close to the needs of the human body. In particular, it is rich in lysine, which is lacking in cereal protein. When eaten with cereal foods, it can play a good role in protein complementation.

How to eat beans in a healthy way?

Miscellaneous beans can be eaten with staple foods to improve protein complementarity and utilization. Soybeans and their products can be eaten frequently in a variety of ways. Tofu, dried tofu, tofu shreds and other products can be rotated every week to change the taste and meet nutritional needs.

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" recommends that healthy adults consume 200 to 300 grams of cereal foods per day, including 50 to 150 grams of whole grains and miscellaneous beans.

The World Health Organization strongly recommends these 4 carbohydrates

1. Whole grains : The Chinese Balanced Diet Pagoda recommends that adults eat 50 to 150 grams of whole grains and beans every day, which is equivalent to 1/4 to 1/3 of the day's grains.

2. Vegetables: Ensure daily intake of 300-500 grams of fresh vegetables, of which dark vegetables should account for 1/2.

3. Fruit: Ensure daily intake of 200 to 350 grams of fresh fruit (about a medium-sized apple). Processed fruit products such as juice cannot replace fresh fruit.

4. Beans: Healthy adults should consume 200-300 grams of cereal foods per day, including 50-150 grams of whole grains and miscellaneous beans.

Planning and production

Source: CCTV Life Circle

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director and Researcher of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association

Editor: Zhong Yanping