Aunt Wu, 45 years old this year, started losing weight a year ago and successfully reduced her weight from 145 pounds to 110 pounds. However, she was surprised that a recent routine check-up showed elevated glutamyl transferase and was diagnosed with fatty liver disease.
Under the doctor's questioning, Aunt Wu revealed that she did not eat dinner every day and did not consume staple foods for brunch, but mainly fruits and vegetables, and occasionally consumed a small amount of chicken and fish.
The reason why she insisted on not eating staple foods came from an article she had read on the Internet before, which claimed that rice and steamed buns were the worst staple foods, not only full of sugar, but also lacking nutrients. This information made Aunt Wu even more determined not to eat staple foods.
However, doctors point out that excessive picky eating can lead to health problems such as fatty liver. The results of Aunt Wu's physical examination showed that although she lost weight, her unreasonable diet led to abnormal liver function.
There is a saying that "eating more staple foods will die faster", but does this mean that people who don't eat staple foods have a better chance of living longer?The Lancet published a study conducted by Canadian academics in the form of a questionnaire survey on 13Nutrient intake, cardiovascular disease, and various causes of death for 50,000 people were summarized and 74 years of follow-up.
The results of the study showed that high carbohydrate intake was associated with an increase in overall mortality. This seems to support the saying that "eating more staple foods will die faster". However, Fan Zhihong, an associate professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University, pointed out that most of the more than 40,000 Chinese subjects in the study were low-income manual laborers, mainly engaged in moderate-heavy physical activities, and the data was more representative of the living conditions of Chinese people 30 years ago. At this stage, most people's carbohydrate intake does not meet the recommended level of dietary guidelines.
In fact, another study found that a moderate intake of staple foods was more beneficial for longevity. A study in The Lancet Public Health, involving 15,428 volunteers aged 45 to 64 years, showed that the risk of death was lowest when staple foods accounted for 50 to 55% of energy;The risk of death increases when the intake is < 40% or 70%, especially when the intake is < 40%.
In the pursuit of **, some people choose not to eat staple foods, believing that this will allow them to control their weight more effectively. However, in addition to the potential for a loss of life, this type of diet can also bring a variety of health problems.
1.Memory and cognitive decline
A study by Tufts University in the United States found that not eating carbohydrates for a week may have a negative impact on a person's memory and cognitive abilities. Glucose is needed for energy for normal brain activity, and a lack of carbohydrate intake will lead to insufficient glucose energy supply, which in turn will reduce the function of brain cells, affect thinking and cognition, and make people stupid.
2.The risk of muscle loss and osteoporosis increases
Carbohydrates are one of the essential nutrients for the body, and when they are insufficient, the body can only consume fat and protein for energy. Since protein is essential for muscle growth and repair, a lack of carbohydrate intake can lead to a large amount of protein being consumed, reducing muscle strength and increasing the risk of osteoporosis.
3.Malnutrition, ** problems, and decreased physical strength
Insufficient carbohydrate intake causes a large amount of protein to be consumed by the body, which in turn affects other organs to obtain sufficient protein. This can lead to malnutrition in the body, which is manifested as deterioration, decreased physical strength, and reduced resistance.
4.Mood swings and drowsiness
Skipping staple foods can lead to a decrease in serotonin secretion, affecting the brain's sense of pleasure. People who lack staple food intake may experience mood swings and become irritable. At the same time, due to the lack of nutrients in cells and tissues, the whole person may feel particularly tired and drowsy.
Therefore, a scientific diet should include an appropriate amount of staple foods to ensure that the body receives sufficient energy and nutrients to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
1. How much to eat as a staple food
Food can be divided into cereals and potatoes, vegetables and fruits, livestock, poultry, fish, eggs and milk, oils and fats, soybeans and nuts, and cereals and potatoes are what we usually call staple foods.
In order to ensure complete nutrition, these five food groups should be appropriately consumed in the daily diet. According to the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents, adults need to consume 250g of 400g of staple foods per day. For example, an adult of 60kg and 70kg needs 2 3 taels of rice or 1 2 steamed buns for each staple meal.
2. What to eat as a staple food
*The daily staple food should include whole grains, mixed legumes, and potatoes. Whole grains include wheat, rice, corn and oats, while miscellaneous legumes mainly refer to legumes such as red beans and mung beans, and potatoes are mainly sweet potatoes and potatoes.
Compared with refined rice noodles, whole grains, mixed beans and potatoes provide richer nutrients such as B vitamins and minerals. This also slows the rate at which blood sugar rises in people with diabetes. Studies have shown that replacing refined grains such as rice, steamed buns, and pasta with 50g of whole grains per day can improve health.
3. How to eat staple food
At least one of the three meals a day for adults should be whole grains, mixed beans and potatoes, and the following suggestions can be considered:
Whole grains can be used to cook porridge, make pasta, or mix with white rice to make multigrain rice, and the ratio of whole grains to polished rice and flour should be 1:2;
Mixed beans can be boiled into porridge, or cooked and stir-fried;
Potatoes such as potatoes and sweet potatoes can be used as staple foods or added to dishes, but when making potato dishes, the intake of other staple foods should be reduced
Try to avoid or reduce the consumption of fried staple foods;
When making homemade staple foods, the amount of refined rice noodles should be reduced;
Fruits should not be substituted as a staple food.
Staple foods are the main source of our energy and a variety of nutrients, including carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and more. Moderate intake of staple foods helps maintain the normal functioning of the body and supports the energy needed for daily life.
However, excessive resistance to staple foods can lead to a lack of essential nutrients in the body, affecting the metabolism and the proper functioning of the immune system. In addition, long-term absences from staple foods may also increase the risk of developing a range of health problems, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Therefore, we should mix various foods in our daily diet reasonably to ensure the appropriate intake of staple foods to maintain the overall health of the body. It not only helps to prevent the occurrence of chronic diseases, but also provides enough energy to support our life and work. While pursuing health, rational treatment of staple foods is an important part of our health maintenance.