One day, in the school cafeteria, I brought a few non-specialty female students with me to pay attention to the plates in front of the dining students, identify unreasonable combinations, and then conduct a nutritional evaluation.
Examples of Food Combination Principles
I inspired everyone, saying, "Look, here's a scallion pancake paired with a bowl of corn porridge; over there is a plate of cold noodles with a bowl of wonton soup; a bowl of hot and sour noodles with a baked bun; a bowl of dumpling soup with a steamed bun; a serving of rice paired with a spicy stir-fried shredded potatoes... what do you think?"
One of the girls thought for a moment and said, "The first few combinations are a bit unreasonable because they are all grains without any vegetables. But rice paired with spicy stir-fried shredded potatoes is just right, one serving of rice with one serving of vegetables, and it tastes great too."
I explained, "Potatoes contain starch, and so does rice. If we consider potatoes as the staple, then we should reduce or omit the rice. Otherwise, wouldn't it be two servings of rice without any vegetables? Compared to various fresh leafy vegetables, the value of potatoes as a vegetable is relatively limited. Additionally, it is recommended to have more than 20 different ingredients every day, including grains, legumes, potatoes, various vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products. If you calculate, how many ingredients can you get from the above combinations if you don't count oil, salt, and seasonings?"
After hearing this, the girls started analyzing:
Rice + Stir-fried shredded potatoes = rice + potatoes;
Scallion pancake + corn porridge = flour + corn;
Cold noodles + wonton = washed flour + a few cucumber shreds + unwashed flour + a tiny bit of pork;
Dumpling soup + steamed bun = flour + a small amount of vegetable leaves + flour.
The girls exclaimed, "We didn't realize it until we calculated. Among these combinations, there are only two or three ingredients in one meal, and they are too monotonous in terms of both category and variety."
Immediately, another clever girl made a different example: "Some girls buy a roasted sweet potato with a fruit salad, but there is no fish, meat, eggs, or dairy products. Doesn't that mean they lack protein? And some people buy a bowl of noodles with a spoonful of soybean paste sauce, which is also monotonous! There are only a few cucumber shreds in the sauce, and only a few pieces of lean and fatty meat in the sauce, so both protein and vegetables are insufficient!"
Another girl said, "Boys may not eat properly either! Some boys buy a meat bun and add a chicken leg, or a bowl of beef noodles with a braised egg. There are no vegetables or fruits at all, which means they severely lack dietary fiber and vitamin C!"
Food Combination Principles
In fact, for young adults without any illnesses, a healthy daily diet does not require profound knowledge. It's okay if you don't understand the terms for nutrients, as long as you remember some basic principles.
Principle 1: In one meal, there should be at least three types of ingredients: staple food, vegetables, and high-quality protein foods.
Principle 2: The more diverse the types of staple foods, the better. It is best not to have white rice or white flour every meal. Instead, include various whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat, barley, oats, buckwheat, millet, corn, etc.), potatoes, various legumes (red beans, green beans, kidney beans, lentils, peas, etc.), as well as lotus seeds, coix seeds, fox nuts, and lotus root, which are all starchy ingredients. These ingredients can partially replace rice, steamed buns, and noodles as staple foods.
Principle 3: It is best to consume half a pound of vegetables per meal, and the total amount of vegetables should fill a rice bowl when cooked. There should also be a variety of vegetables, including dark green, orange-yellow, purple-black, light green, and white. The colors should be rich and diverse, with leafy green vegetables preferably accounting for half of the vegetables.
Principle 4: Each meal should include at least one food rich in high-quality protein, such as meat, eggs, milk, various river and sea products, soybeans, black beans, or soy products. The overall volume should be roughly equivalent to 1-2 eggs.
Principle 5: Change the ingredients regularly and don't focus on just one thing. For example, even though chicken is good, you shouldn't eat it every day; fish is great, but it cannot completely replace the role of milk and eggs. Similarly, although spinach is highly nutritious, you don't have to eat it every day. You can switch to other leafy greens such as bok choy, rapeseed, shepherd's purse, mustard greens, or mushroom greens.
Principle 6: Try to stay away from highly processed foods. For example, gluten and vermicelli wash away the protein and vitamins of grains during processing, resulting in lower nutritional value compared to plain flour; and fried dough sticks not only absorb a lot of fat during frying but also lose most of the B vitamins. Sweet drinks and pastries are not suitable for daily consumption, only occasionally.
Two months later, when I met them again, the girls said, "After the cafeteria investigation last time, we have reflected on our daily diet and no longer make impulsive choices when considering what to eat. In addition to meals, we also buy yogurt, fruits, and nuts as supplements. We have increased the variety of ingredients, and we feel more energetic!"
