Eating yuanxiao on the fifteenth day of the lunar month is a long-standing tradition for us. Yuanxiao symbolizes reunion and is a symbol of a happy life. While enjoying delicious food is natural, if happiness clouds our judgment and harms our bodies, it is not worth it. Let's take a look at some misconceptions about eating yuanxiao.
Misconception 1: Sugar-free yuanxiao is not "sugar-free"
Many diabetics are interested in sugar-free yuanxiao, thinking that they can eat it without worry because it has no sugar. However, sugar-free does not mean low calorie or low blood sugar response. The glutinous rice flour in yuanxiao can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar, even faster than honey, and is not much different from white sugar. Even if it is not sweetened, it is still not beneficial for blood sugar control. Moreover, the absence of sugar does not mean less oil. The amount of saturated fatty acids in yuanxiao, and even trans fatty acids, is not beneficial for blood lipid control.
Recommendation: If you are concerned about the sugar and oil content, just eat less. Do not blindly trust "sugar-free" products. In the festive season, eating two or three yuanxiao is enough. To control blood sugar and blood lipids, it is advisable to consume low-fat, high-fiber foods such as legumes, vegetables, fungi, and algae.
Misconception 2: Eating yuanxiao on an empty stomach
The main ingredient of yuanxiao is refined glutinous rice flour, which is highly sticky and not easily digested. Plus, the filling of yuanxiao contains a large amount of fat, which adds burden to the stomach and intestines.
Recommendation: Do not eat yuanxiao on an empty stomach, especially in the morning when the stomach and intestines are at their weakest and in a highly acidic state. The high sugar, high fat, and high stickiness of yuanxiao can increase the burden on the stomach and intestines, leading to indigestion or exacerbating gastroesophageal reflux, affecting work and life for the whole day.
Misconception 3: Focusing on taste rather than quantity
There is an indigestible substance in the glutinous rice used to make yuanxiao. After eating yuanxiao, people often feel bloated and lose their appetite for other foods. Moreover, yuanxiao has a high sugar content, which can easily lead to weight gain.
Recommendation: Experts remind us that no matter how we eat yuanxiao, we should be careful not to overeat. Glutinous rice is difficult to digest even though it is good. Eating too much can make the stomach uncomfortable. It is best to eat half the amount, for example, if you can eat four ounces of rice, two ounces of glutinous rice is enough. Otherwise, the sticky and indigestible nature of glutinous rice can cause chest and abdominal distension, which is not worth it. Especially for the elderly, children, and those with weak gastrointestinal function, special attention should be paid. It is best for these special groups to eat less or not eat traditional yuanxiao. People with high blood lipids and diabetes must limit their intake. Many people who overeat during the Spring Festival are prone to acute gastroenteritis. Eating more yuanxiao will aggravate the burden on the stomach and intestines.
Misconception 4: Yuanxiao is more difficult to digest than tangyuan
Yuanxiao and tangyuan are slightly different. Yuanxiao is made by rolling dry powder and has a smaller filling and more flour, resulting in a solid texture and being easier to become hard. Tangyuan is made by wrapping wet flour made from glutinous rice. Usually, the filling of tangyuan is larger, and it is softer and delicate when cooked. Glutinous rice flour itself is sticky and difficult to digest, so from the perspective of starch digestion, yuanxiao is slightly more difficult than tangyuan. However, for people who have difficulty digesting fat, tangyuan is more troublesome.
Recommendation: If you eat tangyuan, it is best to eat it hot as it is even harder to digest when cold. Tangyuan is soft and should be eaten slowly to avoid scalding and excessive fat digestion. When eating yuanxiao, chew it slowly to avoid discomfort in the stomach.
Misconception 5: Eating yuanxiao for breakfast
When a person wakes up, their gastrointestinal function is at its weakest. Eating so much indigestible food at once will inevitably cause discomfort and affect digestion. When used as breakfast, it is easy to experience indigestion, heartburn, and other symptoms. In addition, from a nutritional point of view, using yuanxiao as breakfast is not reasonable. The most abundant content in yuanxiao is carbohydrates and fat, while protein, minerals, dietary fiber, etc. are very low. This kind of breakfast cannot meet the nutritional needs of people for the morning.
Recommendation: Do not consider yuanxiao as a simple breakfast. Breakfast must be nutritious and should not only pursue taste.
Misconception 6: High fat content in yuanxiao
The filling of yuanxiao and tangyuan not only contains sugar but also a considerable amount of solid fat. Rice and steamed buns are almost fat-free, but that is not the case with yuanxiao. The filling traditionally uses lard, and in the south, lard and meat are used for savory tangyuan, while lard and various nuts are used for sweet tangyuan. Later, products using butter were developed, but from the perspective of saturated fat, the content is even worse than lard. In recent years, the new trend is to use vegetable cream or hydrogenated vegetable oil products instead of butter and lard, but the health effects of these products are even worse than lard and butter.
Recommendation: If you eat yuanxiao, try to eat less oil during the meal or day. Otherwise, excessive fat and calories are inevitable.
