Especially in Hainan, during the Spring Festival, visiting relatives and friends usually involves a rich spread of farm-fresh fattened chicken, shrimp, and meat. Among family and friends, there’s no shortage of clinking glasses and shared toasts until everyone is tipsy.
Li Chao, an expert from the Clinical Nutrition Department at Hainan Tumor Hospital and Hainan Chengmei Hospital, reminds us: how should we "eat" during the New Year? It requires some knowledge.
Reasonable Match: A Diverse Diet is Healthier
In Hainan, especially in rural areas, there is a habit during the New Year: every meal features large amounts of fish and meat. No banquet is complete without chicken—especially greasy, fat-laden fattened chickens, which are indispensable at every meal.
Experts caution that meat like fattened chicken is high in fat. Coupled with the holiday rest period and lower temperatures leading to less physical activity, this results in reduced calorie expenditure and makes digestion more difficult. The accumulation of fat not only promotes obesity but may also burden the gastrointestinal system and lead to various gastrointestinal diseases.
Experts suggest diversifying your diet—vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, soy products, and grains should all play their part. This not only ensures nutritional balance but can also help avoid “Spring Festival illness.” Additionally, snack consumption should be controlled to allow the digestive system some necessary rest.
Control Portion Sizes: The Dangers of Overeating
During the Spring Festival, it is customary to visit relatives and friends. People tend to eat wherever they go, resulting in a situation where no home is left empty-handed. This leads to many people’s digestive systems working overtime during the holidays, leaving almost no time for rest.
Experts remind us: During the Spring Festival, it’s important to reasonably control your diet. Overeating can increase the burden on the gastrointestinal system and pose numerous health risks.
Expert Recommendations
Eat in Moderation: Overeating adds pressure to the digestive system, leading to issues such as indigestion, bloating, and diarrhea.
Maintain Regular Meal Times and Portions: Just like usual, stick to regular meal schedules. Don’t skip main meals just because of gatherings or entertainment. A consistent eating routine helps maintain normal digestion and metabolic functions, preventing binge eating.
Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals: Avoid feeling overly full after any one meal.
Drink Responsibly: Beware of the Dangers of Excessive Alcohol Consumption
No celebration is complete without drinks. During the Spring Festival, gatherings with family and friends often involve drinking.
Its important to note that research has shown that long-term excessive alcohol consumption can lead to fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis, which may ultimately develop into liver cancer. It also increases the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
Experts warn that excessive drinking poses various dangers to the body. Alcohol is toxic to the brain; long-term drinking may lead to decreased cognitive function, memory impairment, and other neurological diseases, such as alcohol-related dementia. Additionally, alcohol can irritate the stomach lining, leading to gastritis and ulcers. It can also affect the pancreas, potentially causing pancreatitis.
Moreover, consuming alcohol can impair judgment and coordination, increasing the risk of traffic accidents, falls, and other injuries.
Therefore, experts advise that during the Spring Festival, when gathering with friends and family, drinking should always be done in moderation.
In summary, while it’s essential to relax and enjoy ourselves during holiday celebrations, we should also pay attention to healthy eating. By following reasonable dietary habits, we can enjoy festive foods while maintaining our health during the Spring Festival.
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Text by | Liang Shan
Edited by | Huang Fei