What gifts are healthier for the Spring Festival?

China is a country of etiquette, where we believe in "give me a peach, and I will repay you with a jade."

During the Chinese New Year, when visiting relatives and friends, we always bring some gifts to show our appreciation. So, from a health perspective, what products are worthy of our relatives and friends?

Today, let’s pick a few.

01

Honey

Nutrition: ⭐

Applicable people: non-infants, not allergic to honey, and do not need strict blood sugar control

Special effects: antitussive

Honey is a natural food with very complex nutritional components; the content of various trace elements varies depending on the source.

However, the main components of honey are relatively stable: the most abundant is fructose, accounting for about 40%; followed by glucose, which accounts for about 30%.

The sugars we come into contact with on a daily basis can be divided into two categories:

One type is found in vegetables and fruits and is wrapped by the cell walls of the plants;

The other type is free sugar, such as sugar added during food processing, sugar added during cooking, and sugar in honey. The former is good for health, but the latter, if consumed in large quantities for a long time, can cause obesity at best, and increase the risk of chronic diseases at worst.

If you have children at home, be especially careful. **Honey may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, which can cause poisoning. It is very toxic, and a piece the size of a fingernail can kill all the mice on the earth. There are some special bacteria in the intestines of adults that can contain Clostridium botulinum; however, the intestines of infants and young children have not yet formed a similar barrier. Therefore, babies under 1 year old should never eat honey.

However, honey has a very prominent benefit - it can relieve coughs. Now is the season when colds are prevalent, and many people are coughing all the time. Many studies in the past few years have shown that honey water may be more effective in relieving coughs than some cough suppressants.

How to relieve a cough

02

fruit

Nutrition: ⭐⭐⭐

Applicable people: Widely

Special effects: cancer prevention

In recent years, many people are afraid of cancer and are even afraid to see a doctor. They dare not go to the hospital or have a physical examination, for fear of finding out something wrong. In fact, a large number of studies at home and abroad have shown that fruits that can be found everywhere are a magic medicine for preventing cancer.

Unfortunately, according to statistics, most people do not pay enough attention to fruit. Domestic nutritionists recommend eating 200 to 350 grams of fruit per day, which is equivalent to a medium-sized apple. However, a survey by the Tianjin Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed that only about 30% of people aged 25 and over reached the recommended amount.

Tips for preventing cancer

During the holidays, you may want to pick some fresh fruits for your relatives and friends. If you really can't get used to eating fresh fruits, you can also consider buying some dried fruits. However, there are many ways to process dried fruits. When buying, be sure to check the nutrition label and avoid products that have a lot of added free sugars.

03

nut

Nutrition: ⭐⭐

Applicable people: People with normal swallowing function

Special effects: moderate consumption can prevent "three highs"

The nuts we usually talk about include almonds, pistachios, etc.; sometimes walnuts and peanuts are also included. From a botanical point of view, these foods do not belong to the same category; however, in terms of nutrition, they have many similarities.

For example, they all contain a certain amount of dietary fiber, which can increase satiety and make people eat less without realizing it. For another example, they all contain a lot of fat, and the type of fat is also relatively reasonable.

The fats and oils in food are divided into three categories: saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and trans fatty acids. Among them, unsaturated fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, are very beneficial to health. The common sources are fish and nuts. Therefore, the latest version of the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends eating fish at least twice a week and about 70 grams of nuts.

Types of fat, sources, and dietary recommendations

"70 grams" refers to the edible part. Some nuts on the market have no skin, such as cooked cashews and walnuts stuffed with dates; some are whole and have skin. For the latter, it is roughly equivalent to a small handful per day.

In order to improve the taste of nuts, some manufacturers add a lot of oil, salt and sugar during the processing. When buying, be careful in choosing. In addition, nuts are usually hard. Children and the elderly may have poor swallowing function, so be careful when eating nuts.

04

milk

Nutrition: ⭐⭐⭐

Applicable people: Widely

Special effect: prevent osteoporosis

The nutritional value of milk includes two aspects: first, it is part of a balanced diet, and second, it is the best source of calcium.

Regarding the former, balance is the guarantee of health. For example, a recent study in Jiangsu Province showed that appropriately increasing milk and milk products can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Some readers may not know much about the latter. The so-called "osteoporosis" means that the bones become brittle, which mainly threatens menopausal women and the elderly. When it is serious to a certain extent, patients will break bones when falling, going downstairs, or even bending over. Once middle-aged and elderly people break bones, it not only affects their own quality of life, but also becomes a great burden on their families.

So, how many people do not get enough calcium? In 2012, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed residents in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and the results showed that 96.6% of people did not get enough calcium. In 2022, the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a new round of surveys on Beijing residents, and the results showed that 94.8% of people did not get enough calcium. In other words, calcium deficiency is not only common, but also long-term.

Osteoporosis

Therefore, here is another reminder: drink 300 ml of milk every day to avoid calcium deficiency. If you are lactose intolerant, you can try yogurt; or choose a suitable alternative according to your own situation. For example, eat more beans and soy products.

05

Conclusion

Gifts are given to others, so when choosing, you should consider the needs of the other person. And health is exactly what everyone wants.

Choosing products that are beneficial to your relatives and friends according to their physical conditions is a great blessing.

References:

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Author: Zhao Yanchang, freelance popular science writer