Can we eat such delicious braised pork in a healthier way?

Even friends who are not interested in meat, facing a plate of red and fragrant braised pork, I am afraid they can't help but want to pick up chopsticks and taste it. However, for modern people, we have to consider the health cost when enjoying food. Many friends regard braised pork as a health enemy. After all, the fat content of pork belly is too high, and the amount of sugar added is not low, which has adverse effects on weight loss, controlling blood sugar and blood lipids, and preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. But some people also cite counterexamples. xx often eats braised pork, but he is healthy and has no disease. So, can this braised pork be eaten relatively healthier?

Image source: Tuchong Creative

1. Suzhou-style braised pork, the ingenuity of literati

In my country, the cooking methods of braised pork are slightly different, from what seasoning to use to get the beautiful bright red color to whether the taste is sweeter or saltier. Each school has its own secret recipe. Among them, Su-style braised pork is quite famous. On the one hand, it is because of the talent of its "founder" Su Shi; on the other hand, it is also because the cooking method of Su-style braised pork is unique, and it is excellent in both appearance and taste.

According to legend, the predecessor of Su-style braised pork is "Dongpo pork". There are many delicacies handed down by Dongpo, the most famous of which is probably Dongpo pork, which is the prototype of Su-style braised pork. Since ancient times, literati have had different thoughts and are good at discovering the fun of life in daily events. Su Dongpo, a great writer of his generation, was unrestrained and uninhibited. In addition to his high attainments in poetry, prose, calligraphy and painting, he also inherited the personality characteristics of Sichuan people who love to eat and are good at eating. He not only devoted himself to studying food, cooking and improving food methods himself, but also commented on food with his brilliant pen and recorded the tips for making food. Therefore, he was also called a gourmet in addition to being a great writer.

Based on Dongpo Pork, several generations of famous chefs have continuously improved and refined it, and developed many branches. In the Qing Dynasty, "Dongpo Pork" was introduced into the palace with a new image of "cherry meat". It was deeply loved by Empress Dowager Cixi and was popular in the palace and among the people for decades. The reason why it is called "cherry meat" now seems to be that it not only describes the bright red color and small cherry-like shape of the pork on the plate, but also points out that cherries are used in its production process. Su-style braised pork with cherries added immediately looks completely different from other braised pork. Firstly, the fresh and sweet cherries enrich the color of the dish and add a touch of freshness to the greasy and heavy pork belly. The shape of the cherries can complement the pork belly cut into small pieces, bringing visual pleasure. Secondly, the sweetness of the cherries themselves can reduce the amount of extra white sugar added during cooking. The sweetness after cooking has the refreshing taste of fruit, making the taste less sticky and more tempting.

Although chefs of later generations have improved the cooking methods of cherry meat, the essence of its production has always remained the same. If you want the pork to melt in your mouth, be fat but not greasy, and have good color, aroma and taste, you must follow the cooking secrets recorded by the founder Dongpo in "Song of Stewing Meat": "Cook slowly, use less water, and let the firewood flame without smoke. Wait for it to cook naturally without rushing it. When the fire is enough, it will be delicious."

2. Is braised pork really that dangerous?

The charm of braised pork is also its danger. Since the time humans can get enough food and clothing is far less than the time they have to endure hunger, human ancestors have written in their genes the desire for sugar and fat - sugar can directly provide energy for the human body, while fat can store energy well. Braised pork with high fat, high sugar and high energy just satisfies the yearning for "delicious food" in human genes. In addition, the protein and sugar in pork belly will undergo Maillard reaction when heated at high temperature, which will not only produce an attractive reddish brown color, but also produce many substances with a tangy aroma. Moreover, pork belly is fat and lean, and it is more palatable than pure lean meat. After a long time of stewing, the braised pork is soft, glutinous and smooth, and the fresh, salty and slightly sweet sauce covers the meat. It trembles in the mouth and melts in a sip, making people unable to stop eating it.

However, the fats and sugars that give braised pork its charming flavor have become a harmful health burden for modern people who have sufficient food, excess energy, and insufficient physical activity. Pork belly not only has a high fat content, but it is all saturated fat. A large intake of saturated fat increases the risk of obesity, hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In addition, long-term high-temperature cooking will cause some fat to be oxidized. The products of fat oxidation may increase people's risk of various cancers. Although it is equivalent to playing hooligan to talk about toxicity without considering the dosage, there is really no need for us to consume more substances that may be harmful to the body.

3. Improved Suzhou-style braised pork for better health

As mentioned above, the harm of braised pork to health is real. And the sweeter Suzhou-style braised pork may have a higher sugar content, which will have a greater negative impact on health. So, is there a way to let friends who like to eat Suzhou-style braised pork enjoy this delicacy in a relatively healthier way? This question can be divided into two levels.

First, start by controlling intake and combining diet scientifically.

To reduce the health risks of braised pork, controlling the amount is the first priority. Nothing is good or bad, but too much is a disaster. We can enjoy the deliciousness of braised pork, but we must also be moderate. According to the recommendations of the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022 Edition)", it is healthier for adults to consume about 1 tael of livestock meat per day, and it should be mainly lean meat with a relatively low fat content. In other words, it is best not to eat more than two taels of braised pork every day. In case you accidentally make too much, you can invite friends and neighbors to share it, or you can divide it into small portions of appropriate size immediately after it is done, seal it and freeze it, and heat up a small portion the next time you eat it.

At the same time, when eating braised pork, you should pay attention to increasing the proportion of fresh fruits and vegetables in this meal, and replace half or 1/3 of the staple food with coarse grains. This is to appropriately reduce the total calorie intake, and on the other hand, it is to supplement the dietary fiber lacking in braised pork with fresh fruits and vegetables and coarse grains, which can not only slow down the absorption of fat and sugar in the intestines, but also promote intestinal peristalsis, prevent and improve constipation.

Second, improve the cooking method of Suzhou-style braised pork.

In addition to artificially controlling the intake of braised pork and increasing the proportion of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains in a meal, we can also start with the preparation of Su-style braised pork itself, reduce the amount of oil and sugar used in the cooking process, and improve cooking ingredients, so as to reduce the fat and sugar people consume from eating Su-style braised pork.

For example, red yeast rice is used instead of soy sauce, which is used for coloring, to reduce salt intake and supplement some B vitamins that are only found in fermented foods; for another example, fresh peach juice is used to completely replace white sugar to reduce the intake of refined sugar and avoid the risk of diabetes; some chefs would rather choose meat with a smaller proportion of fat, and use natural meat tenderizers such as papaya and kiwi juice to make up for the lack of tender taste of pork caused by lack of fat.

In such a subtle change, people can not only continue to enjoy the delicious taste of Suzhou-style braised pork, but also gradually establish a dietary concept that is closer to nature and returns to the true nature of ingredients. The Suzhou-style braised pork/cherry meat improved in these ways has reduced fat and sugar content, and is constantly developing in a more natural and healthier direction.

The article is produced by Science Popularization China-Starry Sky Project (Creation and Cultivation). Please indicate the source when reprinting.

Author: Wang Lu, Chinese registered dietitian, Master of Public Health, Peking University

Reviewer: Xue Qingxin, the first batch of nutrition instructors of the National Health Commission, China registered nutritionist