Tangyuan or Yuanxiao? Note that these 4 types of people are advised to eat less!

Today is the Lantern Festival. Are you ready to eat Lantern Festival dumplings?

However, some people always say that Yuanxiao has high energy, 4 Yuanxiao is equivalent to a bowl of rice, and eating them will easily make you fat;

Some people also say that what we eat at home is Yuanxiao, not Tangyuan. What are Yuanxiao and Tangyuan? How can we eat them healthier?

01

What is the difference between glutinous rice balls and Yuanxiao?

During the Lantern Festival, some places call it Tangyuan, but some places call it Yuanxiao. What is the difference between Tangyuan and Yuanxiao?

In fact, there is not much difference between the two of them.

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Both glutinous rice balls and Yuanxiao are foods mainly made of glutinous rice and sugar. In addition to the large amount of starch contained in the refined glutinous rice flour, the fillings also contain a lot of sugar.

But Yuanxiao and Tangyuan are slightly different. Yuanxiao is made of dry powder, with smaller filling and more powder; while Tangyuan is made of wet powder that is kneaded with hot water and glutinous rice, and usually has larger filling .

Simply put, glutinous rice balls are wrapped, while Yuanxiao are rolled. However, the raw materials and nutrition of the two are basically the same, with no big difference.

02

Are sugar-free dumplings healthier?

There are also many sugar-free dumplings on the market. They claim to contain no sugar and will not raise blood sugar, so diabetics can eat them with confidence.

Many diabetics are interested in sugar-free glutinous rice balls, thinking that they can be eaten without sugar. Many people who want to lose weight are also flocking to sugar-free glutinous rice balls.

Are sugar-free glutinous rice balls really better?

In fact, sugar-free dumplings are not healthier.

In fact, so-called sugar-free foods usually refer to the absence of sucrose. However, it also contains other carbohydrates, such as starch, which is actually a kind of sugar.

Moreover, the glutinous rice flour in glutinous rice balls raises blood sugar very sharply, even more than white sugar. Even if there is no sugar added, eating too many glutinous rice balls is not conducive to controlling blood sugar, so diabetics should never take it lightly and eat as much as they can because they are sugar-free glutinous rice balls.

Sugar-free does not mean low in calories, nor does it mean a low glycemic response.

Taking a step back, even if there is no sugar, it does not mean less oil.

Nowadays, many glutinous rice balls contain a lot of oil in their fillings. Eating too much of it is not good for controlling blood lipids, and it is probably just a scam for people who want to lose weight.

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03

How to choose glutinous rice balls?

Whether it is glutinous rice balls or Yuanxiao, when buying them, everyone chooses products from big brands, as the food safety level of big brand companies is usually better;

Try to buy from regular supermarkets, markets, or e-commerce platforms.

If you are buying freshly made glutinous rice balls/Yuanxiao, make sure you find a clean and hygienic store, take them home, cook and eat them as soon as possible, and don't buy too much.

If you can’t finish it, put it in a fresh-keeping bag or box and freeze it.

Try to choose products with intact packaging, normal color, complete shape and no cracks.

The packaging bag must be sealed intact and there must not be many ice crystals in the bag, otherwise it means that the temperature is unstable during the freezing process, thawing may have occurred, and the quality will deteriorate.

04

How to eat glutinous rice balls in a healthy way?

1. Although glutinous rice balls are small, they are high in energy and should not be eaten too much.

The calories in 4 stuffed dumplings are almost equivalent to 1 bowl of rice, so I remind everyone not to eat too much. After eating, you should also go out for more activities, visit the lantern festival with your family, and burn more calories.

The fillings of glutinous rice balls and Yuanxiao contain not only sugar, but also fat.

Most of the glutinous rice balls sold on the market contain about 300 calories per 100 grams (about 5 pieces), so the energy of 4 glutinous rice balls is not much different from that of a bowl of rice.

Therefore, if you eat glutinous rice balls, it is best to reduce the amount of staple foods such as rice and control the total energy intake not to be too high.

Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and people who want to control their weight should not eat too much, so as to avoid weight gain and body burden.

2. Eat the glutinous rice balls while they are hot, but be careful not to get burned

Yuanxiao or Tangyuan are made of glutinous rice flour as the main raw material. One of the characteristics of glutinous rice is that the content of amylopectin in its starch is particularly high, which can be as high as about 80%. One of the characteristics of amylopectin is that it likes heat and fears cold.

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When it is combined with hot water, it will expand into a paste with high viscosity, and it is easier to digest when eaten hot. However, when it encounters cold, the texture of glutinous rice will become hard and difficult to digest.

Therefore, the elderly, children or people with gastrointestinal discomfort should not eat cold dumplings to avoid stomach discomfort or indigestion.

But be aware that freshly cooked rice dumplings and yuanxiao are very hot, and glutinous rice is sticky and dissipates heat very slowly, so eat them slowly to prevent scalding your throat and esophagus .

3. Give priority to glutinous rice balls with nuts, sesame and red bean paste fillings

Nowadays, there are various kinds of fillings for glutinous rice balls, including sesame, red bean paste, sweet potato, oil, meat, chocolate, etc.

It is recommended that you give priority to those filled with sesame, peanuts, various nuts and red bean paste.

Nuts are high in nutritional value, and bean paste also contains a lot of protein and minerals. In contrast, chocolate fillings are high in energy and low in nutritional value, and bacon fillings contain a lot of lard, so it is not suitable to eat too much.

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4. Eat a balanced diet and eat more fruits, vegetables and beans

In order to better control blood sugar and blood lipids, it is best to eat glutinous rice balls with low-fat, high-fiber foods, such as beans, vegetables, fungi and algae. Therefore, in addition to eating glutinous rice balls and Lantern Festival, you may also want to prepare some vegetables, fruits and beans.

5.Who should be careful when eating Yuanxiao?

Tangyuan is high in energy, and because the main ingredient is glutinous rice, it raises blood sugar quickly.

Therefore, patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and people who want to control their weight should be careful when eating dumplings and not eat too much to avoid problems such as increased blood sugar and weight gain.

Glutinous rice is very sticky. The elderly and children should chew slowly when eating it , and family members should watch over them to prevent the danger of choking.

Author: Ruan Guangfeng, Director of the Science and Technology Department of the Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center

Reviewer: Chen Ran, Associate Research Librarian (Science Communication) / Senior Engineer, COFCO Nutrition and Health Research Institute

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