Which one makes you fatter, rice dumplings or watermelons?

The Dragon Boat Festival is coming soon, and many people are worried about eating rice dumplings and making themselves fat.

At the same time, as the weather is getting hotter, many people are also worried that eating too much watermelon will make them fat.

A lady asked me a question: I know that zongzi has high calories and watermelon has low calories. But why did you say in your Weibo that zongzi is edible but watermelon will make you fat? Which one makes you fatter, watermelon or zongzi?

I said: This comparison idea is very novel. However, to answer this question, you also need to learn a lot of knowledge points.

Is it more worth worrying about whether rice dumplings make you fat or watermelons make you fat?

Several layers of analysis are required here.

First of all, based on equal weight, which one has higher calories, rice dumplings or watermelon?

There is no doubt that compared with the same weight of 100 grams, the calories in rice dumplings are much higher than those in watermelon.

Even if the rice dumplings are made without any sugar or oil, the calorie value of their cooked weight can reach at least 170 kcal/100 g.

This is because glutinous rice absorbs less water, 1 liang of glutinous rice absorbs 1 liang of water, and the cooked weight is about 2 liang. For ordinary rice, 1 liang of raw rice can absorb 1.3 (short-grain rice)-1.5 times the water (long-grain rice).

Adding two or three small dates, or red beans, kidney beans and other grains will not have much impact on the caloric value, because their caloric value is not far from that of the glutinous rice raw material, but the water absorption is slightly different.

Adding pure lean meat does not have a big impact, because the calorie value of pure lean meat does not exceed 170 kcal/100 grams.

However, if you add fat, fatty meat and other fillings, the calories in the zongzi will be effectively increased. Because 100 grams of grain, starch beans and dried dates only have 300 kcal of calories, while 100 grams of fat has nearly 900 kcal of calories. Zongzi that contain a lot of lard, egg yolk and pork belly can even have more than 300 kcal of calories per 100 grams.

Therefore, the calories in zongzi are not a fixed number. It depends on the ingredients. The calories are roughly between 170 and 300 kcal.

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Most of the calories in watermelon come from sugar, as its fat and protein content is only a few tenths of a percent.

Of course, the sugar content of watermelons varies greatly, depending on the variety, cultivation method and maturity. The sugar content is roughly between 6% and 12%. Breeding experts will vigorously select varieties with high sugar content, and cultivation technology also strives to promote the accumulation of sugar in watermelons, because the market prefers high-sugar watermelons.

Therefore, the watermelons we eat now generally have a higher sugar content and taste sweeter than the watermelons we ate when we were young. The old data in the nutrition information table was measured more than ten or even twenty years ago, and there is a big difference between the current data and the old data.

Based on a 10% sugar content, the calorie value of 100 grams of sweet watermelon flesh is nearly 50 kcal.

There are three types of sugar in watermelon: sucrose, fructose and glucose. The sweetness of fructose is very refreshing, and the sweetness will increase when the temperature is lowered. This is because there are two configurations of fructose aqueous solution, α- and β-, and under low temperature conditions, the proportion of the sweeter β-configuration will increase. Glucose has a negative heat of solution, which will give people a cool feeling in the mouth. Coupled with the special aroma of watermelon, there is a special charm that makes people unable to stop.

Secondly, are rice dumplings and watermelons eaten as meals or as extras?

If you eat an extra 100 grams of rice dumplings and watermelon outside of the three meals, then the rice dumplings will definitely provide high calories.

However, zongzi is usually eaten as a meal, while watermelon is often eaten after a meal or between meals.

If you use zongzi instead of rice, the extra calories are not that much, mainly because of the oil, sugar and fat in the zongzi. If you deliberately combine it with some less oily dishes to "deduct" the fat in the zongzi, it will not actually add a lot of extra calories.

As for watermelon, eating it between meals takes up the calorie share of fruit. As long as you don't eat too much, and control the amount within the range of 200-350 grams, it will not cause excessive calorie problems if you eat it instead of other fruits.

Someone said: What if I use watermelon as a staple food to replace a meal?

Although replacing a meal with watermelon can help you avoid consuming too many calories, you can't do this often. This is because watermelon provides too little protein. Many other micronutrients are also insufficient. Over time, it is easy to develop edema due to protein malnutrition. In this case, the body will become loose, muscles will be lost, the complexion will turn yellow, and the resistance to disease will decrease.

Therefore, a reasonable way to eat them is to replace staple foods with rice dumplings, and watermelon with other fruits. As long as the quantity is reasonable, it will not make people fat.

Third, which one do you eat more, rice dumplings or watermelons? How many calories do you actually consume?

The problem is that many people don't eat the "right" amount.

Zongzi tastes good, so people eat them one after another, which naturally leads to the problem of excessive calories.

Watermelon is delicious, so people eat a lot of it. The sugar content is very considerable. For example, it is not difficult to eat 1,000 grams of sweet watermelon flesh. However, this will result in the intake of 100 grams of sugar and an increase of 400 kcal of calories.

It's okay to do it once in a while, but if you often eat such large amounts of watermelon outside of the three meals in the summer, without reducing the amount at the three meals and without doing extra exercise, it's really not surprising to gain a few pounds of fat.

Fourth, which one gives you a stronger feeling of fullness, rice dumplings or watermelon?

The evaluation of satiety is based on comparison of the same calorie intake, not on the weight of food.

Neither watermelon nor rice dumplings are high-satisfaction foods.

Compared with white rice, zongzi has high calories and is relatively small in size. Although you feel full after eating too many zongzi, it is because you really take in enough calories. Based on the same calories, it is less filling than multi-grain rice and multi-grain porridge. If you "have another one if it tastes good", it is still easy to overeat. You need to pair it with some protein foods and vegetables to increase the feeling of fullness of a meal.

This is especially true for watermelon. It is sweet and fragrant, and feels like drinking water. Once you start eating it, it is hard to stop. There are many people who eat half a large watermelon in one go.

Eating watermelon after a meal does not make you feel full. Even if you are full at the main meal, you can still eat a few more pieces of watermelon. And eating watermelon between meals, even after eating two kilograms of watermelon, you will not feel much burden on your stomach and intestines, and it will not affect your next meal at all.

Therefore, in terms of the effect of suppressing the satiety of continuing to eat, watermelon is not better than rice dumplings.

Fifth, in terms of frequency of eating, which one is eaten more often, zongzi or watermelon? How much calories does it increase in a year?

The Dragon Boat Festival comes only once a year. If you are not particularly obsessed with the taste of rice dumplings, most people will only eat a few rice dumplings a year, or even just one to suit the occasion.

In comparison, there are many more times to eat watermelon, and you can enjoy it all summer long.

From the perspective of "exposure frequency", if it happens once in a while, as long as it is not too excessive, the impact averaged out to 365 days a year is still small, so there is no need to worry too much; but if it happens frequently, you should pay more attention to it and manage it well.

Obviously, compared with eating zongzi, a festival food, eating watermelon is more worthy of attention. Unless you are a zongzi lover or a resident of the zongzi hometown, zongzi is often eaten during festivals.

Finally, at which meal is it best to eat rice dumplings and watermelon?

Zongzi is probably best eaten as a staple food for breakfast.

Compared with traditional ways of eating, such as soaked rice + braised egg + pickles, fried dough sticks/sesame cakes + soy milk, meat pie + soy milk, meat buns + porridge + pickles, etc., it is more nutritionally reasonable to eat rice dumplings containing egg yolk and meat as a staple food for breakfast, with a cup of soy milk and some vegetables. Studies have shown that it is beneficial to have a slightly higher supply of fat and protein and a higher calorie content for breakfast.

If you eat sweet rice dumplings with only small dates, candied dates or red bean paste for breakfast, it is OK as a staple food, but the protein content is relatively low. If you eat it as a staple food, you need to add meat and eggs, and a cup of milk or soy milk. You can try eating sweet rice dumplings with hot milk, which tastes very good and does not violate the taste at all.

Watermelon is more suitable to eat after exercise or before meals.

Eating watermelon after exercise can not only replenish the water and potassium lost during sweating, but also replenish the sugar consumed during exercise. It can also increase antioxidant ingredients such as lycopene and vitamin C, which help to remove free radicals produced during high-intensity exercise. When sweating a lot, you can add a little salty food (such as a small amount of shredded mustard tuber).

Eating one or two pieces of watermelon before a meal can replenish water and maintain blood sugar without introducing a lot of extra calories. While helping to reduce hunger, it can also reduce the urgency of eating during meals and may even help to smooth the rise in blood sugar after meals.

The reason why I spent more than 3,000 words to talk to you about this strange question is that I hope that you can learn the logic of thinking through this comparison process.

From now on, when you hear the question "Will this food make you fat?", you might as well try to answer the following questions first:

——How many calories are there in 100 grams of this food?

——How many grams can you eat each time?

——How many times can you eat it per year? How many times per day on average?

——Is it eaten as a replacement for other foods, or is it eaten in addition?

——Should you eat it during meals or as a snack?

——Eat it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

——What other foods should be eaten with it?

——After eating, did you do any extra exercise?

By following this process, you can clearly get the answer to the question "Will this food make you fat?"

Finally, let’s summarize:

1 If you only eat rice dumplings as a festival food, don't worry too much about the calorie content.

2 Zongzi without oil or fat is not very high in calories.

3 Zongzi is a colorful staple food that can replace rice and steamed buns. If you reduce the amount of cooking oil, it will not increase the daily calorie intake too much.

4 Eating it with soy milk, milk, lean meat, vegetables, etc. can balance the nutrition and increase the satiety of the rice dumpling meal.

5. Zongzi is the best food for breakfast, while watermelon is the best food for supplement after exercise and before meals.

6 Today's watermelons are getting sweeter and sweeter, and the sugar content in them is higher than the data stated on the Internet and in food ingredient tables.

7 Watermelon is usually eaten in addition to three meals, and it has a low satiety effect, so it is very easy to overeat.

8 It is recommended to eat an average of half a pound to one pound of watermelon flesh per day, otherwise the total sugar intake may be too much.

9 Regularly replacing a meal with a large amount of watermelon can easily lead to protein deficiency, muscle loss, and even edema.

10 Watermelon is best enjoyed after exercise or as a pre-meal fruit.

Of course, if you are a healthy person and your weight is normal, then you don't need to be too nervous. As long as the amount is within a reasonable range and you don't feel full, you can eat rice dumplings or watermelons whenever you want. Even if you eat too much at one time, as long as you increase exercise in the next one or two days, you can burn it off, so there is no need to feel guilty.

There is no food that you absolutely cannot eat, only unreasonable combinations. Except for a few people who need to avoid certain foods due to doctor's advice, traditional festival foods such as zongzi and the most tempting fruit in summer, watermelon, can be happily included in healthy diets.

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