Use dietary taste "subtraction" to achieve "addition" for a healthy life
Food is the paramount necessity of the people. The Chinese peoples love for delicious food is deeply ingrained in their bones. However, with the continuous improvement of living standards, the intake of oil, salt, sugar, purine, and other substances has also risen. After a feast for the taste buds, health becomes a burden.
The impact of excessive intake of oil and fat is most intuitive. Data shows that the per capita daily intake of cooking oil in China is 43.2 grams, significantly exceeding the dietary recommendation standard. The gustatory enjoyment brought by the crispness of fried food, the freshness and fragrance of stir-fried dishes, and the smoothness of cream has also given birth to countless "little fat kids" and "beer bellies", becoming a potential risk factor for fatty liver, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and some malignant tumors.
In addition to fats and oils, a high-sugar diet is one of the contributing factors to dental caries and may also increase the risk of diabetes and exacerbate obesity. Salt, known as the "king of flavors," when consumed excessively, can exert continuous pressure on the cardiovascular system, serving as a significant predisposing factor for stroke and myocardial infarction. With the widespread consumption of meat, seafood, and alcohol, gout is affecting an increasing number of people.
The issue of "exceeding standards" in indicators such as blood lipids, blood pressure, blood glucose, and uric acid has become a "regular visitor" in physical examination reports. According to the Guidelines for Nutrition and Exercise for Chronic Diseases such as Hypertension (2024 Edition), issued by the General Office of the National Health Commission in June 2024, the prevalence rate of hyperlipidemia among adults in China is approximately 35.6%, the prevalence rate of hypertension is approximately 27.5%, the prevalence rate of diabetes is approximately 11.9%, and the overall prevalence rate of hyperuricemia is approximately 13.3%.
It must be vigilant that these issues belong to the category of metabolic syndrome, share a common pathophysiological basis, are interrelated, and constitute a complex network of health risks.
The national level has attached great importance to the "four highs" issue. The "Healthy China 2030" Planning Outline proposes the goal of "popularizing healthy lifestyles" by 2030, and regards "popularizing healthy living" as an important content. In June 2024, the National Health Commission, in conjunction with multiple departments, launched a three-year "Weight Management Year" campaign, targeting health problems caused by overweight and obesity.
At the societal level, food production enterprises need to shoulder more responsibilities, promote the optimization of product formulas, effectively reduce the content of oil, salt, and sugar in processed foods, and explore and develop healthier flavor solutions. The catering industry needs to actively respond to the "reduce oil and salt" initiative, take healthy cooking techniques as a direction to enhance competitiveness, and proactively provide consumers with healthier choices.
At the family and individual levels, we should also "keep our mouths shut" and initiate a subtle yet lasting change from the kitchen, cultivating a scientific diet habit: using oil control pots and salt limit spoons to shift the addition of condiments from "by feeling" to "with scales"; stimulating the natural flavor of ingredients and reducing dependence on heavy seasoning; developing the habit of reading food nutrition labels and being vigilant about "invisible" sugar, salt, and fat; when dining out, giving priority to dishes prepared by steaming, boiling, stewing, and cold mixing... Small changes, when accumulated, can build a solid foundation for health.
To realize the blueprint of "Healthy China", it needs to be integrated into everyones daily meals. Rationally controlling the intake of oil, salt, sugar, and purine, and making good use of the "subtraction" of dietary flavors, is to pursue a longer and higher level of happiness based on physical health, energetic vitality, and freedom from chronic diseases. When this pursuit becomes a daily conscious choice, we have made the "addition" for a healthy life and made a longer-term investment in the quality of life in the future.
