How to Enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival Barbecue Without Gaining Weight? Nutritionist Reveals the Worst Eating Habits: Many People Get It Wrong from the First Bite

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, barbecue gatherings with friends and family are in full swing. However, the reasons for compromising health are not just 'eating too much' but also the combination of ingredients, the order of eating, and the accumulation of drinks and snacks. Nutritionist Zheng Anjun from Lianxin International Hospital's Department of Nutrition has observed that many people experience weight gain, increased blood sugar and blood lipid levels in diabetic patients, and severe cases even require hospitalization due to high-fat, heavy-flavored, or undercooked food causing gastroenteritis.

How can you enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival barbecue without gaining weight? The '2-vegetable-1-meat' purchasing method is recommended to control portion sizes. Meat can be estimated using the palm of your hand: one palm is approximately 2 servings (about 70 grams). For adults, one meal should be about 2-3 servings (women can have 2 servings, men or larger individuals can have 3 servings). For a family of four, about 300 grams of lean meat is sufficient. When selecting ingredients, vegetables should make up half of the total. Choose vegetables like bell peppers, onions, corn, mushrooms, and lettuce, and pair them with skinless chicken, loin meat, and seafood. Processed foods like sausages, fish balls, and sweet and sour fish balls should be purchased in small quantities. Following the '2-vegetable-1-meat' ratio, increase the portion of vegetables and reduce the proportion of high-fat meats like pork belly and intestines, as well as processed foods.

The order of eating is also crucial. The nutritionist recommends the order of 'vegetables first, then seafood and lean meat, and finally starches and desserts.' Start with vegetables and mushrooms to increase satiety, then eat fresh seafood and low-fat meats, and save starches and desserts for last to reduce the chance of unknowingly overeating. Lettuce wraps are a good choice for the general public and diabetic patients. However, those in the late stages of kidney disease or at risk of high potassium should avoid lettuce and pickles, and vegetables should be lightly blanched before eating. Do not use low-sodium soy sauce with potassium, and follow medical advice to control the types and portions of vegetables.

Starch control is also important. The nutritionist reminds that bread, corn, sweet potatoes, and mochi are all starches. Two slices of thin bread or 2 small corn cobs are equivalent to half a bowl of rice. If you eat bread or corn during barbecue and then eat mooncakes afterward, you may end up consuming starches repeatedly. Mooncakes should be substituted for regular meals. For example, 1/2 of an egg yolk pastry or 1/4 of a Cantonese mooncake is equivalent to half a bowl of rice, and you should reduce the bread or corn in the same meal accordingly.

Attention should also be paid to cooking and sauce application. Sauces should not be repeatedly applied to ingredients as soon as they are placed on the grill. Instead, apply the sauce 1-2 times when the food is almost cooked, or dip the cooked food in a small amount of sauce. Store-bought sauces can be diluted with water, or you can make your own lighter sauce using soy sauce, fruit, garlic, onions, lemon juice, or vinegar to reduce the salty burden. During the barbecue, always pay attention to the condition of the grill. If it becomes charred, replace it immediately and do not eat the charred parts. For drinks, choose sugar-free tea or sparkling water instead of soda or sugary drinks, and control alcohol intake to prevent increased calories and food intake, which can increase the risk of weight gain.

If you accidentally overeat during the Mid-Autumn Festival, do not try to 'make up for it' by not eating the next day. The nutritionist reminds you to return to a light and balanced diet, such as choosing steamed sweet potatoes with boiled eggs for breakfast, and reducing heavy oil and salt in lunch and dinner while drinking more water and increasing exercise. She emphasizes that the Mid-Autumn Festival barbecue is not about 'not being able to eat anything,' but about avoiding a series of 'NG' choices. Starting with less processed food and more original ingredients, controlling purchasing quantities, eating order, starch substitution, and the principle of less sauce and no sugar, you can enjoy the gathering atmosphere and achieve 'a full moon and a full family, without exceeding dietary standards.'