Do you like to add a handful of sugar when cooking?braised pork, sweet and sour tenderloin, pot wrapped pork, kung pao chicken...... These home-cooked dishes are all "regulars" of sugar "patronage", but this seemingly insignificant little habit can bring big health problems.
1
The role of sugar in cooking
When stir-frying, do you think that the value of sugar is only to provide sweetness? In fact, sugar is a big flavoring in cooking, and it has many unexpected effects.
1. Season to taste
Adding sugar to stir-fry can make dishes sweet, crispy and not burnt, and can harmonize a variety of flavors. The core is these functions: reduce saltiness, relieve sourness, spiciness, and bitterness, and also improve freshness.
Sugar can neutralize the saltiness, and if you accidentally add too much salt when stir-frying or adjusting fillings, adding a little sugar can reduce the saltiness.
When making a soup with sour dishes, adding a small amount of sugar can relieve the sourness and make the taste harmonious; even if you put too much chili, adding some white sugar can effectively relieve the spicy taste; and putting some white sugar when frying bitter gourd can also mask some bitter taste.
In addition, adding a little sugar before adding salt when stir-frying can also enhance freshness.
2. Color
Some meats look ruddy and bright, sweet and appetizing, and this is also due to sugar.
Sugars and amino acids or proteins will undergo a "Maillard reaction" when heated at high temperatures, resulting in brownish-black caramel and odorous substances such as reducing ketones and aldehydes, which provide delicious flavors and attractive colors to food.
3. Promote fermentation
Adding a little sugar to the dough will not only shorten the fermentation time, but also make the pasta soft and delicious. Sugar is added to the dough, which can be decomposed into glucose under the action of various enzymes, which can be supplied to yeast as nutrients to promote the growth of yeast, which will also accelerate the fermentation of dough and shorten the time for dough to rise.
2
There are many harms associated with a large amount of sugar in dishes
Different types of dishes serve different purposes and use different amounts when adding sugar.
"Culinary Technology" mentions that in order to achieve the best taste effect, the amount of sugar added to dishes with sweet taste, such as honey yam, etc., is about 20%, sweet and sour dishes, the amount of sugar added is 5%~10%, and the types of sugar such as braised and marinated pickles are mainly used to enhance freshness and flavor, and are generally controlled at 1%~2%.
Although adding sugar to dishes can add flavor and texture to dishes, long-term excessive intake of sugar may cause harm to the human body in many ways. Here are some of the main hazards:
1. Weight gain and obesity Studies have found that adding sugar when stir-frying will make the brain secrete more dopamine, unconsciously increase the intake of such foods, and increase the risk of obesity.
2. Blood sugar fluctuations and the risk of diabetesAlthough there is no direct association between sugar consumption and diabetes, sugar consumption increases the risk of obesity, while obesity is positively correlated with the incidence of type 2 diabetes.
For people who already have diabetes, sugar intake needs to be more tightly controlled. Added sugars in foods can cause large fluctuations in blood sugar and worsening of the condition. In particular, this kind of unwitting sugar in the dish is even more dangerous.
3. Increased risk of heart disease In a 2014 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine, an association was shown between a diet high in sugar and an increased risk of dying from heart disease.
Over the course of the 15-year study, those who got 17 to 21 percent of their energy from added sugars had a 38 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who consumed 8 percent from added sugars.
To sum up, in order to maintain good health, we should pay attention to controlling sugar intake and avoid long-term excessive sugar intake.
3
Recommended intake of sugar for different populations
The recommended amount of sugar does vary between different populations, depending on factors such as an individual's age, gender, weight, health, and amount of daily activity.
1. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), adults should not consume more than 10% of their total calories per day, preferably at 5%. According to the calculation of 2000kcal a day, the Chinese Nutrition Society recommends that adults should not consume more than 50g of sugar per day, and it is best to control it within 25g. Measured by the white porcelain spoon commonly found at home, 1 scoop is about 10.3g, 25g is about 2.5 scoops, and 50g is about 5 scoops. For adults who are overweight or obese, as well as those with diabetes or other chronic medical conditions, sugar intake should be further reduced.
2. Children's daily caloric needs are smaller than those of adults, and since the maximum daily sugar intake is the same as that of adults, children's daily sugar intake should be lower. In addition, as the energy gradually increases with age, the amount of sugar control in children will also change from year to year.
It should be noted that in the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022 Edition)", it is not recommended for babies under 2 years old to consume added sugar in their diet. In addition, for 2~4 years old, there is no data that can be referred to because there is no energy ratio. If you have to set a value, it is recommended not to exceed 5% of the energy, which is 12.5g. It is advisable to encourage your baby to eat more fruits in the diet, which will satisfy their sweet tooth and replenish them with essential vitamins and minerals.
3. ElderlySince the metabolism of the elderly is relatively slow and they may suffer from a variety of chronic diseases, it is recommended that the daily sugar intake should be controlled within 25g. In addition, older adults should choose foods that are low in sugar and high in fiber to maintain a healthy weight and blood sugar levels.
4. Pregnant and lactating womenAlthough the energy requirement of pregnant and lactating women is relatively high, due to the unstable hormone level at this stage, it is recommended that the daily sugar intake should be controlled within 25g. But if you have gestational diabetes or high blood sugar, try not to eat sugar or sweets. Expectant mothers in the first trimester of pregnancy, if the morning sickness reaction is severe and they really can't eat, in the absence of contraindications, it is not impossible to increase some sugar intake appropriately to avoid ketoacidosis.
4
How can I reduce my sugar intake?
Added sugar is everywhere and it is impossible to prevent it, so reducing sugar intake can start from the following aspects:1. Reduce sugar in cooking: When cooking, try to put as little or no sugar as possible. Seasonings such as lemon juice and vinegar can be used instead of some sugar for flavoring.
2. Choose low GI foods: GI refers to the rate and ability of food to cause a rise in blood sugar in the body. Choosing low GI foods can help control blood sugar levels, such as brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread, etc. are all good choices for low GI foods.
3. Increase dietary fiber intake: Dietary fiber can help slow down the rate at which blood sugar rises. Eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc. In addition, foods rich in dietary fiber can increase satiety and reduce the intake of sugary foods.
4. Control the intake of sweets: Desserts, candies, sweet drinks and other foods with high sugar content should be avoided as much as possible. If you really want to eat it, you can choose foods that contain natural sugars, such as fresh fruits.
5. Watch out for invisible sugars: In addition to obvious sweets, some processed foods also contain a lot of hidden sugars. The invisible sugar in food may come from condiments such as vinegar, ketchup, and barbecue sauce, from foods such as kimchi, braised pork, and steamed buns, or from seemingly sugar-free snacks such as beef jerky and pork jerky. When buying food, you should pay attention to the ingredient list and nutrition facts list, choose low-sugar or sugar-free products, and try not to put sugar when cooking.
Source: Popular Science China WeChat public account
Editor: Guo Lei
Review: Pan Huahong, Yan Yan