Finally debunked the rumors! These "junk foods" have been wronged for many years, but in fact, they can be eaten boldly with confidence

In the streets and alleys of bustling cities, you can often see such interesting scenes: on one side are white-haired uncles and aunts, who always frown when passing by burger restaurants and spicy hot stalls, muttering "These are junk food, you can't eat it"; On the other side, the young men and girls lined up, waiting with anticrative faces to taste these delicacies that were disliked by their elders. The concept of "junk food" is like an invisible wall between two generations of food concepts. Over the years, it has spread wildly in the public perception like a virus, and many young people have been skeptical of this statement even if they eat it with relish. So, what kind of food is labeled "junk food"? Are they really as "heinous" as they are rumored to be? Today, let's completely clear this layer of fog and explain it at one time.

Where does "junk food" come from

You may not know that the concept of "junk food" can be so deeply rooted in people's hearts, and there is a mysterious picture "indispensable". Over the years, this image has been circulating in the online world until it eventually became one of the "Top 10 Junk Foods by the World Health Organization". With the "golden signboard" of the WHO, the "junk food" argument instantly became very convincing, as if it had become a conclusive truth. But the truth is often surprising, the WHO has never released such a list at all, and many authoritative official media have also stood up many times to refute the rumor, trying to break this widely circulated rumor.

So where did the concept of "junk food" come about? In many people's perception, this type of food has three distinguishing characteristics: high in sugar, high in energy and high in fat. It is derived from the English word "junk food", and American nutrition advocate Michael Jacobson is the "master" of this concept. He first made the statement in 1972 and has continued to proclaim it on various occasions for many years to come. Under his continuous "output", the concept of "junk food" is like a tenacious seed, deeply rooted in the hearts of the masses. But are these so-called "junk foods" really useless? Next, let's take a closer look at them one by one.

Common "junk food" doxxing

Instant Noodles: The Misconceptions Behind Convenience

When it comes to "junk food", instant noodles are likely to be the first to jump into people's minds. It is generally made up of a combination of bread, vegetable packets, and sauce packets. There are two types of bread, fried and non-fried, but no matter which one, the water content is extremely low, and with the sealed packaging, it is too difficult for bacteria and mold to "settle down" in it, so there is no need to add preservatives at all. The vegetable package is dried and dehydrated, and it is difficult for bacteria to survive; Due to the high oil and salt in the sauce packet, there is also no need for preservatives, and the rumors that there are preservatives in instant noodles are completely nonsense.

But some people will say that although instant noodles have no preservatives, they only have calories and no nutrients. Although there is some truth in this, it is too extreme to say that it has no nutrition at all. Instant noodles are just not nutritionally comprehensive enough, but in this world, how can there be nutritious and perfect food? Take the well-known healthy green vegetables as an example, its nutrition is actually relatively simple. If you only eat green vegetables, I'm afraid it's really better to last longer than just eating instant noodles. There are also rumors that there is a layer of wax on the bucket of instant noodles, which melts when you soak it in boiling water. Actually, it's a polyethylene coating, which has a melting point of up to 110°C and boiling water up to 100°C, which doesn't dissolve the coating at all. Therefore, you don't have to have these worries when eating instant noodles. However, a reminder to everyone, it's okay to eat instant noodles occasionally, but don't treat it as a staple food, let alone eat it for a long time. Try to drink as little as possible in noodle soup because it is high in purines. When making noodles, just put half of the sauce packet in it, don't pour it all in.

Malatang: Healthy possibilities under heavy taste

Many people think that Malatang is heavy-flavored, unhygienic and unnutritious, but in fact, as long as you pick the right store, Malatang can be nutritionally balanced and healthy. We first have to choose a regular store, so that the freshness and hygiene of the ingredients can be guaranteed. When eating Malatang, all kinds of ingredients are put into the pot, which is essentially no different from boiled vegetables. Because it is boiled, there is no frying link, and from the perspective of the cooking method, it is very healthy. And to eat Malatang, you will not choose only one ingredient, usually with meat to supplement protein, soy products to add nutrition, vegetables to provide vitamins, plus instant noodles, potatoes and other carbohydrates, the nutritional mix is quite balanced. Imagine walking into a clean and tidy Malatang restaurant on a cold winter day, picking your favorite ingredients, watching them tumble in the pot and cook, and finally drizzling with fragrant soup, eating the whole person is warm and nutritious.

Burgers: The balance behind the heat

Burgers are often criticized for being high in calories, but it's not that simple. The energy of a hamburger is only 175 kcal, which is lower than the 200 kcal of rice and the 280 kcal of noodles. The fat content of fried meat slices in burgers is about 11g, which is only 13 - 18% of the fat intake of the human body in a day. Even if you add up all the calories in the burger, such as burger embryos, meat slices, and vegetables, it is only 450 kcal, and if you eat three burgers a day, you will not exceed the calorie limit. In addition, the burger has bread to provide carbohydrates, meat to supplement protein, and vegetables to bring vitamins, which is quite cleverly combined, which can be called healthy and nutritionally balanced. On a busy workday, buying a hamburger to solve lunch in a hurry can not only quickly replenish energy, but also ensure nutritional intake, which is convenient and practical.

Frozen food: the misunderstood convenience and deliciousness

Some people think that quick-frozen food is unhealthy and unfresh, but nowadays the preservation technology of quick-frozen food is no longer what it used to be. As long as you choose a regular brand of quick-frozen food, the nutrition and taste of the food can be well preserved. On the other hand, those ingredients that we think are fresh and healthy, if there is no whole cold chain guarantee during long-distance transportation, the nutrition and taste may not be as good as quick-frozen food. However, it should be noted that foods such as quick-frozen dumplings and glutinous rice balls are suitable for occasional eating, after all, it cannot completely replace fresh food, and the daily diet still needs to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, so that the body can consume richer and more comprehensive nutrients. On a lazy weekend morning, take out a bag of quick-frozen dumplings from the refrigerator and cook them in the pot, which is simple and fast.

Canned food: the secret and truth of a long shelf life

Regarding canned food, it is rumored that it is not nutritious, and it must have added preservatives due to its long shelf life. In fact, the long shelf life of canned food depends on the processing technology. During production, cans go through a series of processes such as venting, sealing, sterilization and cooling. After this set of operations, most of the microorganisms in the can are killed, and the microorganisms outside cannot enter after sealing, so the shelf life is only long, and it has nothing to do with preservatives. Moreover, according to the national standard, most canned fruits and canned aquatic products are not allowed to add preservatives, and only a few canned foods such as nuts, bayberry, and meat are allowed to be added in small amounts. As for the worry about the loss of nutrients in canned food, in fact, high-temperature sterilization does lose a little heat-sensitive nutrients, but the overall quality and nutrition have not changed much. In the era of scarcity, canned food was a rare item, but now although the living conditions are better, it can still come in handy in emergencies or when it is inconvenient to buy food, providing us with energy and nutrition.

Lard: the "man of the blame" for cardiovascular disease

There have always been rumors that lard is a cardiovascular killer, but the causes of cardiovascular diseases are complex, smoking, alcoholism, obesity, high-salt and high-sugar diet, etc. are all pathogenic factors, and it is too one-sided to simply throw the pot to lard. In fact, lard contains 47.5% monounsaturated fatty acids and 11.5% polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for regulating blood lipids and assisting in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Some experiments at home and abroad point to lard causing cancer, but most of these experiments are animal experiments, which are very limited and cannot be directly applied to humans, let alone easily assert that lard causes cancer. In some traditional food preparations, the unique aroma of lard cannot be replaced by other fats, such as stir-fried vegetables with lard, which can instantly arouse people's appetite.

MSG: The Truth Behind Umami

MSG, the main ingredient is sodium salt of glutamate, which is also the source of its umami. The Standard for the Use of Food Additives (GB 2760 - 2014) clearly stipulates that monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer that can be used in appropriate amounts in various types of food. The definition of monosodium glutamate in the National Food Safety Standard for Monosodium glutamate is: white crystals or powdered condiments with special umami made of carbohydrates (such as starch, corn, molasses and other sugars) as raw materials, fermented, extracted, neutralized, crystallized, separated and dried by microorganisms (Corynebacterium glutamicrum, etc.). Therefore, MSG is not chemically synthesized, so you don't have to be afraid. Some people also say that monosodium glutamate heating will produce sodium pyroglutamate to cause cancer, but in fact, sodium glutamate will only produce sodium pyroglutamate when the temperature exceeds 120 °C, and the proportion is very small, sodium pyroglutamate is safe, low toxicity, and will not cause cancer. When cooking dishes, put a little MSG in moderation to make the dishes more umami and enhance the taste.

In the lively food street, a young man was eating a burger, and the uncle passing by couldn't help but shake his head. The young man smiled and said to the uncle, "Uncle, this hamburger is not as unhealthy as you think. ”