Dietary principles for weight loss and commonly used weight loss recipes (Part 1)

Ancient Chinese health experts proposed the concepts of "external nourishment" and "internal nourishment" in dietary health preservation: "People know that food nourishes life, but they don't know that an imbalanced diet can also harm life... Those skilled in health preservation nourish the internal, while those unskilled nourish the external. Nourishing the internal involves calming the internal organs, regulating the blood vessels, and ensuring the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body, preventing illness. Nourishing the external involves indulging in the desires of the palate, pursuing the finest flavors, and indulging in the pleasures of food. Although the body may be plump and the complexion radiant, the harsh Qi internally erodes the internal organs, weakening the spirit. How can one maintain harmony and achieve longevity?" Traditional Chinese dietary health preservation methods are effective for strengthening and maintaining health in healthy individuals, and their therapeutic effects on various diseases are also confirmed. The following principles should be followed in dietary therapy for obesity.

1. Dietary control is crucial for treating obesity. This involves strengthening dietary management, controlling nutrient intake, and employing methods such as short-term fasting therapy, intermittent fasting therapy, and various weight-loss diets. Most scholars favor low-calorie, low-carbohydrate, or high-protein diets for dietary management, aiming to achieve weight loss by controlling calorie intake. A low-calorie diet can create a negative energy balance in the body, thereby consuming stored fat.

(1) For mild obesity, the main focus should be on controlling the amount of absorbable carbohydrates in food and reducing calorie intake, especially limiting sweets, pastries, peanuts, and beer. It is advisable to eat more fruits and vegetables. A weight loss of 500-1000g per month is ideal.

(2) For moderate obesity, diet must be strictly controlled. The total daily calorie intake should be controlled within 5023 kJ (1200 kcal), and the weight loss should be 500-1000g per week. If there is no effect after more than 2 weeks, the calorie intake can be reduced to 3348-4186 kJ (800-1000 kcal) per day.

(3) For severe obesity, a low-calorie diet should be used first, with the total daily calorie intake controlled at 1674–2511 kJ (400–600 kcal). If this is ineffective, fasting therapy or intermittent fasting therapy should be used. Fasting therapy begins with a continuous fast of 7–14 days, providing only water, vitamins, and necessary minerals and trace elements. However, many scholars oppose fasting therapy, believing that while weight loss occurs in the short term, it can lead to protein depletion, increasing the risk of ketoacidosis, hypotension, irritability, vomiting, nausea, and nervousness. Therefore, the pros and cons should be weighed, and the approach should be tailored to the individual.

2. The diet should be adjusted according to the changing seasons, with variations in temperature. This is especially important for the dietary management of obesity. Ancient my country had a dietary principle of "five grains for nourishment, five fruits for assistance, five meats for benefit, and five vegetables for supplementation," a principle that remains highly valid from a modern nutritional perspective and has been affirmed by many nutritionists both domestically and internationally. Grains should be the staple food, supplemented by chicken, fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products, with additional vegetables and fruits. A balanced diet with a proper mix of staple and non-staple foods ensures a complete range of nutrients and harmonious flavors. The diet for obesity should provide ample amounts of vegetables and fruits, which are high in fiber, minerals, and vitamins, while appropriately controlling the intake of grains and high-fat foods.

3. A balanced diet, avoiding picky eating and overeating, is one of the keys to preventing obesity. The Chinese people have rich experience in dietary health: "Eat less for better taste, eat more for harm"; "To stay healthy, don't overeat; reduce your dinner portion, and you'll live to ninety-nine"; "Don't overeat when hungry, don't drink excessively when thirsty, eat until you're 80% full, and you'll stay healthy." These are all effective dietary health maxims, the main spirit of which is to control your diet and truly achieve "eat well in the morning, eat your fill at noon, and eat less in the evening," which is crucial for preventing obesity.

4. Dietary therapy for weight loss: The following categories of foods can be eaten regularly for weight loss:

Grains include: mung beans, oats, corn, soybeans, sweet potatoes, Job's tears, red beans, sunflower seeds, etc.

Vegetables include: winter melon, cucumber, pumpkin, bamboo shoots, spinach, pea sprouts, pickled vegetables, chili peppers, lotus root, tomatoes, white radish, carrots, frozen tofu, mushrooms, chives, bok choy, garlic, onions, etc.

Seafood includes: kelp, black moss, mussels, oyster meat, laver, etc.

Poultry and egg products include: quail meat, chicken egg whites, pigeon meat, etc.

Fruits include: watermelon, fig, apple, pear, hawthorn, persimmon, lemon, cherry, pineapple, orange, banana, grape, etc.

Other non-staple food items include: shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, goji berries, konjac, turnips, daylilies, lotus leaves, and tea.

[Ingredients] 250g lettuce, a pinch of salt, appropriate amounts of cooking wine and MSG.

[Preparation] Peel and wash the lettuce, cut it into thin strips, add a little salt, stir well to remove the juice, add the seasonings, mix well and it is ready to eat.

[Efficacy]Strengthens the spleen and promotes urination.

[Ingredients] Enoki mushrooms and cucumber, in appropriate amounts.

[Preparation] Remove the roots from the enoki mushrooms, blanch them in boiling water, drain, and then add washed and finely shredded cucumber and seasonings before eating.

[Efficacy] Enoki mushrooms are a type of edible fungus that is high in protein and low in fat. They have a good weight loss effect on simple obesity and are sometimes called "weight loss mushrooms" abroad.

[Ingredients] 750g fresh tender cucumber, 100g lean pork, 3g angelica root, 10g ginger, 2g salt, 30g vinegar, 50g sugar and 50g vegetable oil.

[Preparation] Wash the cucumber, remove both ends, cut into 3cm long sections, then cut into thick shreds; wash the ginger and cut into thin shreds; wash the angelica root; wash the pork, boil it in boiling water until cooked, remove and let cool, then shred; place the pork and cucumber shreds in a bowl, add sugar, vinegar, ginger, and salt, and mix well. Heat oil in a clean wok until it reaches 80% of its maximum temperature, then remove the wok from the heat. Immediately add the angelica root slices and let them infuse with aroma. Remove the angelica root and discard it. Pour the oil over the cucumber shreds and mix well. It is ready to eat.

[Efficacy] Nourishes Yin and moistens dryness, clears heat and promotes diuresis. It can help obese people lose weight.

[Ingredients] 400g celery, 50g rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, 6g salt, appropriate amount of MSG and starch, 50g vegetable oil.

[Preparation] Remove the leaves and roots from the celery, wash it, and cut it into sections about 2cm long. Mix with salt for about 10 minutes, then rinse with clean water and drain. Slice the shiitake mushrooms and mix them with vinegar, MSG, and cornstarch in a bowl. Add about 50ml of water to make a thickening sauce. Heat a wok over high heat, add 50g of oil, and when the oil starts to smoke, add the celery and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry quickly. Pour in the thickening sauce and stir-fry quickly before serving.

[Efficacy] Calms the liver and clears heat. It is a good health-preserving dish for patients with hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and hyperlipidemia caused by liver yang hyperactivity.

[Ingredients] 200g pork hind leg meat, 100g hawthorn slices, 30g water chestnuts, 2 egg whites, 15g starch, 15g flour, 120g white sugar, 15g lard, 500g vegetable oil, a little salt and MSG, and an appropriate amount of clear broth.

[Preparation] Remove the pits from the hawthorn slices and extract 100ml of concentrated hawthorn juice using the water decoction method. Cut the meat into thin slices 3cm long and 1cm wide. Put the egg white and starch in a bowl and mix with chopsticks to form a white paste. Then add flour and mix well. Set aside. Cut the water chestnuts into thick slices. Add vegetable oil to a wok and heat to medium-high heat. Dip each meat slice in the batter and fry until golden brown. When the meat slices puff up and turn yellowish-white, remove them from the wok and drain the oil. Put the wok back on the heat, add half a spoonful of water and white sugar, and stir with a spoon. When the sugar syrup thickens, add the concentrated hawthorn juice and a little lard, stir well, then add the water chestnut slices and meat slices to the wok. Stir several times until the red sauce coats the meat slices. Serve immediately.

[Efficacy] Nourishes Yin and strengthens the spleen, improves appetite and aids digestion. This formula is good at promoting digestion and is suitable for those who suffer from abdominal distension and pain due to food stagnation. Hawthorn can also lower blood pressure and blood lipids, so this formula can treat hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, indigestion, obesity, and other conditions.