On the 15th day of the first lunar month, just after the Spring Festival, one of the traditional festivals of the Han nationality in China is celebrated: Lantern Festival. The first month of the lunar calendar is called "Yuan" month, and ancient people referred to night as "xiao", hence the name Yuanxiao Festival for the 15th day of the first month. The 15th day of the first month is the first full moon night of the year, symbolizing the renewal of all things and the return of spring. People celebrate this occasion, continuing the celebration of the new spring. The Lantern Festival is also known as the "Shangyuan Festival." According to Chinese folk traditions, on this bright moonlit night, people light up thousands of colorful lanterns to celebrate. Activities include moon viewing, lighting fireworks, guessing lantern riddles, eating glutinous rice balls (yuanxiao), family reunions, and celebrating the festival with joy.
Delicious yuanxiao is an indispensable part of the Lantern Festival, but how much do you know about the ways to eat them? Experts provide a detailed introduction to the techniques of eating yuanxiao:
1. Do not eat spoiled yuanxiao. Once the color of the yuanxiao changes, it should not be consumed. Since glutinous rice contains a lot of water, yuanxiao bought home and left uneaten for a long time can easily spoil. Additionally, glutinous rice flour contains a large amount of yeast, which appears as pink-colored red yeast colonies. When it contaminates glutinous rice flour, it proliferates under appropriate humidity and temperature. The discoloration of yuanxiao significantly reduces its nutritional value, losing the original flavor and texture. The skin of the yuanxiao becomes hard, less sticky, slightly sour, and prone to food poisoning, making it unsuitable for consumption. It's recommended to buy and eat yuanxiao as needed, without storing it for too long.
2. Choose the filling wisely. The fillings include sesame, peanuts, various nuts, and red bean paste. Nut-based ingredients have higher nutritional value, and red bean paste also contains a fair amount of protein and minerals. In comparison, chocolate-filled ones have the lowest nutritional value. Therefore, people can choose yuanxiao based on the filling.
3. Avoid eating yuanxiao for breakfast. Yuanxiao is high in calories and sugar and contains oil, but lacks nutrients. Besides calories and sugar, it doesn't offer much other nutrition. This type of food is unsuitable for breakfast because it lacks nutrients and because the gastrointestinal function is weakest in the morning. The outer layer of yuanxiao is mostly made from glutinous rice, which is sticky and difficult to digest. Eating yuanxiao for breakfast can easily lead to indigestion, causing symptoms like acid reflux or heartburn, affecting one's work and life for the day.
4. Don't overeat yuanxiao. Apart from avoiding eating yuanxiao for breakfast, it’s best not to make it your main meal. Eating a little between meals, such as after breakfast at nine or ten o'clock in the morning or as an afternoon snack, is fine. However, eating one or two liang (about 50-100 grams) each time is sufficient. While eating yuanxiao, avoid consuming other high-sugar foods; reduce intake of other staple foods. Generally, eating three yuanxiao means reducing half a liang of staple food. If eaten as a late-night snack close to bedtime, it's best to avoid yuanxiao altogether, as it's difficult to digest and may burden the gastrointestinal tract. After eating yuanxiao, it's best to stay active for more than two hours before sleeping.
5. Pairing food with yuanxiao has its own considerations. When eating yuanxiao, reduce stir-fried dishes and opt for more cold dishes, braised, steamed, and boiled cooking methods, controlling the total fat intake for the day.
6. Reduce oil intake. Tangyuan and yuanxiao fillings not only contain sugar but also a considerable amount of solid fat. Eating three tangyuan is equivalent to eating a dish of fried food. Therefore, if you eat tangyuan, consume less oil during that meal or day. Otherwise, excessive fat and calories are unavoidable.
7. Avoid frying yuanxiao. Fried yuanxiao might be crispier and more appealing to children, so some mothers prefer frying them for their kids. However, experts point out that frying increases the already high oil content of yuanxiao, so it's not recommended. Fried yuanxiao is harder and can damage the stomach and esophageal mucosa.
8. Best eaten hot. Yuanxiao is made by rolling dry powder into balls, with smaller fillings and more powder, resulting in a firmer texture when cooked. Tangyuan, on the other hand, is made by wrapping wet glutinous rice dough around larger fillings, resulting in a softer texture when cooked. From the perspective of starch digestion, yuanxiao is slightly harder to digest than tangyuan. For those who have difficulty digesting fats, tangyuan is more challenging. Therefore, it's best to eat tangyuan while it's hot. It becomes even harder to digest when cold. People with digestive issues or gastric ulcers should eat less, chew slowly to avoid burns, and avoid consuming too much oil. Chew carefully when eating yuanxiao to avoid discomfort in the stomach.
9. Warm frozen yuanxiao before eating. Some people enjoy the fresh taste of "ice yuanxiao." However, "ice yuanxiao" can be related to cold-related health concerns, such as worsening cervical spondylosis due to cold stimulation or preventing asthma triggered by environmental factors during winter relocations. Thus, it's advisable to let frozen yuanxiao warm up before eating.