How do mooncakes provide nutritional benefits?
Mooncakes are very sweet and greasy, so they provide a lot of energy. Because they are rich in energy from sugar and fat, for thin children, there is less risk, but for overweight and obese children, and people with chronic nutrition-related diseases, it is a major health risk.
By habit, usually thin children like to eat less, while overweight and obese children are ready to finish them off, and even the sweeter and fattier the cake, the more they like it. Therefore, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, all the hard work of training and the previous diet are considered useless.
Mooncakes are nutritious and have a fragrant, nutty, and greasy taste
The cakes contain a lot of sugar and fat (except for some types for dieters), which in addition to creating a characteristic flavor, is also a measure for preservation.
Regarding the nutritional composition of a mixed filling sticky rice mooncake of about 170g, it provides 566 Kcal, a sticky rice mooncake with 1 egg and mung bean of about 176g contains 648 Kcal (energy is 2–2.5 times higher than a bowl of beef pho).
And in a baked mooncake of 176g mixed filling, it provides 706 Kcal, a baked mooncake with mung bean and 1 egg of 176g provides 648 Kcal.
The amount of carbohydrates in a sticky rice mooncake or a baked mooncake is equal to 2-3 bowls of rice (1 bowl of rice is 258g), and the sugar is mainly in the form of fast-absorbing sugar, causing rapid blood sugar spikes.
If eaten too much, in obese children or children with glucose intolerance, it can cause diabetes. For picky eaters, when eating a piece of cake on an empty stomach, the increased blood sugar will make the child lose their appetite for the main meal and make the child even more anorexic, leading to malnutrition.
Most of the fat in mooncakes from fat meat is a type of fat that does not cause much harm, fat from melon seeds, cashews, sesame has some beneficial unsaturated fatty acids. The amount of fat in a mooncake is equal to 1-2 times the amount of fat in a bowl of beef or chicken pho. The protein in baked mooncakes is quite high, usually animal protein, if not stored well, they are easily spoiled, moldy, causing poisoning. The vitamins in the cake are not very abundant, and they have also been significantly lost during processing and storage.
Eating cake is indigestible due to a lot of fat and animal protein, so only give children a piece (equal to 1/8 of a cake) after a meal, which is enough. After eating, children need to rinse their mouths immediately to avoid tooth decay, especially with sticky rice mooncakes, which will stick tightly to the teeth and cause more tooth decay.
Do not let young children eat too many mooncakes
For obese children, the amount of cake eaten during the day should be limited, and the daily diet should deduct the part provided by the cake. If you eat 1/2 of a sticky rice or baked mooncake, you must reduce about 1 bowl of rice and the corresponding amount of food during the day, and at the same time increase the amount of green vegetables to push the fat out and prevent rapid blood sugar increases. If you do not reduce the portion of rice, remember to walk for another 30 minutes to burn off the excess energy.
For people with chronic nutrition-related diseases, choose products for dieters with less sugar and less fat, however, they must still eat very sparingly to control high blood sugar levels.
Mooncakes of unknown origin increase the risk of food poisoning
Besides nutrition, the issue of food hygiene and safety of mooncakes is also worth discussing. Accordingly, mooncakes are a product with a variety of foods, spices, and food additives (coloring agents, preservatives, anti-mold agents,...).
Each type of ingredient has a risk of food safety: Food is spoiled, food is contaminated with mold, pathogenic bacteria (mold, staphylococcus, cholera, dysentery,...), contaminated with toxic chemicals (growth stimulants, antibiotics, preservatives, plant protection chemicals, banned coloring agents,... due to products past the expiry date, improper storage,...).
Should choose to buy mooncake products at reputable establishments to avoid food poisoning
With the current hot weather, mooncakes are very easy to spoil and cause poisoning. Besides, the processing stage does not ensure hygiene procedures: From raw material preparation, processing area, processing tools, to the hygiene and health of the processor are the reasons why the finished product becomes unsafe for users. Normally, a mooncake has a desiccant pack inside, however, it cannot help preserve the cake for a long time (maximum 2 months after leaving the factory).
For profit, some manufacturers and businesses ignore regulations, stages, and food safety processes, making products easily contaminated, with a risk of causing acute, chronic food poisoning, foodborne diseases, and affecting the health and lives of consumers.
Experience in choosing quality mooncake products
To ensure the food safety of mooncakes, consumers are an important deciding factor. When choosing mooncakes, consumers need to pay attention to the following criteria:
Regarding labeling: The product must have a clear origin including the manufacturer's name, address of the place of production, user manual and storage instructions,... The product has a production date, an expiry
date, it is best to use products that have just left the factory.
Regarding quality: Consumers choose products that are not crushed or deformed, packaging is not torn, no unusual colors, no strange smells. Do not choose or buy floating products of unknown origin.
A happy, warm Mid-Autumn season with family and relatives cannot be without the flavor of traditional mooncakes. Bao Minh Mooncakes preserve and inherit the culinary essence of Ha Thanh cherished in each cake, bringing a unique traditional flavor that is hard to forget.
Source: Compiled
