1 Mooncake = 2 Bowls of Rice
With the arrival of the Mid-Autumn Festival, mooncakes have gradually become a popular gift among friends and relatives. Nutrition experts point out that eight categories of patients should absolutely avoid eating mooncakes, as doing so may endanger their health and trigger disease flare-ups.
These eight conditions are diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, duodenal ulcer, gallstones, gastric disorders, and pancreatitis.
Mooncakes can be categorized into three types based on ingredients: one type has extremely high fat and sugar content, such as double yolk and lotus seed paste mooncakes. Another type has low cholesterol but very high sugar content, like five-nut and bean paste mooncakes. The third type is所谓的 "sugar-free" mooncakes, which actually contain no sucrose.
Diabetics must avoid sweets and should not treat mooncakes as main meals, since the fillings often contain red bean paste, jujube paste, or lard, all of which are high in sugar and fat. The outer dough is usually flaky and made with large amounts of animal fats; consuming too much will cause blood glucose to rise immediately and lead to excessive fat intake. If you eat mooncakes on a given day, you should reduce your rice and fat intake to balance daily nutrition. Even "sugar-free" mooncakes should not be eaten in excess.
Sugar-free mooncakes use sweeteners to improve taste, but this does not mean they lack carbohydrates. Even vegetarian mooncakes with fruit or vegetable fillings, if the outer skin contains starch, these carbohydrates can still convert into glucose and raise blood sugar levels.
Patients with hyperlipidemia should pay special attention to the egg yolks in mooncakes, as they contain high cholesterol. It is generally recommended not to exceed 400 mg of cholesterol per day; one egg yolk contains about 600 to 1500 mg, so patients with hyperlipidemia should consume egg yolk-filled mooncakes sparingly to avoid worsening their condition. Most mooncakes are high in calories, so those who are overweight or obese should be especially cautious—one small egg yolk pastry contains 250 kcal, while a 4- to 5-ounce mooncake has 500 kcal, equivalent to two bowls of rice.
Older adults and infants have weaker digestive systems; overeating mooncakes increases the burden on the spleen and stomach, potentially causing indigestion and diarrhea.