After the false advertisement that “one vegetable candy is equal to a plate of vegetables” but in reality a whole box of 30 candy pieces is equivalent to 6g of fiber, many people told each other how to make vegetable candy at home with the goal of ensuring both safety and savings.
On social networks, people share how to make vegetable candy at home - Screenshot
However, do these processed vegetable candies provide enough nutrition and are good for health?
Trend of making vegetable candy at home
On social networks in recent days, many accounts have shared how to make vegetable candy at home. In the video, account LN shares how to make vegetable candy using available ingredients such as vegetables, fruits of your choice combined with gelatin powder (a type of thickener).
After selecting the vegetables and fruits, the preparation is also very simple. Put all the ingredients into a blender and puree, then cook in a non-stick pan, add gelatin powder. After having the vegetable mixture, just pour it into a silicon mold and wait about 3-4 hours to get the product which is vegetable candy.
Many people seem to enjoy and "follow the trend" of making vegetable candy at home as a nutritious dish, providing more fiber for family members.
However, nutritionists say that overusing or replacing vegetables and fruits with vegetable candy will not provide enough nutrition and fiber for the body.
Talking to Tuoi Tre Online , Ms. Nguyen Thi Lam - former deputy director of the National Institute of Nutrition shared that natural fiber from vegetables, tubers and fruits plays a very important role in health, and nothing can replace it.
Fiber helps prevent chronic diseases such as: cardiovascular disease, overweight and obesity, diabetes, constipation, cancer...
Foods high in fiber make us feel full quickly, reducing our appetite for other foods. Fiber in foods promotes digestion, helps to expel waste from the body more quickly and thus reduces the presence of toxins in the body.
According to the recommendation on fruit and vegetable consumption for Vietnamese people by the Institute of Nutrition approved by the Ministry of Health, the fruit and vegetable consumption for Vietnamese people is 480 - 560g/day (equivalent to 6-7 units of fruit and vegetables, each unit is 80g), of which vegetable consumption is from 240 - 320g/day and ripe fruit consumption is 240g/day.
Fresh vegetables are still the top priority
According to Dr. Lam, homemade vegetable candies like the ones above should only be used for children who are lazy to eat vegetables and should be used temporarily, not as a replacement. Because with these candies, it is not known how many candies the child will eat in a day, whether they will meet the recommended vegetable needs or not.
"Besides, eating cooked vegetables is still better. Parents can cook them with meat, shrimp, fat... to provide more nutrition for children. In addition, when there is fat in the diet, it helps the body absorb beta-carotene and convert it into vitamins A, E, D, K,...", Dr. Lam emphasized.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh, former lecturer at the Institute of Biotechnology and Food, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, also believes that the best fiber supplement is one that the body absorbs from natural foods.
Although fiber is not considered a nutrient, it plays an essential role in supporting the digestive system. Fiber helps increase intestinal motility, thereby improving digestion and absorption of other nutrients.
Mr. Thinh said that eating vegetables not only provides fiber but also vitamins, minerals and important biological active substances. These nutrients help the body stay healthy and strengthen the body's resistance.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dan-mang-mach-nhau-tu-lam-keo-rau-cu-co-tot-cho-suc-khoe-20250310122424549.htm
Comment (0)