Is it reliable to eat meal replacement foods to achieve rapid weight loss?
Summer is here, in order to show their legs and waist, many people have started their own weight loss plan, dieting, fasting, fitness, taking medicine and other tricks.
In the era of "slimness" as beauty, many people believe in "one white covering the ugliness, one fat ruining everything". Behind the joking remarks reflects the current young people's emphasis on weight and body.
At the same time, the "Report on the Status of Nutrition and Chronic Diseases of Chinese Residents (2020)" shows that the overweight and obesity rate of adult residents in my country is more than 50%, and the situation of overweight and obesity is severe. Obesity causes diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The prevalence and incidence of several chronic diseases are also on the rise.
Whether it is the beauty of the mind or the consideration of physical health, weight loss has increasingly become the goal of many people, and even the "career" they are striving to pursue.
However, although society has increased demand for weight loss and the weight loss army has grown stronger, the number of actions that can be implemented through scientific and healthy weight loss methods is limited.
Many people shout weight loss slogans without opening their legs or controlling their mouths. They hope to "lie down and lose weight" and hope that they can lose weight quickly without exercising and only relying on "eating", but this way of losing weight Is it really reliable?
Gu Zhongyi, a registered dietitian in China and director of the Beijing Dietitian Association, reminded that it is generally recommended to adopt a low-calorie balanced diet combined with adequate exercise to lose weight.
“Young people should be careful not to always think about taking shortcuts, adjusting their values, and devoting more time to rest, exercise and cooking at home, gradually eating healthier, and adapting to their own lifestyle and rhythm of life.”
In order to meet the needs of modern young people for a quick and easy way to lose weight, the market for meal replacement foods that has been a gimmick to lose weight has risen rapidly in the past two years.
Meal replacement foods are characterized by low-energy, high-fiber, rich nutrient elements, and satiety, attracting a large number of light luxury, middle-class white-collar workers who lose weight.
Statistics show that the number of sales staff and consumers in my country's meal replacement industry is currently rising steadily, and the market size may reach 120 billion yuan in 2022.
In 2019, the number of Chinese meal replacement brands was 2,837, and in 2020 it will increase to 3,540.
In addition to Internet celebrity brands, the sports and health field have also launched meal replacement products, and even traditional well-known companies have gradually poured into the meal replacement market.
Gu Zhongyi believes that the main reason why meal replacement foods are popular is that they are easy to quantify, and their formulas are more precise. Compared with many foods of poor diet quality, scientifically matched meal replacements are often more nutritious. Comprehensive, including protein, dietary fiber and other ingredients.
Although meal replacement foods are not directly harmful to the body like some weight-loss drugs, long-term consumption can also cause harm to the body.
Gu Zhongyi said in an interview with a reporter from Workers’ Daily that it is generally not recommended to consume meal replacement foods for a long time, because except for some special formula foods, ordinary meal replacement foods often have a single nutrient element and cannot meet all the nutrients needed in a day. If the meal replacement is eaten completely for a long time, it will easily lead to the deficiency of some nutrients.
From the perspective of preventing various chronic diseases, eating a variety of natural foods and a large amount of plant-based foods is more in line with the needs of preventing chronic diseases, and there is little health evidence in this aspect of meal replacement foods.
In addition, since meal replacement foods are mostly milkshakes or prepared solid beverages, the blood sugar response of this kind of food is relatively high, which poses a potential threat to the body.
Other experts have also made it clear that it is not advisable to eat meal replacement foods for a long time and can be used as a solution for no time to eat, but it cannot replace a balanced daily diet, and try not to exceed one meal a day.
Eating only meal replacement every day does not meet the basic metabolic needs of the human body. Long-term consumption can cause symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, and dizziness, and may even cause endocrine disorders and gastrointestinal inflammation, as well as female amenorrhea, organ degeneration and other problems
"If it is for weight control, you are unlikely to eat meal replacements for the rest of your life. To some extent, eating meal replacements is equivalent to eating less, and if you can do this, then eat regular food quantitatively. You can also lose weight." Gu Zhongyi said.
Tao Wen