讀後心得

A study from 2020 found that drinking soup can reduce the risk of obesity by 15% because soup is low in calories and high in moisture, which increases satiety. However, people in Taiwan often drink soup after eating, which can lead to excessive calorie and fat intake, especially from high-calorie soups like 麻油雞湯 (Sesame Oil Chicken Soup). Experts remind us to choose healthy soups and pair them with high-fiber vegetables to control calorie intake and avoid increasing the risk of cholesterol and high blood fat.

In 2020, a scholarly statistical study covering seven observational studies (including 45,292 participants) concluded that drinking soup can reduce the risk of obesity by 15%. The main reason for this phenomenon is that most soups are low in calories and high in moisture, which can effectively increase satiety and thus decrease overall calorie intake. Therefore, those who often drink soup tend to gain less weight. However, these studies mainly come from the West and Japan, where foreign soups are relatively less oily, such as Japanese miso soup and Thai tom yum soup, which are lower in calories and won't cause obesity when consumed regularly.

Gastroenterologists point out that the dining habits of people in Taiwan differ from this. We usually drink soup only after we are "full" from the main course, whereas in Western cuisine, soup is part of the appetizer that is consumed before cold dishes and the main course. Additionally, people who enjoy drinking soup often believe that warm soup is the essence of food, frequently consuming bowl after bowl, and even finishing the whole pot, which can lead to excessive intake of fats and calories. For instance, a bowl of sesame oil chicken soup contains about 450 calories, equivalent to two bowls of white rice, making it indeed difficult to avoid weight gain by drinking more soup.

Choosing the right soup is also very important, as one must be cautious about the hidden dangers of cholesterol and high blood lipids. Recently, a Vietnamese daughter-in-law in Taiwan sought medical attention due to severe fatty liver, with a weight of 83 kg, which is quite unusual in Vietnam, known for its low average body weight. This is because Vietnamese cuisine often uses methods such as boiling, steaming, or grilling, with less frying. She mentioned that her weight before pregnancy was 52 kg, but during her postpartum confinement, she consumed sesame oil chicken soup daily, resulting in a weight gain of 30 kg, and she still has not been able to regain her previous weight. Moreover, meats such as ribs have a high fat content, and if soup is made using parts with a lot of fat, it increases the cholesterol and saturated fatty acid content of the soup; just drinking the soup may lead to rising cholesterol levels, posing a hidden risk of high blood lipids.

Therefore, it is recommended to enjoy delicious food with moderation, focusing more on meat and reducing soup consumption. Additionally, it is advisable to consume more high-fiber vegetables, as dietary fiber can slow down fat breakdown, accelerate intestinal clearance, and reduce bile acid reabsorption, thereby achieving the effect of lowering cholesterol.