Top 10 Foods During Tet That Lead to Rapid Weight Gain

In the minds of Vietnamese people, the image of green sticky rice cakes (Banh Chung, Banh Tet) is not just a dish but has become a symbolic tradition for Tet holiday. Perhaps when Tet comes in Vietnam, it is also the time when these cakes return to every home. Banh Chung (in the North) and Banh Tet (in the South) are two traditional cakes that cannot be missed on the Tet feast of every Vietnamese family. However, nutritionists have pointed out that each large Banh Chung or Banh Tet contains over 1600 calories.

This excessive amount of calories and starch, when entering the body, will be metabolized into glucose and stored short-term as glycogen. Normally, the body can only store about 200 - 500g of glycogen. The excess amount, if not burned, will turn into fat and accumulate in fat tissues. Therefore, consuming too many Banh Chung or Banh Tet will quickly lead to weight gain that cannot be controlled. If you don't want to gain weight rapidly, you should only eat Banh Chung or Banh Tet in the morning or at lunch and only consume about 100g per meal.

Frozen meat is a delicious dish always present on the traditional Tet feast. Made from pork shanks, pork skin, pig ears... this dish is simmered with agar and various spices to create a colorful and eye-catching dish. Not only during Tet, but also every winter and spring, this dish is highly favored by many. With the characteristic of being rich in protein but not causing satiety, frozen meat is a preferred dish on the Tet feast table. Frozen meat is an indispensable dish in the traditional Tet of the Northern people. However, frozen meat contains a lot of protein and fat, making it easy for you to gain weight.

Frozen meat is often made from pork, which contains a lot of non-saturated fat that can increase cholesterol levels in the blood, leading to the accumulation of excess fat and belly fat. If you don't want your weight to increase rapidly, you should eat frozen meat with pickled onions to aid digestion and limit the accumulation of excess fat in the body.

Pork rolls, pork sausages, cinnamon sausages... are also characteristic dishes of Tet. Pork rolls are made from pieces of pig ears, nose, and tail cut into pieces, stir-fried until cooked, then tightly wrapped with banana leaves. With a composition containing a lot of fat meat, it is very rich in protein, fat, and saturated fatty acids. Each piece of pork roll weighing 100g contains over 500 calories.

According to nutrition experts' calculations, you risk gaining about 1 - 1.5kg if you eat pork rolls every day for just one week during the Tet holiday along with other main dishes. That's why it's not difficult to explain why this dish makes our weight increase rapidly.

Chinese sausage is a dish that many people love and cannot be missed in the Tet menu of many families. Most Chinese sausages are made from pork, with ingredients such as pork fat and pork intestines. Therefore, Chinese sausages contain a lot of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids, which are not good for heart health and related lipid metabolism diseases in general.

Chinese sausage also often contains a lot of salt, so it has a negative impact on blood pressure. In addition, according to nutrition experts, there are up to 604 Kcal in 100g of Chinese sausage, so if it is absorbed into the body, this will be a huge source of energy for a sudden weight gain.

Braised pork with eggs is a distinctive cultural feature during Tet in the South of Vietnam. This dish typically consists of pork, coconut water, and eggs, resulting in a high calorie content per serving. The braised pork is tender, flavorful, and energy-rich, favored by many. However, it's not a dish you can indulge in freely as it can quickly lead to weight gain due to its high cholesterol and fatty acid content.

Each serving, comprising about 50 grams of pork and an egg, provides an average of 300 kcal, with 70% of the energy coming from fat. It's best to avoid versions with excessive fat and sugar. When eating, it's recommended to start with the egg, followed by the lean meat, and accompanied by pickles and raw vegetables to balance nutrition and increase fiber intake to limit fat absorption. Besides its weight-gaining potential, this dish is also high in fat, not conducive to heart health, and may exacerbate hypertension and metabolic disorders. Therefore, it's advisable not to consume too much braised pork with eggs during Tet.

Beer, soft drinks are particularly favored beverages during Tet. However, they harbor many health risks for consumers. These products contain very high sugar content, which is a major cause of diabetes and obesity in both adults and children.

A 500ml soft drink can provide 250-300 kcal and contains a lot of sugar causing weight gain and adverse health effects. These beverages need to be used in moderation. Beer is also an energy-dense drink that can contribute to weight gain and have adverse health effects. A 330ml glass of beer provides 141 kcal, and drinking 3-5 glasses of beer can provide a significant amount of energy. Additionally, the preservatives in them also pose long-term health threats. Therefore, it's advisable to limit the consumption of these beverages during Tet and in daily life.

Preserved fruits are made from various fruits and roots. Despite originating from fruits, preserved fruits undergo processing stages that significantly alter their nutritional value. Through processes like boiling, drying, etc., most of the fruits lose their nutritional content. Then, these nutrient-depleted fruits are coated with sugar and cooked to become preserved fruits.

However, sugar is not suitable for those who are overweight, obese, or have high blood pressure... Therefore, preserved fruits are one of the main causes of weight gain because with this snack, we often find it difficult to control the amount consumed daily.

Fruits are always considered healthy for weight loss, but dried fruits are different, just a small handful can quickly add 100 calories to your body. Due to the dehydration process during processing, dried fruits have a higher calorie content than fresh fruits, consuming them too quickly and too much can lead to weight gain. According to MayoClinic, dried fruits are also likely to make you overeat, thus leading to obesity.

This is a common issue for many people because this type of food is extremely tempting. With their fragrant and sweet taste, dried fruits are diverse and never boring to eat. Many people frequently snack on dried fruits, especially tropical fruits such as dried durian, dried jackfruit, dried strawberries... Dried fruits are indeed delicious, but the amount of sugar in them is something you need to consider when eating. Because they can easily make you gain weight.

Enjoy the classic: French fries!

French fries, a beloved snack, often contain a substantial amount of calories, typically over 400 calories for a 120g serving. Moreover, they are often paired with dipping sauces like ketchup, chili sauce, all of which are high in sugar.