People should eat zongzi (粽子, glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) in moderation and use healthier ingredients, health authorities said yesterday as the Dragon Boat Festival approaches.
Zongzi contains excessive calories, and insufficient fiber, vitamins and minerals, so it can be a burden to health, the Ministry of Health and Welfare told a news conference.
Citing a study conducted from 2018 to 2022, the ministry said that 71 percent of Taiwanese older than 19 daily consumed excessive amounts of salt and 17.2 percent consumed excessive amounts of sugar.
Photo courtesy of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital
The research showed that 88.5 percent of Taiwanese did not eat enough fruits, 98 percent did not consume enough dairy products, and 87.9 percent did not eat enough seeds and nuts, it said.
Zongzi ingredients can include a broader variety of vegetables to alleviate health concerns, Health Promotion Agency (HPA) Deputy Director-General Chia Shu-li (賈淑麗) said.
Most commercially available zongzi the agency sampled contained excess sodium, salt and sugar while almost entirely lacking fruits and vegetables, HPA official Chin Yi-hua (秦義華) said.
People should eat lighter-flavored zongzi, favor those made with whole grains, and eat no more than one portion per meal, or share their portion with someone, Chin said.
Soy glaze, honey and other dips should be used sparingly, he said.
Consumers should inspect quality certifications and expiry dates on the product labels of dips and make sure their packaging is intact, Food and Drug Administration Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said.
Sauces should be scooped out of the containers with clean and dry utensils to ensure their preservation, he said.
Expiration dates for sauces apply only if the packaging remains unopened and once opened, sauces should be refrigerated and consumed as soon as possible, he said.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said that if South Korea does not reply appropriately to its request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, it would take corresponding measures to alter how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. The ministry said that it changed the nationality for South Koreans on Taiwan’s Alien Resident Certificates from “Korea” to “South Korea” on March 1, in a gesture of goodwill and based on the
Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. The jet will undergo a final acceptance flight in the US before being delivered to Taiwan, the
The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council said today. The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, would be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, while the Sanyin Line would link New Taipei City's Tucheng and Yingge stations via Sanxia District (三峽). The council gave the updates at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for this year. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget would remain at NT$800 billion (US$25.08 billion), with NT$97.3
RSS