Dietary Contraindications and Preferences

There is never a universal standard answer to dietary taboos and preferences. The essence is a dynamic choice that combines physiological basis, cultural disciplines, and individual experience. There is no "universal taboo" that must not be touched, and there is no "optimal preference" worthy of everyone's pursuit. The core yardstick of all judgments is always the individual's physical feeling and the scene in which he or she is located.

Let’s talk about the actual physiological red lines first. I have been a dietary guide for five years, and the most unforgettable taboo I have ever seen is the rigid taboo determined by genes: last year, a user I received was a carrier of G6PD deficiency (commonly known as favismosis). When he was a child, he ate half a plate of broad beans cooked at home and went directly to the ICU for rescue. This taboo has no room for negotiation. If you touch it, you will make fun of your body. There is also a more common lactose intolerance. A girl from the Northeast around me usually drinks room-temperature milk with warm water. Last time, she was greedy and drank half a cup of iced American with whole milk. She ran to the toilet four times in the afternoon and squatted until her legs were weak. This is not "spoiled", but the body lacks the enzyme to break down lactose. If you insist on drinking it, you will suffer. Speaking of which, we have to mention the concept of "hair food" that has been controversial for several years. There is no such term in the Western medicine system. It is generally believed that as long as there is no clear allergic reaction, most foods can be consumed normally. ； However, traditional Chinese medicine and many people with practical experience will feel that hair products correspond to the stress reactions of different bodies. For example, people with hot and humid constitutions have just had surgery and their wounds are indeed prone to redness, swelling and itching after eating a lot of mutton and seafood. In this case, there is no need to argue about right or wrong. Just adjust according to your own body's reaction. There is no need to label it as "feudal superstition" or "unscientific".

After talking about physical limitations, let’s talk about cultural taboos and preferences engraved in living habits. When I went to Ningxia for team building a few years ago, I deliberately did not mention pork-related topics during the meal, and I would not take out the pork breasts I brought in my bag to eat. This is not a "deliberate accommodation", but a basic respect for the other party's cultural customs. This taboo has nothing to do with physiology. It is a consensus engraved in group life. It is the same reason that people in Jiangsu and Zhejiang love to add sugar when cooking, and people in Sichuan and Chongqing always add butter when cooking hot pot. They are all choices infiltrated by the living environment all year round. There is no right or wrong. Of course, these are not rigid rules. I know a Hui friend who grew up in Xi'an and now works in Shenzhen for a long time. During company dinners, as long as the dishes are made in separate pots and do not contain pork, he will not specifically ask for a separate small stove. Flexible adjustment is the norm. There is no need to impose rigid rules on everyone.

There are also many people's dietary preferences and taboos. To be honest, they are derived from childhood memories. They don't make any sense but they just can't be changed. My best friend grew up with her grandmother when she was a child. Every time her grandmother would treat her cough, she would stew pears with a little bit of Sichuan scallops. As a result, she now feels at ease when she drinks Sichuan scallops and pears stewed. Even if she takes medicine when she catches a cold, she still has to stew a bowl of it to feel at ease. ； On the other hand, another friend of mine was greedy and ate too many oysters at a buffet when he was a child. He had vomiting and diarrhea for three days. Now, even if oysters from a Michelin restaurant are served to him, he will turn away and leave. Do you think this is hypocritical? It's really not true, it's just that the body has formed a conditioned reflex, and it would be uncomfortable to force it on him. I have been in this business for so long, and the most annoying thing is the kind of people who always like to persuade others, "Just have a taste, and nothing will happen to you." You don't know what kind of experience the other person is hiding behind, so casual advice is really rude.

Oh, by the way, there are still many man-made "pseudo-taboos" on the Internet, such as "eating fruits at night is a cooling poison" and "eating vitamin C with shrimps will cause poisoning" are all nonsense. Last summer, I ate oranges and braised prawns at the same time, and nothing happened. There are also a bunch of rigid rules listed for you by various popular diets. For example, ketogenic diet does not allow you to touch any refined carbohydrates, and vegetarian diet does not allow you to touch any animal products. If you follow the doctor's advice to regulate your body for a short period of time, it will be fine.

After all, diet is the most personal thing, and you don’t have to live according to other people’s lists. When you encounter other people's taboos, don't be curious and try to persuade them. Eat whatever you feel comfortable with, as long as it doesn't affect your health or offend others. If you want something sweet, add two more spoons of sugar. If you can't eat spicy food, don't force yourself to join the hot pot party. To put it bluntly, having fun eating is more important than any "perfect diet" rules.