New YearcakesKnowledge introduction:

During festivals and New Year, glutinous rice cakes are often made fromrice（sorghum）orglutinousrice flour,and various ingredients.

There are many types of glutinous rice cakes; notable examples include northern China's white steamed cake,milletcakes from the north, southern China's water ground rice cakes,and Taiwan's red turtle cakes.

Northern glutinous rice cakes are mainlysteamedor fried and are generally sweet;Southern glutinous rice cakes can be steamed, fried, sliced stir-fried or boiled, with both sweet and savory flavors.

It is said that the earliest glutinous rice cakes were used for New Year sacrifices to gods and ancestors,

and later became a traditional New Year food.As suggested by a poem from late Qing dynasty: "People often desire to be high, making food with homophones; this symbolizes that each year surpasses the last, and is intended to wish for a bountiful year.”

Nutritional analysis of glutinous rice cakes:

Glutinous rice cakes containprotein,fat, carbohydrates, nicotinic acid, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, etc., nutrients.

Suitable groups for consumption:

General population can consume them.

Elders, children, or the sick should be cautious;Obese people, those with diabetes,or other chronic conditions such as kidney disease and highcholesterol

should eat in moderation.

Glutinous rice cakes should be heated before consumption; cold glutinous rice cakes can be very hard to digest.