Eating rice dumplings can cause heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux! Doctor: Don’t eat zongzi 2 hours before going to bed

Eat zongzi in a healthy way without overindulgence and without hurting your stomach! During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, enjoy the delicious rice dumplings but don’t gain weight! Doctors warn that eating too many rice dumplings will not only make you overweight, but may also cause heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux, and even the three high problems of high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high blood lipids.

On the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, in order to care about the health of the community residents, New Taipei City Tucheng Hospital held the "Choose Three Less on Dragon Boat Festival, Three Highs Don't Come to Me" event today, the 24th. (Photo provided by New Taipei City Tucheng Hospital)

Eating too many zongzi before going to bed can lead to heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux

Director Zheng Haocai of the Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary Department of New Taipei City Tucheng Hospital said that he once admitted a young man who returned to his hometown for the Dragon Boat Festival. He missed the rice dumplings made by his grandma so much that he ate a few more. As a result, I experienced abdominal bloating and indigestion, which caused gastroesophageal reflux and a "heartburn" feeling when sleeping at night, so painful that I couldn't fall asleep. He went to see a doctor the next day, and his symptoms were relieved after he was prescribed medication.

Doctor: People with diabetes or gastrointestinal diseases should eat zongzi in moderation and avoid eating zongzi 2 hours before going to bed

Director Zheng Haocai said that traditional rice dumplings are made of glutinous rice with high-oil and high-sugar fillings, which can easily lead to excessive oil intake. In addition, because glutinous rice is more sticky, the stomach empties more slowly than ordinary food. The main component of glutinous rice is amylopectin, which breaks down into monosaccharides quickly and can easily increase the rate of blood sugar rise. Diabetic patients should pay special attention to this. For those with poor gastrointestinal function or gastrointestinal diseases, they should eat it in moderation, preferably with fruits and vegetables, and do not eat rice dumplings 2 hours before going to bed.

Nutritionist: Choose rice dumplings with less oil, less salt, less sugar, and more fiber

Nutritionist Qiu Yiwen from New Taipei City Tucheng Hospital reminds us that it is best to choose rice dumplings with less oil, less salt, less sugar and more fiber. With just a few minor adjustments to the ingredients in zongzi, you can make it healthier and more balanced. For example, the pork belly filling can be replaced with lean meat, seafood or chicken, and the egg yolk can be replaced with sweet potato or pumpkin, which are lower in calories. In addition, you can also add mushrooms, bamboo shoots, onions, and carrots to the filling to increase the fiber, which is a healthier choice.

(Form provided by New Taipei City Tucheng Hospital

During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, enjoy the delicious rice dumplings but don’t gain weight! (Photo provided by New Taipei City Tucheng Hospital)

Uneaten zongzi should be packaged and stored at low temperature. The cooled zongzi must be reheated before consumption.

In addition, eating too much rice dumpling sauce will also increase the intake of sugar and sodium. Patients with three highs should pay special attention to this. They can try eating the food in its original flavor, which will be healthier. Eat no more than one zongzi per meal, or choose smaller zongzi with less fat, such as Bing Xin zongzi with mung bean filling, which can reduce the burden on the body and can also be paired with sugar-free tea to remove the greasiness. If there are elderly people or children at home, it is best to cut it into small pieces before eating to avoid choking. In addition, the cooled rice dumplings must be reheated before eating. The rice dumplings that have not been eaten should be packaged and stored at low temperature and eaten as soon as possible.

On the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival, in order to care about the health of the community, New Taipei City Tucheng Hospital held the "Choose Three Less on Dragon Boat Festival, Three Highs Don't Come" event today, the 24th, and invited nutritionists to teach the public how to establish healthy eating habits of "Three Less and One More". There were also health education activities on site, which attracted many people to participate.