Did you eat it wrong? ? Will eating pineapple shrimp balls cause indigestion?

Fresh shrimps are shelled, backs opened and intestines removed, then coated with flour and fried, and eaten with a little mayonnaise. At this time, if a small piece of sour and sweet pineapple is added, the greasiness is instantly reduced, and the taste of the dish becomes richer and more layered. This is the "Pineapple Shrimp Balls" that is suitable for all ages and is immediately eaten up as soon as it is served on the table. But, did you know? Eating pineapple and shrimp together may hurt your stomach!

Pineapple tannic acid + shrimp protein → tannic acid protein

It is said that pineapples contain tannic acid and shrimps contain calcium. Eating them together will form calcium tannic acid which is difficult to digest, easily irritating the stomach and intestines and causing vomiting. St. Martin's Hospital nutritionist You Weiming said that consuming large amounts of pineapple and shrimp at the same time may indeed cause gastrointestinal discomfort, but the calcium content of shrimp is not high, it is mainly protein, so it is more accurate to say that the cause of the discomfort is "tannic acid protein" rather than "calcium tannate".

Nutritionist You Weiming explained that tannic acid, also known as tannic acid, is widely found in tea leaves (such as black tea, oolong tea and green tea) and various fruits. It is an alkaline substance. When it meets protein, it will produce an effect similar to the attraction between positive and negative electrons, combining into "tannic acid protein", which is difficult to be broken down in the body and is prone to indigestion in the long term.

Tannic acid protein is difficult to decompose and is prone to indigestion and vomiting

In the past, patients with "persimmon stone disease" were often encountered in clinical practice in autumn. This was because they ate too many persimmons. The tannic acid in the persimmons combined with the protein in meat and eggs to form tannic acid protein, which hindered digestion and irritated the stomach and intestines, causing digestive tract diseases.

Healthy young people have better gastrointestinal function and may not feel the impact of tannin protein on their health. However, for the elderly and children with insufficient secretion of digestive enzymes, it is particularly easy for them to suffer from gastric paresis and indigestion because tannin protein is too difficult to digest and decompose. Tannin protein may even stay in the stomach for a long time because it is not easily consumed. Unlike other chyme, it cannot enter the small intestine normally, resulting in vomiting. In the most serious cases, the respiratory tract may be blocked by vomitus, leading to suffocation.

Don’t eat the delicious pineapple shrimp balls anymore? Pineapple consumption is key

For the sake of gastrointestinal health, do we have to say "NO" to delicious pineapple shrimp balls from now on? Don't be too nervous yet! Nutritionist You Weiming said that tannic acid is not easily destroyed by heat or processing, so whether it is fresh pineapple or canned pineapple, the tannic acid content is similar. According to the average way people eat it, if they don’t consume it in large quantities, and they won’t eat more than one bowl of pineapple, there is no need to worry too much.

Pineapples bite your tongue! Soaking in salt water reduces enzyme activity

On the contrary, pineapples contain precious and unique bromelain, which can soften the meat and break down protein when added to dishes. "Moderate" intake can actually aid digestion and absorption. However, what bothers many people is that the mucous membrane of the human tongue is made of protein, which will decompose when it encounters bromelain, resulting in the irritation of "biting the tongue" or "scratching the mouth". There are many types of enzymes, and bromelain and kiwi enzyme just happen to help break down protein.

How to avoid pineapple biting your tongue? Nutritionist You Weiming said that heating is one way, but enzymes are not heat-resistant and is less recommended. A better method is to soak in salt water. Salt water can change the originally unfolded enzyme structure into a folded state, temporarily inactivating it. When taken into the mouth, it can prevent it from interacting with mucosal proteins and avoid biting the tongue. The bromelain that has been eaten can be restored from a folded state to an unfolded state through the action of gastric acid, continuing to play its role in breaking down proteins and promoting digestion and absorption.