1. Eating fruit immediately after a meal
Phenomenon: Many people like to eat fruit after a meal, believing that this way they can supplement the carbohydrates and trace elements needed by the body, and also relieve greasiness. In fact, this is a bad habit.
Result: Over time, it can cause symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.
Reason: After food enters the stomach, it takes 1-2 hours to digest. If you eat fruit immediately after a meal, it will be blocked by the food you ate earlier, causing the fruit to not be digested properly.
2. Drinking strong tea after a meal
Phenomenon: Chinese people love tea, and it seems like a complete service to drink tea with a meal. However, drinking strong tea before or after a meal is a very bad habit!
Result: Indigestion, iron-deficiency anemia.
Reason: Drinking tea after a meal will dilute gastric juice, affecting the digestion of food and the digestion and absorption of nutrients. For example, tea contains theophylline, which can interfere with the absorption of protein and trace elements. Especially when trace elements such as calcium, zinc, and iron are present with theophylline, their absorption rate is significantly reduced. Tea contains a large amount of tannic acid. Drinking tea after a meal will cause undigested protein in the stomach to combine with tannic acid to form indigestible precipitates, affecting protein absorption. In addition, tea will also hinder the absorption of iron, and long-term consumption can even lead to iron-deficiency anemia.
3. Bathing after a meal
Phenomenon: Some people like to take a bath after a good meal, thinking that it promotes blood circulation and is good for their health. Some people get sweaty when they eat and like to take a clean bath after the meal. Others dislike the smell of cooking fumes in restaurants. However, bathing immediately after a meal has a significant impact on the body.
Result: Weakens gastrointestinal digestive function.
Reason: After bathing, blood flow to the body surface increases, and blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract decreases accordingly, which weakens the digestive function of the stomach and intestines, causing indigestion.
4. Walking immediately after a meal
Phenomenon: There are two old sayings in China: one is "A hundred steps after a meal will let you live to ninety-nine," and the other is "To live to ninety-nine, don't walk after a meal." Which of these two sayings is more reliable?
Result: Indigestion.
Reason: For some people, "a hundred steps after a meal" will not only help them live to "ninety-nine," but due to the increase in physical activity, it will affect the absorption of nutrients by the digestive tract.