Fruits are available year-round, but eating too much is not good for your health. Have you ever felt a bit uncomfortable in your stomach after eating? Here are three types of fruits that people with chronic stomach problems should eat less of.
Kiwis relieve constipation but can cause "heartburn"
Kiwis can relieve constipation and are rich in vitamin C, earning them the title "king of fruits." However, Zhu Xinyi, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Internal Medicine at the Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, warns that kiwis are considered "cold" in nature. Overconsumption can damage the spleen and stomach's yang energy, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Furthermore, the large amount of vitamin C and pectin in kiwis can increase stomach acid and burden the stomach, causing symptoms like abdominal pain, acid reflux, and heartburn. These symptoms can worsen in cold weather. During the current cold season, patients with stomach ailments (spleen and stomach yang deficiency) should eat less or even avoid kiwis.
Fresh jujubes are delicious but their skins can irritate the stomach
Winter jujubes are known as natural "vitamin pills." Wang Xingguo, Director of the Nutrition Department at Dalian Central Hospital in Liaoning Province, reminds us that fresh jujubes should not be eaten in large amounts, as they can harm the digestive tract.
This is because jujubes are very high in dietary fiber, and a large intake at once can irritate the stomach and intestines, causing gastrointestinal discomfort. Most of the dietary fiber is in the jujube skin, which is thin, hard, and has sharp edges. If the stomach lining has inflammation or ulcers, it can exacerbate the pain and discomfort.
Fresh jujubes in a large bowl
Hawthorns whet the appetite but can easily lead to stones
Many people find hawthorns appetizing and delicious, and it's easy to overeat them. However, Li Bin, Deputy Director of the Department of Gastroenterology at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, advises that people with poor spleen and stomach function should eat less hawthorn, as excessive consumption can lead to stomach stones.
This is because hawthorns are high in pectin and tannic acid. When they come into contact with stomach acid, they can easily condense into an insoluble precipitate, which, along with food residue, can form stomach stones. These stones can cause gastric ulcers, gastric bleeding, and even gastric wall necrosis and perforation. However, cooking hawthorns before eating can reduce the effect of tannic acid.