Sweet potatoes, also known as yams, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, etc., are annual plants of the Convolvulaceae family. They are rich in dietary fiber, carotene, vitamins A, B, C, E, and minerals such as potassium, iron, copper, selenium, and calcium. They are highly nutritious and have been rated by the World Health Organization as the number one among the "Top Ten Best Vegetables". However, it's important to note that there are proper ways to eat sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes must be steamed or cooked thoroughly before eating because the starch granules in them are difficult to digest without being broken down by high temperatures.
Sweet potatoes contain an oxidase enzyme that can easily produce a large amount of carbon dioxide gas in the human gastrointestinal tract. Eating too many sweet potatoes can cause bloating, belching, and flatulence. Sweet potatoes have a high sugar content, and eating too much can stimulate the excessive secretion of stomach acid, making people feel a "burning sensation" in the chest. The stomach, stimulated by excess stomach acid, contracts more strongly, causing the stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, leading to acid reflux.
When eating sweet potatoes, it's best to pair them with some pickled vegetables to effectively inhibit stomach acid.
In addition, sweet potatoes are high in sugar, and if the body cannot absorb it all at once, the excess can remain in the intestines and ferment, causing abdominal discomfort. Traditional Chinese medicine suggests that people with "dampness obstructing the spleen and stomach" or "qi stagnation and food accumulation" should be cautious when eating sweet potatoes.
The drawback of sweet potatoes is their lack of protein and fat. However, as people are more affluent today, sweet potatoes are no longer a staple food. The nutrients they lack can be fully supplemented through other dietary sources. Special Note: Sweet potatoes should not be eaten with persimmons.
According to Mr. Gao, an expert from the Chinese Nutrition Association, sweet potatoes and persimmons should not be consumed within a short period of time. If large quantities are eaten, they should be spaced at least five hours apart.
If consumed together, the sugar in sweet potatoes ferments in the stomach, increasing stomach acid secretion. This reacts with the tannins and pectin in persimmons to form a precipitate, creating hard masses. In severe cases, this can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding or stomach ulcers.
If you feel any discomfort in your stomach, you must go to the hospital for a gastroscopy to check for gastrointestinal bleeding or a stomach ulcer. When to Eat Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes lack protein and lipids, so they should be eaten with vegetables, fruits, and protein-rich foods to avoid nutritional imbalance. Most importantly, sweet potatoes are best eaten during the golden hour of lunch. This is because the calcium in sweet potatoes takes 4 to 5 hours to be absorbed by the body, and the afternoon sunlight can promote calcium absorption. In this case, eating sweet potatoes at lunch allows the calcium to be fully absorbed before dinner, without affecting the absorption of calcium from other foods eaten at dinner. Special Note: Do not eat too many sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes contain an oxidase enzyme that can easily produce a large amount of carbon dioxide gas in the human gastrointestinal tract. Eating too many sweet potatoes can cause bloating, belching, and flatulence.
Sweet potatoes are high in sugar, and eating too much can produce a large amount of stomach acid, making people feel a "burning sensation" in the chest. The stomach, stimulated by the acid solution, contracts more strongly, causing the cardiac sphincter muscle at the junction of the stomach and esophagus to relax, allowing stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, resulting in acid reflux.
Too much sugar, if not fully absorbed by the body at once, will ferment in the intestines, which can also cause an upset stomach.
Therefore, the current trend of using sweet potatoes for health is not suitable for everyone. If you experience diarrhea after eating them, you should stop and consider switching to brown rice, which can have a similar effect.