There are many foods that are not advisable to eat on an empty stomach. Why? Because when the stomach is empty, food that enters it can come into direct contact with the stomach lining. When we drink alcohol on an empty stomach, the alcohol directly contacts the stomach lining, which can damage it. Additionally, certain foods are not easily digested and absorbed on an empty stomach. Which foods should not be eaten on an empty stomach?
1. Milk, soy milk, yogurt
Milk and soy milk contain a large amount of protein. When consumed on an empty stomach, the protein is "forced" to be converted into energy for consumption, failing to provide its nutritional benefits. The correct way to drink them is to consume them with foods containing flour, such as pastries or biscuits. Yogurt is the best dairy product for people with lactose intolerance, but if consumed on an empty stomach, its health benefits are diminished. Drinking it two hours after a meal or before bedtime can not only be nourishing but also promote digestion.
2. White liquor
Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach means there is no food in the intestines to buffer it, so the alcohol directly stimulates and erodes the gastric mucosa and muscle layer, neutralizes stomach acid, and inhibits the secretion of various digestive enzymes. This can irritate the stomach lining and, over time, easily lead to gastritis, gastric ulcers, and other diseases. When a person is fasting, their blood sugar is already low. Drinking alcohol at this time can quickly lead to hypoglycemia, where the brain lacks glucose supply, causing functional disorders such as dizziness, palpitations, cold sweats, and hunger. In severe cases, it can lead to hypoglycemic coma. Furthermore, alcohol is absorbed quickly on an empty stomach, significantly impacting organs and tissues such as the brain, nerves, muscles, heart, liver, and kidneys.
3. Tea
Drinking tea on an empty stomach can dilute stomach acid, reduce digestive function, and also cause "tea intoxication," characterized by symptoms like heart palpitations, dizziness, headache, fatigue, and unsteady standing.
4. Sugar
Sugar is a food that is very easily digested and absorbed. Eating a large amount of sugar on an empty stomach can cause the body to secrete insufficient insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels, causing a sharp rise in blood glucose, which can easily lead to eye diseases. Moreover, sugar is an acidic food, and eating it on an empty stomach can disrupt the body's acid-base balance and the balance of various microorganisms, which is detrimental to health.
5. Bananas
Bananas contain a relatively high amount of magnesium. Eating bananas on an empty stomach can cause a sharp increase in magnesium levels in the body, disrupting the balance of magnesium and calcium in the blood, which can have an inhibitory effect on the cardiovascular system and is not good for your health.
6. Persimmons, hawthorn
When the stomach is empty, it produces a large amount of gastric acid, which can easily combine with the gelatin in persimmons, causing stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. Hawthorn is sour; if consumed on an empty stomach, it not only depletes energy but also increases hunger and worsens stomach pain.
7. Garlic
Garlic contains allicin, which has a strong pungent taste. Eating garlic on an empty stomach can cause strong irritation to the gastric mucosa and intestinal walls, leading to gastrointestinal spasms and cramps.
8. Cold drinks
Many people drink large quantities of various frozen beverages after exercise or on an empty stomach. This strongly stimulates the gastrointestinal tract and heart, causing these organs to have sudden spasms. Over time, this can lead to endocrine disorders, menstrual irregularities, and other illnesses.