According to Mr. Gao, an expert from the Chinese Nutrition Association, sweet potatoes and persimmons should not be consumed simultaneously within a short period. If consumed in large quantities, there should be an interval of at least five hours. If eaten together, the sugar in sweet potatoes ferments in the stomach, increasing gastric acid secretion. This reacts with the tannins and pectin in persimmons, causing precipitation and coagulation to form hard masses. In severe cases, this can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding or stomach ulcers. If you experience stomach discomfort, be sure to have a gastroscope examination to check for gastric bleeding or ulcers.
When to eat sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes lack protein and fat, so they should be paired with vegetables, fruits, and protein-rich foods to avoid nutritional imbalance. Most importantly, it is best to eat sweet potatoes during the golden hour of lunch. This is because the calcium contained in sweet potatoes takes 4 to 5 hours to be absorbed by the body, and afternoon sunlight can promote calcium absorption. By eating sweet potatoes at lunch, the calcium can be fully absorbed before dinner, thus not affecting the absorption of calcium from other foods consumed at dinner.
Sweet potatoes contain an oxidase enzyme that can 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. Eating too many can produce a large amount of stomach acid, leading to a "burning" sensation. The stomach, stimulated by the acid, contracts more forcefully, causing the cardiac sphincter muscle at the junction of the stomach and esophagus to relax. This allows stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, resulting in acid reflux.
Excess sugar that the body cannot absorb at once will ferment in the intestines, which can also cause stomach discomfort.
Therefore, the current popular health trend of eating sweet potatoes is not suitable for everyone. If you experience diarrhea after consumption, you should not force it. Eating brown rice can have the same beneficial effects.