The Dragon Boat Festival is approaching, and fragrant zongzi are now available. However, health experts are reminding people that while zongzi are delicious, one should not overindulge, as it is not uncommon for people to fall ill from eating too many of them in previous years.
A 63-year-old man surnamed Zhang from the Tiandong District of Anshan City felt discomfort in his stomach and then experienced severe vomiting shortly after eating four zongzi in a row the other night. Due to the severity of his condition, the elderly man was taken to the hospital by his family. He was diagnosed with acute gastric dilatation from eating a large quantity of zongzi and required immediate emergency treatment.
According to Song Fujia, director of the emergency department at the Third Hospital of Anshan City in Liaoning Province, patients like Mr. Zhang who have problems from eating zongzi have been common recently. The Third Hospital alone has admitted more than 20 similar patients in the past week. Song Fujia explained that the main ingredient of zongzi is glutinous rice, which is difficult to digest. Eating too much can easily cause bloating. Therefore, it is advisable for healthy individuals to eat them in moderation and pair them with vegetables and fruits to help intestinal and gastric motility and avoid indigestion.
Doctors advise that certain groups should eat fewer or no zongzi at all, such as patients with high blood pressure, high blood lipids, or coronary heart disease. Many zongzi now contain ingredients like cured meat and egg yolk, making them high-fat, high-protein foods, which are detrimental to these patients.
Furthermore, ordinary people should also avoid eating zongzi on an empty stomach. Song Fujia mentioned that some people have zongzi for breakfast or a late-night snack, which causes the glutinous rice to stay in the stomach for a long time, stimulating gastric acid secretion and potentially causing a relapse in patients with chronic gastritis or esophagitis. Others like to eat zongzi after they have been in the refrigerator for a while; these zongzi become hard and cold, which is an added burden for those with stomach problems. It is best to let them warm up and soften thoroughly before eating.