Introduction: Protect your stomach by not eating leftover rice, processed meats, fast food, etc., and avoid drinking green tea after drinking alcohol.
1. "Leftover" Rice
Many people, to avoid waste, reheat leftover rice before eating. However, research has found that reheated leftover rice is difficult to digest, and long-term consumption may lead to stomach problems. The main component of rice is starch. When starch is heated above 60 degrees Celsius, it gradually expands and eventually becomes a paste-like substance, a process called "gelatinization." The body's digestive enzymes can easily hydrolyze this gelatinized starch. However, when the gelatinized starch cools, it undergoes "retrogradation," and the body's ability to hydrolyze and digest this retrograded starch is significantly reduced. Therefore, long-term consumption of reheated leftover rice can easily lead to indigestion and even cause stomach diseases.
2. Processed Meats
Swedish scientists have stated that excessive consumption of processed meat products, such as bacon, sausages, and smoked meats, increases the risk of stomach cancer. After evaluating 15 studies, they found that for every 30-gram increase in the daily intake of processed meat products, the risk of developing stomach cancer increases by 15% to 38%. This is because processed meat products are often cured, smoked, or have nitrates added to extend their shelf life, and this is precisely what leads to an increase in the incidence of stomach cancer.
3. Fast Food
The fried foods in fast food are relatively crispy and hard. If hard fried food is swallowed without being chewed thoroughly, when the stomach muscles contract and the food comes into contact with the gastric mucosa, the hard food can directly damage the gastric mucosa. If the gastric mucosa cannot repair itself in time, it can lead to inflammation, ulcers, and other conditions. For patients with stomach diseases, it can worsen their condition.
4. Green Tea for Sobering Up
Many people think drinking green tea after drinking alcohol can help sober them up. In fact, drinking green tea and alcohol together is harmful to the body. Developing gastritis is considered a mild consequence; in severe cases, one might even develop a stomach ulcer! This is because green tea has a relatively high caffeine content. When combined with alcohol, the two interact to irritate the gastric mucosa. Not only does it fail to achieve the goal of sobering up, but it can also trigger various stomach diseases. There have been patients who developed chronic conditions like stomach ulcers because they frequently drank green tea to "sober up" after drinking alcohol.