Introduction: Jujubes are great for health supplementation, but there are also some taboos about eating jujubes circulating online. Some of these taboos have some truth to them, while others are very untenable. Here, we will interpret 4 major misconceptions about eating jujubes for everyone.
Misconception 1: Jujubes are effective for blood enrichment
First of all, it should be stated that eating jujubes is beneficial for anemia patients, just like eating other fruits such as apples or grapes. However, it is wrong to expect jujubes to have a special blood-enriching effect, or even to treat iron-deficiency anemia, like pork liver or meat.
The iron content of fresh jujubes is relatively high among fruits, at 1.2 mg/100g. However, like other plant-based foods, the iron absorption rate in jujubes is extremely low and cannot be well utilized by the human body.
The Vitamin C (VC) content of fresh jujubes is a leader among fruits, at 243 mg/100g. VC can promote iron absorption and help prevent and treat iron-deficiency anemia. However, as discussed above, fresh jujubes often cannot be eaten in large quantities. Eating eight or ten jujubes is purely a superficial effort for blood enrichment.
Misconception 2: Jujubes have a high sugar content, so they are not suitable for people with constipation
First, the logic of this statement is flawed. A high sugar content worsens constipation? How is that possible! There is no sugar in stool, and sugar does not affect stool; the two are unrelated. Besides, high-sugar foods are everywhere, not just jujubes.
The fact is that jujubes contain a relatively high amount of dietary fiber, which has a laxative effect. Therefore, eating jujubes (and other fruits and vegetables rich in dietary fiber) can help relieve constipation. Of course, practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. People with constipation can try eating jujubes to see if it worsens or relieves their condition. Aren't the media or "experts" bored with repeating the same things over and over?
Misconception 3: Jujubes cannot be eaten with carrots
The reason for this claim is that fresh jujubes are rich in Vitamin C (VC), and carrots contain an oxidase that can destroy VC, so when the two are eaten together, the nutritional value of the jujubes is reduced. The first two sentences are correct—jujubes have VC, and carrots have oxidase—but the final conclusion is wrong. The destructive power of the oxidase in carrots is very limited; it can't even destroy all the VC in carrots themselves, let alone the VC in other foods.
Therefore, if you are really that concerned about VC being destroyed, the "best" strategy would be not to eat carrots. But this also has a problem, because vegetables like cucumbers also contain oxidase that destroys VC, so should you avoid them as well? But that still doesn't work. Other foods, although they don't have oxidase that destroys VC, have other disadvantages, such as eggs having cholesterol, and meat and milk having saturated fat... Should you avoid them all too? Just starve to death.
As for the nonsense about food incompatibility, such as jujubes not being able to be eaten with seafood, or jujubes not being able to be eaten with scallions, it is even not worth refuting.
Misconception 4: Jujubes should not be eaten in large quantities
Jujubes are a health food
As is well known, fresh jujubes are not easy to digest. This is because, in addition to having a low water content of only 67% (most other common fruits are 80%-90%), they also have a high dietary fiber content of 1.9%, which is significantly higher than other common fruits (for example, grapes average 0.4% and apples average 1.2%). Dietary fiber (especially insoluble fiber) cannot be digested in the stomach and small intestine, and a large single intake can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. The dietary fiber in jujubes is mainly concentrated in the skin. The flesh of the jujube is crisp, but the skin is very thin and hard. It is difficult to crush it completely when chewing. You can try this: chew a fresh jujube, do not swallow it, and spit it out to observe. You will find that it contains jujube skin fragments of various sizes, separated from the flesh, with irregular shapes and hard, sharp edges. Imagine that after swallowing it, if your gastric mucosa happens to have inflammation or an ulcer, it would be like pouring salt on the wound, causing pain or discomfort.
Of course, if your stomach is healthy and has no inflammation, ulcers, or wounds, your tolerance for jujubes will be stronger. Even so, eating too many fresh jujubes can also cause stomach discomfort. This is the reason why it is not recommended to eat too many jujubes. However, even without obvious gastritis or ulcers, the thickness of a person's gastric mucosa and tolerance to certain irritants vary. Therefore, how many jujubes are appropriate (is it 5 or 35?) is completely individual, and there is no specific limit. So, can we at least give a general amount?
In fact, giving a general amount is also meaningless. Because when eating jujubes, people can determine the right amount for themselves based on their own situation; they'll know how many is just right by trying.
How to eat jujubes correctly:
1. Do not decoct red dates in water, as Vitamin C in the dates is destroyed when the temperature exceeds 80°C. After washing them with clean water, eating them raw is the most nutritious. Persist in eating 5-8 red dates daily, which is very beneficial to your health.
2. It is not advisable to eat them with Vitamin supplements at the same time. Vitamin C in food can break down and destroy Vitamin K, reducing its therapeutic effect.
3. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" says: "Eating too much can cause chills and fever, and those who are lean and weak should not eat it." Those with abdominal distension and poor appetite should not eat them. Because of their high sugar content, they are not suitable for diabetics. Also, pay attention to protecting your teeth when eating dates. It is advisable to eat no more than 50 grams of dates per day.
4. After eating red dates, do not immediately eat high-protein foods, such as seafood and dairy products. Because Vitamin C can cause the protein in these two foods to clump together, making it difficult to absorb. Therefore, wait 1-2 hours after eating dates before consuming high-protein foods.