Introduction: Many foods that are popular with the masses are not actually suitable for everyone, but we can easily be tempted by them at times. For example, people who are prone to indigestion should avoid beans, but they find it hard to resist the delicious taste of braised pig's trotters with soybeans; they crave fried foods but suffer from gastrointestinal diseases. To address these situations, the following guide will teach you how to eat these hardest-to-digest foods, allowing your digestive system to say goodbye to stress!
1. Beans
Beans are notorious for causing indigestion. The oligosaccharides found in beans, such as stachyose and raffinose, are fermented by intestinal bacteria, which breaks them down and produces gas. This can lead to symptoms like belching, borborygmus (stomach rumbling), bloating, and abdominal pain. Patients with severe peptic ulcers should not consume bean products because they are high in purines, which can stimulate gastric acid secretion. Patients with acute or chronic gastritis should also avoid bean products to prevent irritation of gastric acid secretion and gastrointestinal bloating.
Solution:
Cooking beans in a soup form can help with digestion. The added water helps to break down the large amount of fiber in beans. Additionally, gradually increasing bean products in your diet will slowly increase the body's demand for the enzymes needed to digest them, avoiding any side effects.
Pig's Trotter and Bean Soup
2. Broccoli and Cabbage
Broccoli and cabbage are both outstanding members of the "cruciferous" vegetable family. They are not only rich in vitamins and dietary fiber but also have anti-cancer and anti-aging effects. However, even though they are rich in fiber and various nutrients, these vegetables can have certain "side effects." The high fiber content can help expand the stomach's capacity and easily lead to an accumulation of excess gas in the intestines.
Solution:
The solution is simple. Just blanch them in hot water before eating to soften them. This process deactivates the sulfur compounds that cause gas. Therefore, these two vegetables are best suited for cold salads and stir-frying.
3. Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Potatoes are a low-calorie, high-protein food rich in various vitamins and trace elements, making them considered an ideal food for weight loss. However, mashed potatoes with cream or cheese are not as good as they seem. In the United States, there are 30 to 50 million people with lactose intolerance. If you are one of them, creamy mashed potatoes are not for you. The milk, cream, or cheese added to mashed potatoes can make your stomach very uncomfortable.
Solution:
It's best to avoid buying pre-made creamy mashed potatoes. You can easily make your own at home using fresh potatoes, steaming or boiling them to create plain mashed potatoes without any additives.
Layered Potato Casserole
4. Fried Chicken Chunks and French Fries
Fried foods like fried chicken chunks and French fries are inevitably high in oil and fat. These two substances can accumulate in the stomach, leading to health problems. When heated to high temperatures, oils can produce a substance called "acrylamide," which is very difficult to digest.
Solution:
To satisfy your cravings without giving up fried foods, you can achieve a delicious taste by avoiding deep-frying. For example, if you want the crunchy texture of French fries, eating salty potato chips is unhealthy. Instead, you can look for other ways to prepare potato slices, such as baking them instead of frying.
Homemade Baked Fries