Early this morning, Mr. Wang, who lives in Changning District, heated three zongzi in water, and he, his wife, and their child each had one. But by noon, Mr. Wang began to experience stomach bloating and pain, frequently burping and feeling acid reflux. He was rushed to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with acute gastritis... Experts remind that zongzi are made of glutinous rice, which are often left overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning rush, eating them without reheating is highly inadvisable.
With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, the fragrance of zongzi leaves fills the air, and eating zongzi is a traditional custom in China. Many citizens enjoy zongzi, and some even have them for breakfast daily. A few individuals who are particularly fond of zongzi might skip regular meals and have zongzi for every meal. Journalists have found that some people buy zongzi from food stores, supermarkets, or their company cafeterias every week, purchasing a dozen at a time, storing them in the refrigerator, and having one for breakfast each day.
Dr. Gu Weiwei from the Department of Gastroenterology at Renji Hospital explained: "Food takes at least 6 hours to pass through the stomach and intestines for digestion. Zongzi are made of glutinous rice, which are already difficult to digest. Eating them first thing in the morning means they stay in the stomach for even longer, stimulating gastric acid secretion and potentially triggering illness in people with chronic stomach diseases or gastric ulcers. Although zongzi can be eaten cold, they become quite hard. It is recommended to take them out of the refrigerator and heat them thoroughly until they are soft before eating. Notably, one should absolutely not have zongzi as a late-night snack, as they will remain in the stomach all night and be difficult to digest."
Yesterday, reporters from the Renji Hospital Puxi Branch's emergency room learned that similar incidents of choking, and even death in the elderly, occur every year. This April, the emergency room admitted two elderly men in their 70s who choked on glutinous rice foods they ate at home early in the morning and were rushed to the hospital in a critical state.
Experts suggest that when eating zongzi, it is best to drink tea to help with swallowing and digestion. Eat smaller portions at a time; consider choosing smaller, mini zongzi. Also, it is advisable to keep the fillings light. For those with stomach conditions, plain rice zongzi without sugar are a better choice to avoid being too sweet. Patients with gallstones, cholecystitis, and pancreatitis are advised not to eat meat or salted egg yolk zongzi, as those that are too greasy, high in fat, or high in protein may cause indigestion, bloating, and an acute flare-up of their conditions.