Some people with poor digestive systems believe that congee is easy to digest and often choose it as their staple food. Experts remind us that drinking only congee is not necessarily good for digestion; one should also eat some dry rice. Of course, for truly good digestion, there is an important prerequisite—chewing slowly and thoroughly, allowing the food to mix thoroughly with saliva to be effective.
Experts say, never underestimate saliva, as it is the first step in our digestive process. Many people with stomach conditions believe that drinking liquids is better than eating solids, but this is not the case. When eating dry rice, it must be chewed, and saliva contains digestive enzymes that help food digest more easily in the stomach. If one only drinks congee, the rice grains are not chewed and cannot mix thoroughly with saliva before entering the stomach, which is actually detrimental to digestion. Therefore, people with gastrointestinal conditions should change their habit of only drinking congee as a staple food. It is best to eat some dry rice first and then have some congee.
Dry rice needs to be constantly stirred and mixed in the stomach. Drinking some congee can lubricate the stomach walls, promote mixing, and protect the gastric mucosa. Moreover, drinking congee after a meal can also help rinse the esophagus. It must be reiterated that one should chew slowly and thoroughly. Swallowing food without chewing will place a heavy burden on the digestive system and may even cause damage. Each mouthful of food should not be too large; if you eat too much at once, it is difficult for saliva and food to mix thoroughly.
With so many varieties—rice congee, millet congee, cornmeal congee, corn grit congee, mung bean congee, oat congee—which one is easier to digest? Experts say that the human intestine contains dozens of digestive enzymes, and different patients with gastrointestinal conditions may be deficient in different ones. Therefore, some people may be suited to drinking congee, while others may not. The type of congee is also individual-specific. Different patients have different digestive obstacles, so one should choose according to their own specific situation. It is best to drink "plain" congee and less "flavored" congee, especially sweet congee, which can easily trigger stomach acid.