People should avoid eating too many zongzi (粽子, glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves), as consuming several in one meal could cause indigestion, bloating, gastric acid reflux, heartburn and other stomach ailments, a doctor said on Saturday.
Zongzi is a traditional delicacy for the Dragon Boat Festival, which was on Thursday.
Citing a recent case as an example, Cathay General Hospital gastroenterology department head Chu Yu-ming (朱淯銘) said that a 58-year-old taxi driver surnamed Hsiao (蕭) ate meals at irregular hours due to his work and has been taking diabetes medicine for three years.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
Hsiao recently bought a bag of zongzi and ate several in one sitting, Chu said.
He later developed bloating, gastric acid reflux and hiccuping, and sought medical help, he said.
Chu said that the glutinous rice in zongzi cannot be easily digested, while other ingredients and their preparation methods lead to high levels of fat and salt, and low dietary fiber.
He advised people not to eat too many zongzi, as the slowdown of digestion would lead to gas buildup and other discomfort, which would exacerbate conditions such as diabetes.
When people consume excessive amounts of food that is high in fat, but has little dietary fiber, the gas buildup would cause bloating and discomfort in the stomach, he added.
People with diabetes should get the disease under control, and take medication to improve stomach and bowel movement, and reduce bloating, Chu said.
They should consume soft foods with low fat, cut the food into small pieces and chew thoroughly to reduce the burden on the stomach, he said.
“It is best to go with vegetable dishes to increase fiber content, which can soothe the greasy after-taste palate, and mitigate the load on the digestive tract, and also hold back the blood-sugar level,” he said.
Indigestion and bloating can have other causes that might be difficult for doctors to diagnose, including irritable bowel syndrome, bacterial growth in the small intestine, and carbohydrate or galactose intolerance, which can lead to constipation and diarrhea, he added.
Chu advised people to avoid food that is likely to cause bloating, such as lentils and legumes, milk, yams, potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, onions and high-fat foods, and to seek medical treatment if the condition does not improve.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
Democratic Progressive Party caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu, front, grabs the pennant in a dragon boat race hosted by Qu Yuan Temple in the Shuanghsi River in Taipei’s Beitou District yesterday.