Before the Dragon Boat Festival, Zongzi has already been bustling on the market.It is more popular than the holiday itself.As usual, media would hype the nutritional value of Zongzi and list who should not eat it.Instead of saying who shouldn't eat Zongzi, we might as well talk about how to eat them properly.I guess that for ancient people, eating Zongzi beyond honoring Qu Yuan had more health benefits.

A traditional food with a thousand-year history and closely related to the seasons couldn't have been without health benefits.Rice dumplings are wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves,

and glutinous rice serves as the filling, a very reasonable combination.Not only do the leaves bring fragrance but also provide polyphenols and potassium.These seep into the rice during steaming, which helps enhance body heat resistance.On the other hand, glutinous rice is warm in nature and can warm up the stomach and spleen.After Grain in Ear, weather becomes increasingly hot,blood flow increases, and digestive function declines, making people prone to summer weight loss.

Eating glutinous rice could improve this situation.Not only for its components but also due to the fragrance of leaves and softness of glutinous rice, it stimulates appetite.Ancient glutinous rice was not refined; coarsely made glutinous rice can provide more minerals and B vitamins.Adding ingredients like red dates,peanuts,

lotus seeds,yam, andcoix seedhas some nourishing effects.Adding beans like kidney bean or mung bean, along with bean paste, not only clears heat but also increases protein content.Mixed meat and egg yolk Zongzi can increase protein and fat content,and boost iron intake.Now the question is: Many experts say that although Zongzi are good, they aren't suitable for everyone.Although meat Zongzi have high protein content, they contain a lot of fat.Soft cooked meats used in making meat Zongzi must be high in fat, especially when using pork belly.High cholesterol patients should avoid such Zongzi; choose bean paste or red date Zongzi instead.Sweet Zongzi may worry diabetics,but their consumption is also not recommended because glutinous rice has a high glycemic index.Gastrointestinal issues are advised to avoid Zongzi due to difficulty in digestion;especially after eating greasy foods, it can lead to indigestion and stomach discomfort.People with excessive stomach acid or ulcers should also eat less.

Why has a health food like Zongzi become a modern trouble for people?

Reasons might include:1. Ancient people engaged in more physical activities, having higher metabolic rates,and most did not have diabetes or heart disease issues.During the "double harvest" season, they had no time to cook and eating hard-to-digest Zongzi was beneficial for health.2. Ancient times were harder, so people didn't often or in large quantities eat greasy meat or egg yolk Zongzi; a small amount wouldn't harm them.

3. In ancient times, they ate Zongzi freshly wrapped and steamed,and then consumed it right away when warm;

nowadays, many people eat cold or semi-cold Zongzi after long refrigeration, making digestion more difficult.Additionally, eating many greasy foods during festivals exacerbates this issue.Traditional Chinese medicine states that glutinous rice warms the middle and benefits qi,

suitable for those with digestive issues; however, it is not advisable for everyone nowadays.However, how you eat glutinous rice matters—cooking it into porridge and eating it hot nourishes the stomach and spleen, especially beneficial to those with weak stomachs;

while cold or reheated sticky food damages the digestive system.Adding large amounts of animal fat makes it unfeasible for everyone.I have found that freshly made long-grain glutinous rice (indica glutinous rice) has a relatively low glycemic response,

but when cooled, its response is much higher.Short-grained glutinous rice (japonica glutinous rice) already shows high response when hot.The reason for this remains unknown and needs further study.

At least these issues suggest that eating freshly made warm Zongzi is healthier,avoiding cold or reheated ones.For the elderly and weak, eat smaller portions of Zongzi containing whole grains or tuber fillings without oil or meat.

Making them yourself with fresh Zongzi ensures both enjoyment and health benefits.Tips:1. Do not choose dark green or blue-green colored Zongzi as they might be treated with copper sulfate, which is unsafe.2. Zongzi are considered a main course.If you eat Zongzi, reduce the amount of other staple foods like rice,steamed bunsor bread to avoid overeating and weight gain.If a large amount of animal fat is added, it is not something everyone can tolerate.

I also found in my research that the blood sugar response to freshly made long-grain glutinous rice is not particularly high, but it becomes quite high when cooled.The long-grain glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa) has a relatively low initial blood glucose response but significantly higher after cooling, and the insulin response follows the same pattern.For short-grain glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. japonica), its blood sugar response is high when hot.The reason for this difference remains unknown and requires further investigation.This at least suggests that overall, eating freshly wrapped hot zongzi is healthier than consuming them after they have been cooled or reheated multiple times.

These issues indicate that older adults and those with weakened constitutions should eat less of these foods each time, choosing smaller zongzi and those containingcoarse grainsand root vegetables as fillings, without added oils or meat.It is best to make them yourself and consume the freshly wrapped hot zongzi. This not only allows you to enjoy the fun of traditional food preparation but also ensures better health.Tip:

1 After steaming, if the wrapper of the zongzi darkens after some time, this is normal; do not choose those with bright or even blue-green colors as they may have been treated with copper sulfate and are not safe.

2 Zongzi are considered main dishes.

If you eat zongzi, reduce your intake of other staple foods such asrice,buns,andbreadto avoid exceeding daily energy requirements and potential weight gain.