"How Much Do You Know About Food Nutrition" Series | Drinking Porridge Does Not Help Your Stomach

When the weather gets cold, the stomach is prone to problems. Some people experience bloating, stomach pain, stomach acid or other stomach discomfort symptoms. In order to make their stomach stronger, many people eat some "stomach nourishing food", such as white porridge, soft noodles and other easily digestible foods, but eating like this for a long time is not good for the stomach.

What is the nutritional value of white porridge?

White porridge mainly contains carbohydrates and water, which is indeed easy to digest, but the nutrition is single, and the nutrients such as dietary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals are insufficient. Eating white porridge for a long time is not good for stomach health. Among the nutrients contained in white porridge, more than 90% are carbohydrates, the protein content is only 1%, and there is almost no fat and dietary fiber.

In addition, the easier it is to digest protein, the closer the ratio of amino acids is to human needs, and the higher its value. However, white porridge contains very little protein, so its value is not high. Assuming that the highest protein value of eggs is 1, the value of milk protein is close to 1; while rice protein is only 0.5, and wheat protein is even less, only 0.4. This is also the reason why rice and flour are usually not regarded as the main source of protein.

Why is it not recommended to drink white porridge?

White porridge can only be an ordinary staple food to quickly replenish water and calories. White porridge does not nourish the stomach, and drinking it for a long time will hurt the stomach. Except for special periods of illness, it is not recommended to drink only white porridge for breakfast. Patients with stomach problems or people with stomach discomfort are not recommended to rely on drinking white porridge to nourish the stomach for a long time.

Why is it said that plain porridge does not nourish the stomach, and drinking it for a long time can actually damage the stomach?

Since ancient times, white porridge has given people the illusion that it is suitable for people with weak bodies. The reason is that white porridge is very easy to digest. White porridge is a good choice for people with indigestion and chewing problems, and it can provide a feeling of "feeling comfortable to drink." But at this time, white porridge satisfies the need of "not wanting to eat or not being able to eat other foods", rather than white porridge "nourishing the stomach" or "nutritious." Because the biggest problem with white porridge is that the nutritional ingredients are single, the blood sugar rises quickly, and white porridge is a semi-liquid food. Drinking it for a long time is not conducive to the recovery of stomach function, and it will also make the stomach's digestive ability worse.

How to drink white porridge?

White porridge is not completely without nutritional value, the key lies in the combination. The combination of "white porridge + fried dough sticks" or "white porridge + noodles with scallion oil" is basically "full carbon water + zero high-quality protein + zero vitamins". If consumed for a long time, it will be harmful to our health, but if millet, buckwheat, red beans and other grains are added to the white porridge and converted into grain porridge, the nutritional content will be greatly improved. It can also be made into a combination of "porridge + meat", which not only increases protein intake, but also reduces the blood sugar index.

In order to minimize further damage to the body caused by the disease, eating soft and easily digestible white rice porridge, noodles, etc. is indeed a "must-have" during special periods such as the attack period and remission period.

Author: Zhao Zixian and Lei Zhiyuan from Luoyang Normal University

Review expert: Ren Yongqiang, professor/chief physician of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology