Two live worms were removed from a 27-year-old woman's body. This food is crispy, sweet and delicious when eaten raw, but it is very dangerous

Recently, I saw a news report that 27-year-old Ms. Wang (pseudonym) loved to eat raw water chestnuts. Since two years ago, she often felt a dull pain in her upper abdomen, but she didn't take it seriously. This year, she still felt uncomfortable and couldn't stand it, so she went to a hospital in Hangzhou for a check-up. In the end, the doctor identified the cause as parasitic infection and removed two live worms from Ms. Wang's body through surgery.

#Be careful of infection with ginger worms when eating raw water chestnuts#. Water chestnuts have recently become a hot topic because of this.

When it comes to parasites, the first thing that comes to mind is that they live on animals. For example, we know that we should avoid eating raw seafood and meat to prevent parasitic infections. But water chestnuts are plants, so why do they also have parasite problems?

In this article, we will talk about water chestnuts and learn more about them.

1. What kind of plant is water chestnut?

I believe there are still many people who don’t know these two words? Water chestnuts are also called horse trotters, ground chestnuts, black taro, and tongtiancao. In the south, it has been known as the "underground snow pear" since ancient times, and in the north it is called "Jiangnan ginseng". [1]

It is an aquatic plant that is oblate, has reddish brown or dark brown skin, and white flesh.[2]

▲Photo: Chinese Plant Intelligence (stem)

▲Photo: Chinese Plant Intelligence (Water Chestnut)

2. What nutritional value does water chestnut have?

Many people eat water chestnuts as fruit, but in fact, they are more suitable to be eaten as part of a staple food. Because the carbohydrate content of water chestnuts is not low, if we convert it according to the equivalent amount of carbohydrates, eating 200 grams of water chestnuts is equivalent to 100 grams of rice. [3]

Therefore, for those who need to control their weight or lose weight, they need to remember to reduce their rice intake after eating water chestnuts!

However, the potassium content of water chestnuts is still quite good. It is better than the bananas which have a higher potassium content. It is about 1.2 times that of bananas[3]. This is quite friendly for those who need to control their blood pressure.

3. Why do people get infected with ginger worms?

▲Picture: From the Internet

The reason why water chestnuts have parasites is that they are aquatic plants. Gingerworms are common parasites in water, especially in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River where aquatic plants such as water chestnuts and lotus roots are abundant.

Cases of infection with Fasciola zingiberensis have existed since ancient times. In 1960, Chinese scholars found eggs of Fasciola zingiberensis in the feces of two mummies from the Ming Dynasty in Guangzhou dating back to 1513. [4]

In 2015, my country investigated the infection of Fasciola spp. in residents of Huyang Township, Tu County, a major water chestnut-growing area. A total of 424 people were surveyed, and 46 tested positive for Fasciola spp. eggs, with a positive rate of 10.84%. This is a significant decrease compared to historical infection rates. [5]

Ginger worms attach themselves to the surface of aquatic plants. If the food is cracked or damaged, they will enter the interior and contaminate the fruit. After eating, they use their suckers to attach to the mucous membrane of the duodenum or upper jejunum to absorb nutrients. After about 1 to 3 months, they develop into adults. [4]

After infection with the ginger worm, the stool volume will increase, the smell will be particularly bad, and it will contain undigested food. A small number of patients will also excrete some ginger worms in the feces and even spit them out of the mouth.

Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, allergies and edema are also common symptoms. Severe cases can lead to intestinal obstruction or even death. Infection in children can also affect their physical and intellectual development. [4]

4. How to eat water chestnuts safely?

Be sure to heat it thoroughly and don’t eat it raw!

The larvae of Gingerworm cannot withstand high temperatures. Water chestnuts must be boiled/steamed before consumption, and the white part should be eaten, or they can be added to dishes like yam, such as fried water chestnuts with meat.

Some people have studied the characteristics of water chestnuts and found that:

When water chestnuts are heated, they lose water, whereas potatoes, which we normally eat, absorb water when heated. Therefore, even if water chestnuts are boiled, they can still maintain their crisp texture as long as they are not boiled for too long. [1]

Other studies have tested the texture of water chestnuts after heating. The results show that if water chestnuts are to retain their original crisp, sweet and tender texture after high temperature heating, the cooking time should be controlled within 5 minutes; if they are to achieve a soft and glutinous texture, the heating time should be more than 10 minutes to allow the starch granules to completely gelatinize. [6]

Water chestnut skin is generally not eaten, and many vendors will peel it before selling it. However, the water chestnut skin residue is rich in fiber and pigment, which can be further processed and utilized.

▲Photo: hoppinjohns.net

Summary: Although eating water chestnuts raw is more crispy and sweet, there is a risk of infection with ginger worms and a safety hazard of bacterial infection. In contrast, proper heating methods can not only make it safer to eat, but also maintain its crispy and sweet taste.

In addition, not only water chestnuts, but also aquatic plants such as lotus roots and water chestnuts should not be eaten raw!

Today’s discussion: Have you ever eaten water chestnuts raw?

(︴︴︴Asking with trembling voice︴︴︴)



References:

[1] Kong Jinxi, Han Wenfang, Lü Guangying, et al. Research progress in water chestnut food processing[J]. Freshness and Processing, 2011, 11(1): 43-46. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1009-6221.2011.01.013.

[2] Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Plant Intelligence.

[3] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[4] Zhou Qing, Peng Qingqing, Qiu Jinbo, et al. Research progress in diagnosis and prevention of ginger fasciatus disease[J]. Chinese and Foreign Health Digest, 2014, (23): 108-109.

[5] Yin Xiaomei, Wang Fengfeng, Zhu Hai, et al. Investigation and analysis of the infection status of Fasciola zingiberensis among residents of Huyang Township, Dangtu County. Tropical Diseases and Parasitology, 2015, 13(4): 233-234. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-2302.2015.04.015.

[6] Yan Hong, Chen Shusi, Zhang Yandan, et al. Study on the microstructural changes of water chestnut during processing and storage[J]. Journal of Sichuan College of Culinary Arts, 2008, (2): 28-30. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1008-5432.2008.02.008.

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