It is not recommended to eat water chestnuts raw with the skin on, as it may cause intestinal ulcers and intellectual impairment...

Expert of this article: Liu Jingjing, PhD in Food Biotechnology, China Agricultural University

Water Chestnut

Not good looking

But it tastes crispy, tender and sweet

A few days ago, it was on Weibo hot search

As a result, I clicked in and found

More strange and terrifying knowledge has been added...

How many people are like me?

I think water chestnut is just an ordinary fruit.

Eat whatever you want

But in fact

Water chestnuts cannot be eaten raw!

Eating raw food may cause parasite infection

It may cause inflammation and bleeding of your intestinal mucosa

Even ulcers...

Infection among children is even more terrible

May cause

Developmental delay, intellectual impairment

The timely rain science popularization you need

Here we go again

Why does eating water chestnuts raw lead to parasite infection?

This starts with the growing environment of water chestnuts.

Water chestnuts prefer warm and humid environments and are not cold-resistant. They are mainly distributed in southern regions such as Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Guangdong.

Friends who have seen it know that water chestnuts are mostly grown in paddy fields.

The reason why water chestnuts cannot be eaten raw is not because they are poisonous, but because of a parasite called the ginger worm.

The metacercariae of this ginger worm can survive in water, so they can easily attach to the surface of water chestnuts.

If people accidentally eat ginger worms, they will parasitize in the duodenum and cause ginger worm disease, which can cause intestinal ulcers, diarrhea or facial edema.

Source: Human Parasites

In addition, water chestnut skin also carries some other harmful and toxic biological excrement and chemicals.

Therefore, water chestnuts should never be eaten raw with the skin on . Before eating, the shell must be washed, then peeled, and then rinsed with light salt water.

Nutritional value of water chestnuts

Water chestnuts can be divided into concave navel and flat navel according to the shape of their bottom. Generally, concave navel water chestnuts have high soluble solids and water content, less residue, and sweet taste, while flat-navel water chestnuts have coarser flesh, high starch content, more residue, and are more resistant to storage.

Water chestnuts are rich in starch, protein, fat, trace elements and multiple vitamins, and have many benefits:

1. The phosphorus content of water chestnuts is the highest among all root vegetables. Phosphorus is not only an important component of human bones, but also an important component of various biological enzymes in nucleoproteins;

2. The crude protein and starch in water chestnuts can promote large intestine peristalsis;

3. Modern medical research has found that water chestnuts also have antibacterial and antibacterial effects. Its fruit extract, water chestnut extract, has a good inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, aerogenes and Escherichia coli, and can also lower blood pressure.

4. Some scholars have also found that water chestnut has a preventive and therapeutic effect on esophageal, lung and breast cancer.

Water chestnuts have a high sugar content, are prone to rot and deterioration, and are not durable in storage. When stored at 1°C or 5°C, they can maintain a high degree of freshness; at 10°C, the bulbs will become sweeter.

However, please note: since water chestnuts with mud are more durable in storage, and the water chestnut skin may carry parasites, it is recommended to pack them separately in fresh-keeping bags after purchase and store them in the refrigerator separately from cooked foods.

What other foods may be contaminated with parasites?

1. Raw pork

Raw pork may contain parasites and pose a risk of transmitting diseases such as tapeworm disease, trichinosis, and ascariasis.

Therefore, it must be cooked before eating, especially when eating hot pot, don't be in a hurry.

2. Eat raw freshwater fish and shrimp

Liver flukes are easily parasitic in freshwater fish and shrimp, and can enter the body when people eat raw or undercooked fish and shrimp. They can cause liver diseases such as hepatitis and hepatic duct stones. Once infected, some can even survive for 20-30 years.

Therefore, freshwater fish and shrimp must be cooked.

3. Golden Apple Snail

Eating golden apple snails is most likely to cause infection with angiostrongylus disease, which can lead to symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, and even mental disorders.

Apple snails, don’t eat them!

To stay away from parasites, remember:

Try not to eat it raw if you can.

Keep raw and cooked food separate. From storage to food processing, remember that raw and cooked food cannot be mixed.

Pay attention to hand hygiene and wash your hands frequently!

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