The Truth About 3 Foods You Shouldn’t Pair with Potatoes: Here’s the Real Culprit
As one of the most common foods, potatoes are not only nutritious but also versatile in preparation, from French fries to beef stews, stir-fried potatoes, or potato soups with pork bones.
When the weather turns cold, potatoes are not only delicious and packed with nutrients but can also help regulate blood sugar levels. However, there are rumors that potatoes might harm your health when consumed with certain foods. Let’s uncover the truth behind these claims:
1. Can’t Eat Potatoes with Persimmons?
Rumor:
Persimmons are sweet, nutrient-rich fruits beloved by many. However, they are high in tannins, particularly crunchy persimmons. After eating potatoes, the starch in them stimulates the stomach to produce a large amount of gastric acid. Meanwhile, persimmons contain a significant amount of tannic acid, which can react with gastric acid to form indigestible precipitates. This can lead to digestive issues and even stomach problems due to the interaction between tannic acid and proteins in the stomach.
Truth:
The tannic acid content varies between different types of persimmons. Choosing ripe persimmons with lower tannic acid levels and consuming them in moderation will generally not cause digestive issues.
The pectin and phenolic resin in tomatoes, combined with the high starch content in potatoes, may cause digestive disorders, indigestion, stomach pain, and diarrhea, especially in individuals with weaker digestive systems.
Truth:
Research shows that both tomatoes and potatoes contain solanine, a naturally occurring toxin, but in very low amounts. Higher concentrations are found in unripe green tomatoes and green-skinned potatoes. Fully ripe red tomatoes and regular potatoes are safe to consume, even in large quantities, without risk of solanine poisoning.
Therefore, combining potatoes and tomatoes in cooking is not harmful to health, as long as the tomatoes are fully ripe and the potatoes do not have green skins.
3. Potatoes Shouldn’t Be Eaten with Pomegranates?Rumor:
Pomegranates are nutrient-dense, sweet, and tangy fruits. They contain twice as much vitamin C as apples and pears, making them suitable for people of all ages. Pomegranates promote gastric acid secretion, while the starch in potatoes also stimulates gastric acid production. Consuming both simultaneously may cause heartburn, reduce nutritional value, and lead to indigestion.
Truth:
If consumed at different times, there’s no issue. However, eating large amounts of pomegranates and potatoes together can overstimulate gastric acid secretion, potentially causing indigestion.
To avoid discomfort, it’s best to avoid eating too much of these two foods at the same time. If you’ve had a lot of pomegranates, it’s wise to limit potato consumption.
Conclusion: Moderation and proper preparation of potatoes and other foods are key to enjoying their benefits without adverse effects. Most of the concerns arise only when these foods are consumed in excessive amounts or improperly prepared.
