Traditional Zongzi can be hard to digest; nutritionist suggests mixing with whole grains

Zongzi, a traditional food for the Dragon Boat Festival, is primarily made of glutinous rice, which is difficult for the digestive system to process and can cause bloating. Lin Tzu-yen, a nutritionist at Chimei Hospital, suggests mixing in whole grains like purple rice, black rice, and red quinoa to maintain a chewy texture while improving health. Lin explains that pure glutinous rice has a high glycemic index, causing rapid blood sugar spikes that lead to fatigue and drowsiness after meals. Chimei Hospital has designed three types of 'Sustainable Healthy Zongzi' that use beans, fish, or poultry instead of high-carbon meats like beef or pork. For example, the 'Guantian Water Caltrop and Spanish Mackerel Zongzi' uses water caltrops and chickpeas to help stabilize blood sugar. The 'Xinhua Bamboo Shoot and Edamame Chicken Zongzi' uses black rice to increase fiber content and low-fat chicken. These recipes are available on the Chimei Hospital website for the public and businesses to reference, encouraging healthy eating and environmental sustainability.