Longan, also commonly known as "dragon's eye," has always been a favorite among the public. It is currently summer season, and various fruits have been successively上市 and entered the public eye. Longan is no exception; it is loved by everyone for its sweet flesh and fresh, pleasant taste. In fact, besides being delicious, longan has many health-preserving and medicinal benefits that you may not know of, which will surely amaze you!
First, let's listen to the origin and legend of the longan together.
I. The Legend of "Longan"
A long time ago, there was a vicious dragon in the sea. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, it would come out to harm people, and the villagers hated it very much. By the sea, there was a bold and handsome young man named Guiyuan who was determined to get rid of this scourge.
One day, Guiyuan and the villagers finally came up with a brilliant plan and dug a very deep pit by the sea. On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, they placed a lot of pork soaked in strong liquor on the shore. Shortly after, the vicious dragon appeared as expected. It was over a thousand feet long, with eyes like lightning, a blood-red tongue, crimson scales, and fiery mane. It bared its fangs and brandished its claws, looking ferocious and terrifying! The dragon swaggered to the shore, thinking the villagers had learned their lesson and were offering the pork as a "tribute." Without much thought, it swallowed the pork. Soon, the effects of the alcohol took hold, and the dragon lay motionless on the beach.
The villagers, who had been holding back their anger for a long time, angrily hacked at the dragon with their knives. The dragon woke up in pain and frantically pounced on the villagers. Guiyuan, quick-witted and nimble, stepped forward and stabbed the dragon's right eye out with a steel fork. The dragon was in excruciating pain and fled in panic. Guiyuan pounced on it, straddled its neck, and with all his strength, dug out the dragon's left eye with a dagger. The dragon had never suffered such a great loss and immediately tightened its grip on Guiyuan, frantically seeking revenge. The dragon and the man rolled and wrestled back and forth on the sand. With a splash, they both fell into the pit. When everyone pulled Guiyuan out, his eyes were closed forever, but his hands were still tightly gripping a pair of dragon eyes. The villagers buried Guiyuan with tears and buried the pair of dragon eyes beside him. Later, a tree grew from the spot where the dragon eyes were buried, and soon it bore sweet and delicious fruit. The villagers called it "dragon's eye." Later, to commemorate the hero Guiyuan, people began to call the fruit "Guiyuan."
II. Longan Encyclopedia: The Effects and Functions of Longan
Longan pulp, the fruit we eat daily, also has other names such as Yizhi, Mipi, and longan. It is the aril of the longan plant from the Sapindaceae family.
It is harvested when the longan fruit ripens from July to October. The fruit pulp is tough and slightly sticky, often clumping together. It has a fragrant aroma and a rich, special sweetness. The best quality is characterized by large flakes, thick pulp, fine soft texture, brownish-yellow color, semi-translucence, and strong sweetness. The collected longans are either oven-dried or sun-dried, the peel is removed, and the aril is taken. Alternatively, the fruit is boiled in boiling water for 10 minutes, taken out to air-dry, then baked for a whole day before the aril is removed and sun-dried.
[Source of Classics] "Shennong Ben Cao": "Longan, governs the evil qi of the five organs, calms the mind, cures anorexia. Long-term use strengthens the soul and sharpens the intellect."
[Nature and Flavor] Sweet, warm.
[Meridian Affinity] Enters the Heart and Spleen meridians.
[Functions] Nourishes the heart and spleen, replenishes qi and blood, calms the mind, and also has the effects of beautifying and prolonging life.
[Indications] Treats deficiency and emaciation, insomnia, forgetfulness, palpitations, and severe palpitations.
[Usage and Dosage] For internal use: Decoction, 2-5 qian; prepare into an extract, soak in wine, or make into pills.
[Precautions] Contraindicated for those with internal phlegm-fire and dampness stagnation.
[Effects and Functions of Longan]
1. For excessive worry, injuring the heart and spleen, leading to forgetfulness and palpitations: Bai Zhu, Fu Ling (remove wood), Huang Qi (remove root), Longan pulp, Suan Zao Ren (fried, remove shell), one liang each; Ren Shen, Mu Xiang (not exposed to fire), half a liang each; Gan Cao (fried), two and a half qian. Chop finely. For each dose, take four qian, add one and a half cups of water, five slices of ginger, and one jujube. Decoction until seven-tenths remains, remove the dregs, and take warm, anytime.
2. Greatly replenishes qi and blood: Place peeled longan pulp in a bamboo-shaped porcelain bowl. For every one liang of pulp, add one qian of white sugar. For those with a constitution prone to "fire," add one qian of American ginseng slices. Cover the bowl with a layer of silk. Steam it daily over a pot of rice for many times. For the weak, old, and emaciated who have no other conditions like phlegm-fire or diarrhea, take one spoonful with boiling water daily. It greatly replenishes qi and blood, its strength surpassing that of Ginseng and Astragalus. It is especially wonderful for women in labor.
3. Warms and tonifies the spleen and stomach, and boosts spirit: Use an amount of longan pulp, soak it in high-quality spirits for 100 days, and drink several cups regularly.
4. For spleen deficiency with diarrhea: Fourteen pieces of dried longan, three slices of ginger. Decoct and drink.
5. For postpartum edema in women: Dried longan, ginger, and jujube. Decoct and drink.
[Dietary Taboos]
Although longan is good, it is not suitable for everyone. Longan is a heat-damp food, and excessive consumption can easily cause qi stagnation. Furthermore, it must be strictly forbidden for those with symptoms of phlegm-fire or yin-deficiency fire. Additionally, people with qi stagnation and bloating, wind-cold, or indigestion should also avoid eating longan. Also, longan has a high natural sugar content, so diabetic patients should try not to eat it.