There is a folk tradition known as "tiē qiū biāo" (贴秋膘), or "gaining autumn fat." It was popular to weigh oneself on the scale on the day of Lìqiū (Start of Autumn) and compare the weight to that from Lìxià (Start of Summer) to check for weight gain or loss. A decrease in weight was called "kǔ xià" (苦夏), or "bitter summer." In those times, health was often judged solely by whether one was fat or thin. If one had lost weight, they naturally needed to "bu" (补), or nourish, and the way to do this was by "tiē qiū biāo." After autumn arrives, people's appetites gradually improve, and many use the "tiē qiū biāo" excuse to indulge in heavy eating. Whether you actually need to "tiē qiū biāo" and how to do it correctly are questions worth learning about.
"Tiē qiū biāo" is a traditional saying. In the past, it was about gaining a layer of fat to prepare for the winter cold, so the focus was on eating meat. Nowadays, with an abundance of food, what we truly need to supplement are "vegetables, fermented foods, tubers, and cold-mixed dishes."
Green vegetables as the main source to supplement vitamins
In summer, diets are mostly based on melons and fruits, which are not high in carotenoids and B vitamins. Therefore, after Lìqiū, you can choose seasonal leafy greens like spinach, kale, and lettuce to supplement deficiencies in vitamin A, B vitamins, and folic acid, to prevent vision loss, dry eyes, rough skin, and respiratory tract infections.
Fermented foods to aid digestion
In summer, people often have poor appetites and consume more cold foods, weakening the gastrointestinal digestive function. In autumn, you might as well eat more fermented foods such as steamed buns, fermented sweet rice, yogurt, and fermented black beans. During the fermentation process, not only are the anti-nutrients in the food eliminated, but it also becomes easier to digest and absorb. It also produces vitamin B12, which exists in the body as a coenzyme, promoting the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and preventing toxin production.
Tubers first to prevent obesity
Tuber foods are considered coarse grains, rich in B vitamins and abundant in minerals like potassium and magnesium. They are also rich in dietary fiber, which promotes intestinal peristalsis and prevents constipation and the various chronic diseases that can result from it, such as obesity and diabetes. Autumn is the peak season for tubers. It's very beneficial to eat some Chinese yam, sweet potatoes, taro, and potatoes from time to time.
Steamed and mixed dishes as the mainstay to reduce calories
In autumn, people's appetites open up, and it's easy to overindulge without realizing it. You can try steaming vegetables and then mixing them while warm. For example, steam eggplant, broccoli, mushrooms, and bell peppers together. They look good, taste delicious, are not high in calories, and retain their nutrients.
When making steamed and mixed dishes, do not overcook them. Turn off the heat after three minutes and let them cool before mixing. When mixing, you can add seasonings according to your own taste, such as sesame paste, garlic, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, tomato sauce, and so on.