Napa cabbage is also healthy: a look at ten delicious dishes made from it.

Chinese cabbage, as everyone knows, is a vegetable that originated in our country, and its cultivation history dates back to primitive society. Archaeologists have discovered a pottery jar containing Chinese cabbage seeds in the Banpo Neolithic site in Xi'an, tracing its history back at least 6,000 years. Chinese cabbage is a relatively common vegetable in winter, and there are many ways to prepare it!

Chinese cabbage was introduced from China to the Joseon Dynasty during the Ming Dynasty, and later became the main ingredient for Korean kimchi. In the Korean drama "Dae Jang Geum," there is a plot where the protagonist tries to grow "Song菜" (Chinese cabbage) introduced from the Ming Dynasty. Today, many countries around the world have also introduced and cultivated Chinese cabbage.

Chinese cabbage, as everyone knows, is a vegetable that originated in our country, and its cultivation history dates back to primitive society. Archaeologists have discovered a pottery jar containing Chinese cabbage seeds in the Banpo Neolithic site in Xi'an, tracing its history back at least 6,000 years. Chinese cabbage is a relatively common vegetable in winter, and there are many ways to prepare it!

Chinese cabbage, with the elegant name "Song" (菘)

Chinese cabbage is the most eye-catching vegetable. Besides being rich in vitamins, carbohydrates, protein, crude fiber, and nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and iron, its content of trace element zinc is also higher than that in meat. It also contains molybdenum, which can inhibit the absorption of nitrosamines.

The "Compendium of Materia Medica" records: "Chinese cabbage, also known as Song, is sweet, warm, and non-toxic. It promotes the smooth functioning of the intestines and stomach, relieves vexation in the chest, and quenches thirst from alcohol."

Why is Chinese cabbage called "Song"? There is a reason for this. According to the "Pi Ya" by the great Song scholar Lu Dian: Chinese cabbage is tolerant of frost and snow, possessing the character of a pine tree. The character "Song" (菘) is a compound ideograph representing this, hence the name.

Chinese cabbage, as everyone knows, is a vegetable that originated in our country, and its cultivation history dates back to primitive society. Archaeologists have discovered a pottery jar containing Chinese cabbage seeds in the Banpo Neolithic site in Xi'an, tracing its history back at least 6,000 years. Chinese cabbage is a relatively common vegetable in winter, and there are many ways to prepare it!

The Health Benefits of 10 Dishes Featuring Chinese Cabbage

The combinations of Chinese cabbage in daily life are diverse, and each combination has its unique effects. It is especially suitable for dietary supplementation in early winter. Let's take a look together.

1. Chinese Cabbage + Beef

Chinese Cabbage and Beef Dumplings

The combination of meat and vegetable complements each other, providing comprehensive nutrition and has the effect of strengthening the spleen and whetting the appetite. It is especially suitable for people with a weak constitution, and has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on weakness, fatigue, and lung-heat cough. At the same time, beef is rich in protein and other nutrients, which can tonify the spleen and stomach, and benefit essence and blood; Chinese cabbage is rich in crude fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal motility and prevent constipation.

2. Chinese Cabbage + Tofu

Tofu contains 40%-60% protein, with an absorption and digestion rate of over 90%, and contains only stigmasterol, no cholesterol.

In the presence of Chinese cabbage, it not only promotes the absorption of B vitamins but also increases calcium and lysine, which is beneficial for strengthening bones and muscles, preventing osteoporosis, and lowering cholesterol.

Chinese cabbage with tofu is especially suitable for patients with difficult urination or bowel movements, sore throat, and bronchitis.

3. Chinese Cabbage + Chestnuts

Chestnuts strengthen the spleen and kidneys, while Chinese cabbage nourishes yin and moistens dryness. Stewing Chinese cabbage with chestnuts can make the skin fair and beautiful.

4. Chinese Cabbage + Milk

Fresh milk has the effects of tonifying deficiency, benefiting the lungs and stomach, nourishing the heart blood, and moistening the intestines. It has a certain therapeutic effect on those who are old, weak, lacking energy, and mentally and physically fatigued. Chinese cabbage has the effect of clearing heat and moistening the lungs. When paired with fresh milk, it can tonify deficiency and clear and moisten the lungs and stomach.

5. Chinese Cabbage + Potatoes

Potatoes contain trace elements such as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium. Under the influence of Chinese cabbage, they can strengthen the spleen and stomach, aid digestion, reduce inflammation, and promote bowel movements, helping to speed up the excretion of waste that may cause cancer from the digestive tract.

6. Chinese Cabbage + Pork

Pork and Vermicelli Stew with Chinese Cabbage

Pork is neutral in nature and sweet in taste, with the function of nourishing yin and moistening dryness. Chinese cabbage contains more vitamins and zinc, which can prevent arteriosclerosis.

Stir-fried lean pork with Chinese cabbage not only increases animal protein but also enhances skin elasticity, suppleness, and luster. It is a dish that patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, scurvy, and chronic gastritis should often eat. It also helps prevent dry and rough skin.

When Chinese cabbage is eaten with meat, it can not only add a delicious flavor to the meat but also reduce nitrites and nitrite-like substances in the meat, thereby reducing the production of the carcinogenic nitrosamine.

7. Chinese Cabbage + Carp

When eaten together, Chinese cabbage and carp can supplement a large amount of protein, carbohydrates, vitamin C, and other nutrients, making it an auxiliary therapeutic food for edema in pregnant women.

8. Chinese Cabbage + Soybean Sprouts

When eaten together, they can reduce the accumulation of lactic acid in the body, eliminate fatigue, and play a role in preventing various digestive tract malignant tumors such as colorectal cancer.

9. Chinese Cabbage + Aged Vinegar

Cut the Chinese cabbage stalk into small pieces, add green onions, ginger slices, a little chili, and a very small amount of vegetable oil to the wok. Quickly spray with aged vinegar and stir-fry. This can soften and dilate blood vessels, relieve high blood pressure, inhibit the rise in blood sugar levels, and also help treat colds by killing various germs.

10. Chinese Cabbage + Dried Shrimp

Chinese cabbage is rich in vitamin C, while dried shrimp is high in protein, calcium, and phosphorus. When eaten together, they have the effects of relieving fever and dryness, strengthening the kidneys and yang, nourishing yin and clearing the lungs, and strengthening the spleen and whetting the appetite. Regular consumption can prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, arteriosclerosis, colon tumors, and some cardiovascular diseases, and can also effectively prevent gum bleeding and scurvy. It is especially suitable for people who are weak, fatigued, or have a lung-heat cough to eat regularly.

Chinese cabbage is tenacious in vitality. In ancient times of war and chaos, when crops began to fail, people would even rely on Chinese cabbage to get through the winter. For example, historical records mention that during the peasant uprisings in the Jiangnan region during the Ming Dynasty, the farmland outside Yangzhou city was barren with little harvest, and the people relied on Chinese cabbage to survive the winter. Chinese cabbage is nutritious and inexpensive, making it a vegetable that is both nutritious and cheap!

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