The heart is a powerful organ that supplies blood to the entire body, so it's easy to imagine the consequences if something goes wrong with it. There is a magical food that, when consumed regularly, is like giving your heart a "stent" because it has the effect of dilating blood vessels. So, what is this food? It's the onion!
The onion, in English, means "union, combination, layered, a spherical object composed of overlapping cloves." In the "Lingnan Miscellanies," written by Wu Zhenfang, a Jinshi in the 18th year of the Kangxi reign, it is recorded: "The onion resembles a single clove of garlic but without flesh; when peeled, it is like an onion. The 'white ghosts' of Macao serve it to guests, slicing it into threads, which fill a plate, and its taste is extremely sweet and pungent."
A legendary nemesis of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
The onion is round in shape but contains almost no fat; however, it contains prostaglandin. This substance is a potent vasodilator that can expand and soften blood vessels. Regular consumption is equivalent to a "food stent" for the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems, ensuring unobstructed blood flow. To date, scientists have found that I am the only vegetable that contains prostaglandin;
1. It can soften blood vessels, reduce blood viscosity, and has the effect of increasing coronary blood flow;
2. The bioactive substance "thiosulfinate" in the body has the function of preventing arteriosclerosis and lowering blood lipids;
3. It also contains flavonoids, a general term for a class of plant pigments, known as "quercetin," which has a particularly great effect on protecting the heart.
Foods to eat with onions:
Onion with wood ear mushrooms
1. Soak in white vinegar and eat
The general cooking methods are stir-frying or eating raw, but the best way to eat it is to slice it and then soak it in white vinegar. After soaking for two to three days, take it out to eat and drink a small amount of the vinegar. This will soften blood vessels and also play an important role in lowering blood pressure and blood lipids.
2. Eat with wine
Pairing with wine can have a good effect on softening blood vessels because wine is a drink with strong antioxidant properties. It will activate the nutrients in my body, making it easier for the human body to absorb these nutrients. Regularly eating onions with wine can reduce the occurrence of various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, but it is important to drink in moderation.
3. Eat with wood ear mushrooms
First, slice the onion, then stir-fry it with soaked wood ear mushrooms and eat. The nutrients in the onion and the nutrients in the wood ear mushroom complement each other, making the effect of softening blood vessels more obvious, and it can reduce the occurrence of arteriosclerosis and thrombotic diseases.
A few more things you didn't know about onions:
1. Thicker flesh in spring and summer, spicier in autumn and winter
In spring and summer, the outer skin of the onion is thinner, the flesh is thicker, it has more moisture, and the spicy taste is milder. Onions in colder weather are old onions, most of which have been stored. "Old onions are spicier," with thicker skin and less moisture.
2. Store in a dark place
When selecting onions, choose ones that feel heavy, have a dry, tight skin, no bruises, and no smell (because onions only release their odor when bruised or cut). Onions like to be in a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated place. Never put them in a plastic bag, or they will spoil quickly.
3. Purple skin is spicy, white skin is sweet
There are two colors of onions: purple and white. The white-skinned variety has a tender flesh, high moisture and sweetness, and a golden color and rich sweetness after long cooking. It is more suitable for eating fresh, baking, or stewing. The purple-skinned variety has a slightly reddish flesh, a strong spicy taste, and is suitable for stir-frying or making raw salads.
4. Slightly scorched for a richer flavor
Onions bring a rich, mainly sweet flavor and a beautiful caramel color to dishes. To achieve this effect, slow heating is the key. The specific method is: pour a little oil into the pan, add the chopped onions, and heat over low heat to allow them to slowly and fully release their sugars. Stirring occasionally prevents sticking, and covering the pot maintains the temperature and moisture.
5. Raw onions bring a cooling sensation
The raw taste is a bit pungent, but it is these pungent substances that have anti-cancer health benefits. The healthiest way to eat it is raw or in a salad. When eating strongly flavored and greasy foods like beef and mutton, mixing in onions can cut the grease and bring a refreshing minty sensation!
6. How to cut onions without crying?
When cutting onions, the sulfides in the onion react, making you "tear up" in a second. Here's a simple trick: put the onion in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before cutting. Also, the sharper the knife, the less chance of it being pungent. In addition, cut the root end, as it has the highest concentration of sulfides.
The onion is a "superhero" in food, with extraordinary "super energy." Long-term consumption has many benefits for the human body, and there are many ways to prepare it, giving dishes an extraordinary flavor. Be sure to eat more onions and experience their "super energy."
Onion-mixed wood