Every March and April is the peak season for wild vegetables. City dwellers tired of rich meats can benefit greatly from eating more of these seasonal wild vegetables in spring for their health-promoting properties.
China has always had the saying "medicine and food share the same source," a concept that is particularly evident in wild vegetables. Wild vegetables contain various biologically active components. Among them, polysaccharides can enhance the human immune system and prevent infectious diseases and tumors; flavonoids can inhibit damage to cells from free radicals; and saponins have a significant effect on improving cardiovascular function. Are you familiar with the therapeutic value of these 10 common wild vegetables that are also available in the market? 1. Purslane can help treat diabetes
Purslane, also known as Portulaca oleracea or longevity vegetable, is generally reddish-brown with thick, long-ovate leaves, named for its resemblance to a horse's teeth. It contains various nutrients such as protein, fat, thiamine, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid. Due to its relatively high acid content, it has a slightly sour taste.
The medicinal function of purslane is to clear heat and detoxify, cool the blood and stop bleeding. Because it is rich in noradrenaline, it can promote the secretion of insulin by the pancreatic islets, regulate the body's sugar metabolism process, lower blood sugar concentration, and maintain stable blood sugar, so it has a certain therapeutic effect on diabetes. In addition, it contains an unsaturated fatty acid called 3-W, which can inhibit the production of cholesterol and triglycerides, and has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. It can be prepared in many ways, such as stir-frying after blanching, cold mixing, or used as a filling. For example, stir-fried purslane with eggs, steamed purslane buns, or cooking a purslane and garlic congee to clear heat and stop dysentery. 2. Dandelion is good for the liver
Dandelion, also known as Taraxacum mongolicum, is a plant many people have seen in the wild. Its pollen contains vitamins and linoleic acid, while its stems and leaves contain choline, amino acids, and trace elements.
The main functions of dandelion are to clear heat and detoxify, reduce swelling, and promote urination. It has a broad-spectrum antibacterial effect and can stimulate the body's immune function to achieve the effects of promoting bile secretion and protecting the liver. It can be eaten raw after blanching, stir-fried, or made into soup, such as jellyfish skin mixed with dandelion or stir-fried shredded pork with dandelion. It can also be mixed with green tea, licorice, and honey to make a cup of dandelion green tea that clears heat and detoxifies and reduces swelling. 3. Sonchus oleraceus can inhibit leukemia
The scientific name of Sonchus oleraceus is Sonchus arvensis or Sonchus brachyotus. Its stem is yellowish-white; the leaves are round-lanceolate, green on the surface and gray-green on the back; the flowers are bright yellow and ligulate. Dried Sonchus oleraceus is rich in elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, manganese, zinc, and copper.
Sonchus oleraceus can clear heat and dry dampness, reduce swelling and discharge pus, resolve stasis and detoxify, cool the blood and stop bleeding. The ethanol extract of its concentrated water decoction has an inhibitory effect on acute lymphocytic leukemia, as well as acute and chronic granulocytic leukemia. Common ways to eat it include garlic-mixed Sonchus oleraceus, sauce-mixed Sonchus oleraceus, and Sonchus oleraceus stewed with pork liver. 4. Fern has a sedative effect
Fern, also known as bracken or dragon's head vegetable, is relatively common among wild vegetables. When the fern fronds are coiled, it indicates they are fresh and tender; they will unfurl when they get older.
Eating fern can clear heat and lubricate the intestines, lower qi and resolve phlegm, promote urination, and calm the mind. However, dried or salted fern should be soaked in water before eating to rehydrate it. Common ways to eat it include stir-fried pork tenderloin with fern, braised pork with fern, and cold-mixed fern. 5. Platycodon grandiflorus can resist ulcers
Platycodon grandiflorus is also known as Mingye Cai or monk's hat. "Doraji," which Korean people refer to, is this very plant. It can produce small blue flowers at its branch tips. What we usually eat is the root of Platycodon grandiflorus, which has effects such as resolving phlegm and relieving cough, relieving pain, reducing fever, sedating, lowering blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-tumor, and antibacterial. 6. Shepherd's purse supplements deficiency and strengthens the spleen
The flowering period of shepherd's purse is from April to June. In fields and by the roadsides, people can often see small white flowers of shepherd's purse dotted around. Its main therapeutic effects are to cool the blood and stop bleeding, supplement deficiency and strengthen the spleen, clear heat and promote urination. In spring, the tender stems and leaves or overwintering buds of shepherd's purse can be picked, blanched, and then eaten cold, dipped in sauce, made into soup, used as a filling, or stir-fried. It can also be cooked into a delicious shepherd's purse porridge. 7. Eat more amaranth on hot days
The root of amaranth is generally purple or light purple; its stem rarely has branches and has green or light purple stripes; the leaves are ovate.
What we usually eat are the tender stems and leaves of amaranth, which have the effects of clearing heat and promoting urination, detoxifying, and nourishing yin and moistening dryness. In addition to stir-frying, cold mixing, and making soup, amaranth is also often used as a filling. For example, cold-mixed amaranth, amaranth with shredded chicken, or amaranth dumplings. 8. Water celery can lower blood pressure
Water celery, also known as water dropwort or river celery, has a hollow stem, triangular leaves, and white flowers. It mainly grows in damp places such as by ponds, rivers, and in paddy fields.
Water celery has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, moistening the lungs, strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the stomach, promoting digestion and relieving stagnation, promoting urination, stopping bleeding, lowering blood pressure, resisting hepatitis, resisting arrhythmia, and antibacterial. Common dishes we eat include stir-fried water celery with pork, water celery and lamb dumplings, and water celery mixed with peanuts. 9. Aralia elata supplements the kidneys and benefits essence
Aralia elata, also known as cangzhu or eastern Manchurian aralia, mainly grows in shrubs and forest clearings. Unlike other wild vegetables, it is not a herb but a woody plant. Its bark is gray and covered with large, hard thorns; its flowers are light yellowish-white; and its fruit is a spherical, black berry.
The part of Aralia elata that is eaten is mainly its tender buds, which can supplement qi, invigorate blood, expel wind, promote urination, relieve pain, and supplement the kidneys and benefit essence. 10. Allium macrostemon can prevent arteriosclerosis
Allium macrostemon, also known as xiebai or small-rooted vegetable, looks very similar to garlic in its stems and leaves and also has the taste of onions and garlic. Its functions are to activate yang and transform qi, open the chest and dissipate nodules, and promote qi and relieve stagnation. It is used to treat dysentery and inhibit the increase of peroxides in the blood of patients with hyperlipidemia, thus preventing atherosclerosis. Common ways to eat it are Allium macrostemon mixed with tofu, or cooking a porridge with Allium macrostemon and white fungus.