November and December are the peak season for water chestnuts. With its purple-black skin, white flesh, sweet, juicy, and crisp taste, it can be enjoyed as both a fruit and a vegetable. Since ancient times, it has been praised as the "underground snow pear," while people in the north consider it the "ginseng of Jiangnan."
Water chestnuts are rich in protein and carbohydrates, but are not high in calories. Traditional Chinese medicine considers water chestnuts a "cold" food that can clear heat and purge fire, as well as provide nourishment. It is very effective for reducing fever in its early stages, with about 10 pieces being the recommended amount. It also has properties that cool the blood, detoxify, promote urination, relieve constipation, resolve dampness, reduce phlegm, aid digestion, and alleviate bloating.
"Five-Juice Decoction," a famous formula from the Qing dynasty by the renowned epidemic disease expert Wu Jutong for treating febrile diseases that damage fluids and cause thirst, is made by combining the juices of water chestnut, pear, lotus root, reed rhizome, and Ophiopogon japonicus. All five juices are sweet, cold, and cooling, making them suitable for those in the early stages of fever or after a high fever has subsided. However, they should not be consumed during a high fever. In seasons with many respiratory infectious diseases, eating fresh water chestnuts can also help prevent and treat diseases such as cerebrospinal meningitis, measles, pertussis, and acute pharyngitis.
During winter, children often suffer from fevers, and water chestnuts are also very suitable for them. Not only can they help reduce fever, but they also promote the development of a child's teeth and bones.
This is because the phosphorus content in water chestnuts is high among root and stem vegetables. It promotes human growth and development, meets the needs of physiological functions, and also facilitates the metabolism of the body's three major substances: sugar, fat, and protein, while regulating acid-base balance. British research on water chestnuts also discovered a heat-sensitive antibacterial component called puchiin, which has a certain inhibitory effect on *Staphylococcus aureus* and *E. coli*, and can also lower blood pressure. This substance also has a preventive and therapeutic effect on lung, esophageal, and breast tumors.
However, water chestnuts should not be eaten raw. As they grow in mud, their skins and flesh may be contaminated with bacteria and parasites. They must be thoroughly washed and cooked before consumption, and cooked water chestnuts are even sweeter.