A bowl of fragrant rice and a coarse cornbread are placed in front of you, which would you choose? Between a piece of watermelon and a segment of pomelo, which would you choose as a dessert fruit? When you see onions and garlic on the dining table, would you ignore them? In life, we tend to love foods that are sweet, refined, and rich, and dislike foods that are bitter, coarse, and bland. Yet, it is precisely among these foods with poor textures that unexpected nutritional and health elements can be found.
Coarse foods
Some people do not like brown rice and cornbread because they feel "scratchy" on the throat, preferring refined fragrant rice and white flour products. In fact, what feels scratchy is precious dietary fiber. It stimulates intestinal peristalsis, aids bowel movements, and changes the types and numbers of gut microbes, reducing the production of carcinogens. Dietary fiber is widely found in foods with a coarse texture, including whole grains like rice, wheat, and miscellaneous beans, such as brown rice, oats, and red beans. To prevent constipation and colon cancer, one should ensure a daily intake of 20-30 grams of dietary fiber. It is recommended to give up traditional white rice porridge for breakfast and switch to mixed grain porridge, and to replace refined white rice with whole wheat steamed buns.
Astringent foods
The presence of tannins, phytic acid, and oxalic acid can make food astringent. This is because they bind with salivary proteins in the mouth to form precipitates, causing saliva to lose its lubricating properties and the epithelial tissue on the tongue to contract, producing an astringent taste. However, these substances are highly antioxidant and beneficial for preventing diabetes and hyperlipidemia. For example, olives, purple grape skins, apple skins, and walnut skins all have stronger antioxidant effects than their flesh. It is recommended to eat apples and grapes with their skins on, and when eating walnuts, do not remove the brown skin.
Sour foods
Compared to sweet oranges, watermelons, and bananas, fewer people love sour fruits like sand pears and hawthorns. In fact, the sour taste of these fruits mainly comes from natural organic acids like citric acid and malic acid. These natural acidic substances can promote the absorption of minerals such as iron. If you find sour foods unpalatable, you can make them into fruit puddings, add a small amount rock sugar, and freeze them in the refrigerator to greatly improve the texture.
Bitter foods
Natural bitter substances in food also have certain health benefits. For example, naringin in lemons and pomelos, polyphenols in tea, polyphenols in red wine, and polyphenols in chocolate are all components that help prevent cancer and heart disease. Quinine in bitter gourd can also improve human immunity and help control blood sugar. Therefore, when eating fruits, you must eat a variety of them; you cannot just eat sweet ones and should also eat some bitter and sour ones. Don't throw away the pomelo peels after eating them; you can cut them into strips and make honey pomelo tea. For bitter gourd, blanch it in hot water, chill it, and then it can be eaten dipped in honey.
Pungent foods
Many people try to avoid onions and garlic because their flavor is too strong, and they can even leave an unpleasant odor in the mouth afterward. In fact, this pungent flavor comes from substances like glucosinolates and allyl disulfides, which can effectively prevent cancer and are widely found in foods like radishes, garlic, and onions. Therefore, do not ignore them in your daily diet. Radishes can be made into pickles or stewed in pork rib soup, onions can be used in cold salads, and the best way to eat garlic is raw. If you find your breath smells bad after eating garlic, onions, or other foods, you can chew a small amount of tea leaves.
Spicy foods
The spiciness in food is generally provided by capsaicin or volatile sulfur compounds. Capsaicin has analgesic effects and can also boost metabolism, aiding in fat burning and weight loss. Mustard has a strong spicy flavor and a significant stimulating effect; it can regulate the endocrine system in women, enhance sexual function, and stimulate blood vessel dilation, improving facial blood circulation to give women a healthier complexion.
Smelly foods
The durian has a strong aroma, and saying it "stinks to high heaven" is no exaggeration. However, in Thailand, due to its high nutritional value, it is often used as a nourishing food for patients and postpartum women. Durian is a "hot" food that can invigorate blood and dispel cold, alleviating menstrual pain, making it especially suitable for women troubled by dysmenorrhea. It can also improve symptoms of a cold abdomen and can help raise body temperature, making it an ideal supplement for people with a "cold" constitution. Although durian has many benefits, you should not eat too much at once, as it can easily lead to body heat and may cause "internal heat" because the digestive system cannot fully absorb it.