As the saying goes, "A year's plan starts with spring." Have you made a plan for your spring diet? The following four vegetables are beneficial for spring health and should be eaten more often.
Sprouts prevent dry mouth and chapped lips
Spring weather is dry, and symptoms like a dry mouth and chapped lips, which can lead to angular cheilitis, are common. Sprouts are delicious and a great choice for nourishing the body, moistening dryness, and clearing heat and toxins. Whether they are soybean sprouts or mung bean sprouts, compared to the original beans, their vitamin content increases, mineral utilization is improved, and protein and polysaccharides are more easily absorbed. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, eating sprouts in early spring helps the five organs transition from winter storage to spring growth, promoting the smooth flow of liver qi and strengthening the spleen and stomach. Sprouts can be prepared in many ways: blanched and served as a cold salad, in soups, or for hot pot.
【Yantai】Stir-fried Sprouts
Shepherd's purse can supplement calcium
Currently, although the weather has not truly warmed up, shepherd's purse, the most cold-hardy vegetable, is already on the market. Shepherd's purse is rich in nutrition, with high levels of vitamin C, carotenoids, and various minerals. Notably, its calcium content is nearly three times that of milk of the same weight. Shepherd's purse also has certain medicinal value, and traditional medicine believes it can be used as an adjunct in treating dysentery, enteritis, and gastric ulcers. It can be used as a filling, blanched and served as a cold salad, mixed with scrambled eggs, or used in soups and congee.
Lettuce helps with allergies
Lettuce, also known as "spring vegetable," is one of the most suitable vegetables for spring. It is rich in vitamins, calcium, magnesium, dietary fiber, and other components. A Japanese study found that a substance in lettuce can resist rhinitis caused by spring allergies, alleviating the suffering of allergy sufferers. Lettuce can be served as a cold salad, braised, stir-fried, or processed into pickles and other preserved vegetables.
Chives boost immunity
Although chives can be eaten year-round, they are at their best in early spring. Chives are rich in dietary fiber, which can promote intestinal peristalsis and effectively prevent habitual constipation and colorectal cancer, earning it the nickname "intestinal cleanser." Chives are warm in nature, so eating them in spring can help consolidate yang energy and boost the body's immunity. People who often have cold hands and feet might consider eating more chives. Chives can be prepared in many ways; stir-frying them with eggs or lean pork are good options. However, chives are not suitable for everyone. People with mouth sores, a sore throat, or excessive liver heat should eat them sparingly.
Chili fried eggs