Ten essential foods for spring wellness.

In spring, the body's metabolism speeds up, so it's important to eat more vegetables and fruits to supplement essential vitamins and nutrients. So, what are the best foods to eat in spring?

Top 10 Essential Foods for Spring Health

Shepherd's Purse

Shepherd's purse has a sweet and mild taste, and is slightly cool in nature. It can cool the blood to stop bleeding, clear the liver to improve vision, and clear heat to promote urination.

Oyster Sauce, Chives, and Bean Sprouts

Spring Chives

There are many benefits to eating chives in the spring. "Though the spring cold is still biting, the spring chives arrive in the dish." Chives are warm in nature and have the effect of nourishing the kidneys. As the spring weather is inconsistent, it is recommended that men eat more spring chives to dispel cold and drive away yin. Moreover, in spring, the body's liver qi is overly strong, affecting the spleen and stomach's digestive and absorption functions. Eating more chives can strengthen the spleen and stomach qi, which is beneficial to liver function.

Cabbage

Cabbage, also known as headed cabbage, is the leafy stem of the plant Brassica oleracea from the cruciferous family. It originated in the Mediterranean region and is now widely cultivated throughout China. Depending on its shape, it can be divided into flat, pointed, and round-headed types. Cabbage leaves are large and thick, making it a highly nutritious vegetable with significant health benefits, and is a natural anti-cancer remedy. It is even listed among the top 30 best anti-cancer fruits and vegetables recommended by the American Cancer Society.

Carrot and Apple Juice

Carrot

Rich in potassium, it helps lower blood pressure. The dietary fiber can promote intestinal health. Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A in the body, boosting the body's resistance and suppressing active oxygen that causes cell deterioration. Additionally, due to its rich potassium content, it has the effect of lowering blood pressure, and the dietary fiber can promote intestinal health.

Chinese Yam

Chinese yam is especially suitable for consumption in spring. It is nutritious and can strengthen the spleen and qi, preventing the strong liver qi of spring from damaging the spleen. It can also nourish the kidneys and essence, enhancing the body's resistance.

Orange Juice

Orange

Oranges have a high water content and are rich in nutrients, containing over ten substances such as vitamin C, citric acid, and glucose. When consumed properly, they can benefit the body. For patients with chronic hepatitis and high blood pressure, eating more tangerines can enhance the liver's detoxification function, accelerate cholesterol conversion, and prevent arteriosclerosis.

Pineapple

Pineapple is a seasonal fruit in March. Pineapple contains a substance called "bromelain," which can break down proteins, dissolve fibrin and blood clots blocked in tissues, improve local blood circulation, and reduce inflammation and edema. The sugars, salts, and enzymes in pineapple have a diuretic effect, and moderate consumption is beneficial for patients with nephritis and high blood pressure. Pineapple has a sweet and neutral taste, and functions to strengthen the stomach to aid digestion, tonify the spleen to stop diarrhea, and clear the stomach to quench thirst.

Fresh Fruit Pizza

Strawberry

Strawberries are nutritious, containing fructose, sucrose, citric acid, malic acid, salicylic acid, amino acids, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. In addition, they contain a variety of vitamins, especially a very high content of vitamin C—60 milligrams per 100 grams of strawberries. The carotene in strawberries is an important substance for synthesizing vitamin A and has the effect of improving eyesight and nourishing the liver. Strawberries also contain pectin and rich dietary fiber, which can aid digestion and promote regular bowel movements, making them a healthy food suitable for all ages.

Apple

Eat apples to prevent and treat colds. During spring and autumn, temperatures are unstable, making one prone to colds. Eating red apples can cause the body's disease-resistant tissues to generate heat energy, while the special substances it contains—anti-cold factors—directly resist cold viruses and accelerate recovery. Eating them raw or as juice is more effective.

Summer Dessert: Mango Glutinous Rice Balls

Cherry

Cherries "ripen before all other fruits." They are nutritious, rich in carbohydrates and protein, and also contain calcium, phosphorus, iron, and various vitamins. Especially high in iron, with 6 to 8 milligrams per 100 grams—20 to 30 times higher than apples, oranges, and pears. The vitamin A content is 4 to 5 times higher than apples, oranges, and grapes. Eating cherries can promote the regeneration of hemoglobin and has anti-cancer effects.