In daily life, vegetarianism has become the primary method of health preservation. The diet of feasting on large amounts of meat is long gone, and eating vegetables and tofu every day has become something many are willing to do. Vegetarianism is good for the body. Vegetables, for example, come in many varieties, giving us more choices. Of course, eating vegetables must also be scientific and reasonable; if consumed improperly, it often affects health. Bracken fern, in particular, requires careful consumption. "What exists is reasonable." Let's first look at the nutritional value of bracken fern.
The Nutritional Value of Bracken Fern
Bracken fern is rich in nutrients, including vitamins, dietary fiber, minerals, protein, carotene, minerals, choline, carbohydrates, and more. In every 100g of bracken fern, the vitamin A content is as high as 183mg, carotene is even higher at 1100mg, and the potassium content is also considerable, reaching 292mg.
From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), bracken fern has both medicinal and food uses. So, what are its medicinal values?
The Medicinal Value of Bracken Fern
Bracken fern is a vegetable with a sweet taste and cold nature. It has the effects of clearing heat, lubricating the intestines, lowering qi, and resolving phlegm. It is effective for treating damp-heat diarrhea, dysentery, difficult urination, and constipation.
In clinical practice, bracken fern is used to treat diseases. For example, the "Zhejiang Tianmu Mountain Plant Records" describes grinding bracken fern into powder, selecting 150g, first mixing it with cold water, then adding brown sugar and taking it with boiling water to treat dysentery and abdominal pain. In the "Dietary Materia Medica": It supplements the deficiencies of the five organs, relieves qi stagnation in the meridians, bones, and muscles, and removes toxic qi.
After knowing that bracken fern is rich in nutrients and has medicinal value, what are the benefits of eating bracken fern in daily life?
The Benefits of Eating Bracken Fern
Clearing Heat and Detoxifying
Eating bracken fern allows you to absorb brackenin, a substance that has a strong inhibitory effect on bacteria. It can be used for persistent fevers and intestinal rheumatism, and is very helpful for clearing heat and detoxifying.
Lowering Blood Pressure
High blood pressure has always been a silent killer for humanity. How can we lower it? You can try consuming bracken fern. Eating bracken fern allows you to absorb its active ingredients, which can dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
Promoting Bowel Movements
The dietary fiber content in bracken fern is also very high. It can promote gastrointestinal motility and prevent the accumulation of too many impurities in the intestines, which can promote bowel movements and effectively prevent constipation.
Boosting Immunity
The purpose of eating food is nothing more than to strengthen the body. Eating bracken fern can also help boost immunity. Bracken fern can tonify the spleen and benefit qi, strengthening the body.
Even though bracken fern has so many benefits, it doesn't mean that eating it is completely safe. In fact, there have been discussions about bracken fern being carcinogenic.
Is Bracken Fern Carcinogenic?
Some studies show that bracken fern may be the only edible plant found so far that can cause cancer. In areas in Japan where bracken fern is cultivated, the number of patients with esophageal cancer is increasing, and in areas in the UK where it is cultivated, the incidence of stomach cancer is also high.
In isolation experiments on bracken fern, it was found that it contains a substance called ptaquiloside. This substance can induce esophageal and stomach cancer.
Of course, this doesn't mean you will get cancer immediately after eating bracken fern; this is also related to our intake. However, eating bracken fern for a long time is definitely unhealthy. It's fine to eat a small amount of bracken fern to satisfy a craving or to try something new. If you consume too much, ptaquiloside will accumulate in your body, which is undoubtedly a bad thing.