Early summer is the season for many fruits to ripen, including loquat, cherry, bayberry, and green plum. They are charming in shape, pleasant in color, and high in nutritional value, making them the "Four Treasures" of early summer.
Loquat—Rich in Carotene
The name "loquat" is a homophone for the Chinese lute, "pipa". In fact, its name is related to the fruit's shape resembling the musical instrument! Loquats are more commonly grown in southern China. Unlike most fruits, they bloom in autumn or early winter and ripen from spring to early summer, thus earning them the title "the only tree in the fruit world that bears the essence of all four seasons."
There are two types of loquats: red-fleshed and white-fleshed, similar to the distinction between red and white meat in the meat category.
The sugar in loquats is mainly fructose, which is also the main source of their sweetness. Its fructose content is even higher than that of watermelon, which is also rich in fructose. Fructose is the sweetest of all sugars, but it raises blood sugar more slowly than glucose, which is undoubtedly beneficial for diabetics. Loquats are rich in potassium. Potassium and sodium are a pair of "frenemies". A high-potassium diet can be very effective in balancing high blood pressure caused by a high-salt diet! Loquats, especially red-fleshed ones, are among the top common fruits in terms of retinol equivalent, comparable to mangoes, and are very beneficial for protecting vision. In addition, loquats also have certain medicinal value, with the functions of moistening the lungs, relieving coughs, and quenching thirst. "Chuanbei Loquat Paste" is a well-known Chinese herbal medicine.
When selecting loquats, it is best to choose those with orange-yellow skin, intact fuzz, ripe, and without unripe green fruit. And you must peel loquats before eating; the pit is inedible because unripe fruit skin and pits contain amygdalin, which is somewhat toxic. It is also not recommended to eat too many ripe loquats at once; one or two is sufficient.
Sugar Water Loquats
Cherry—Rich in Lycopene
Cherries are adorable in shape, pleasant in color, sweet and sour to the taste, and convenient to eat, making them a "popular favorite" among fruits, loved by all ages and genders! More gratifyingly, as a typical representative of dark-colored fruits, cherries are highly nutritious. The lycopene content in cherries is richer than in most fruits, with antioxidant, anti-aging, and even certain anti-cancer effects. The mineral potassium content in cherries is almost the same as that of bananas, a well-known "high-potassium" fruit, and is very helpful for stabilizing blood pressure. Similar to loquat, cherries are also rich in retinol equivalent, which helps protect vision and improve immunity.
Many people believe that red foods are great for supplementing iron, so they think cherries are also a high-iron food. This is actually a misconception. The iron content in cherries is not high at all. It is far less than in animal foods like pork liver, pig's blood, and lean meat. Even when compared with plant-based foods like spinach and wood ear mushrooms, the gap is very large, similar to that in fruits like apples and peaches. Even more unfortunate is that the iron in plant-based foods is mainly non-heme iron, and the human body's absorption rate for this type of iron is very low. Therefore, cherries are unreliable for iron supplementation in terms of both "quantity" and "quality"; animal-based foods are needed to help with iron supplementation.
Tip: When picking cherries, choose those with intact skin without small holes, full, firm, and not soft, and still with their stems. Cherries are not heat-tolerant. If you can't finish them, it's best to store them in the refrigerator's crisper to maintain their fresh and tender texture.
Bayberry—Rich in Anthocyanin
Bayberries are abundantly grown in southern China and are known as the "agate among fruits". Red and purple bayberries are also dark-colored fruits, rich in anthocyanins, a type of phytochemical, which has strong antioxidant effects, can scavenge free radicals, delay aging, and improve immunity. Bayberries are rich in organic acids. Organic acids can stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juice, improve digestion, and promote mineral absorption. Therefore, the idiom "quenching thirst by looking at plums" also makes some sense from a nutritional perspective. It is precisely because the organic acids in bayberries can irritate the gastric mucosa that patients with gastritis and ulcers should eat them in moderation.
This pair of berry "sisters," cherry and bayberry, share a common trait: they are easily "invaded" by fruit fly larvae. Although cherries and bayberries are charming in shape and high in nutritional value, many people still have reservations about the "bug incident" they encountered. In fact, the bugs that come out of cherries and bayberries soaked in salt water are mostly fruit fly larvae. They are non-toxic and harmless. Once they enter the stomach, they will be killed by strong stomach acid and become a high-protein "food" to be digested and absorbed. They will not cause harm inside the body, let alone become parasites! The only problem is that cherries and bayberries with bugs on their surface are prone to damage, which can then lead to softening and spoilage.
Therefore, when choosing such berries, be sure to pick fresh ones with intact, undamaged skin and full pulp. If you are worried about bugs, you can soak them in light salt water, wash them, and then eat them. Also, relatively speaking, bayberries with round spines on the pulp are sweeter, while those with pointed spines are slightly more sour.
Tip: When buying bayberries, be sure to choose fresh, intact, undamaged, and full-pulped ones. If you are worried about bugs, soak them in light salt water, wash them, and then eat.
Homemade Dried Bayberries
Green Plum Wine Boiled with Green Plum is Most Beautifying
Early summer is when green plums ripen. The most fitting and suitable drink for women is green plum wine! Bayberries are abundantly grown in southern China and are known as the "agate among fruits". Red and purple bayberries are also dark-colored fruits, rich in anthocyanins, a type of phytochemical, which has strong antioxidant effects, can scavenge free radicals, delay aging, and improve immunity. Bayberries are rich in organic acids. Organic acids can stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juice, improve digestion, and promote mineral absorption. Therefore, the idiom "quenching thirst by looking at plums" also makes some sense from a nutritional perspective. It is precisely because the organic acids in bayberries can irritate the gastric mucosa that patients with gastritis and ulcers should eat them in moderation.
This pair of berry "sisters," cherry and bayberry, share a common trait: they are easily "invaded" by fruit fly larvae. Although cherries and bayberries are charming in shape and high in nutritional value, many people still have reservations about the "bug incident" they encountered. In fact, the bugs that come out of cherries and bayberries soaked in salt water are mostly fruit fly larvae. They are non-toxic and harmless. Once they enter the stomach, they will be killed by strong stomach acid and become a high-protein "food" to be digested and absorbed. They will not cause harm inside the body, let alone become parasites! The only problem is that cherries and bayberries with bugs on their surface are prone to damage, which can then lead to softening and spoilage.
Therefore, when choosing such berries, be sure to pick fresh ones with intact, undamaged skin and full pulp. If you are worried about bugs, you can soak them in light salt water, wash them, and then eat them. Also, relatively speaking, bayberries with round spines on the pulp are sweeter, while those with pointed spines are slightly more sour.
Tip: When buying bayberries, be sure to choose fresh, intact, undamaged, and full-pulped ones. If you are worried about bugs, soak them in light salt water, wash them, and then eat.
In addition to its sweet and sour taste, the health benefits of green plum wine seem almost tailor-made for women: green plums can promote the salivary glands to secrete more parotin. Parotin is a type of hormone, often called the "youth-restoring hormone". It can promote the rejuvenation of tissues and blood vessels throughout the body, maintain the rhythm of metabolism, and has the effect of beautifying the skin and hair.
However, green plums are too sour. Soaking them in alcohol and blending rock sugar serves to enhance their strengths and mask their weaknesses: the sweet and sour flavor of the plums mingles with the aroma of the alcohol. A sip of it promotes saliva production, whets the appetite, and refreshes the spirit. It is the perfect choice to invigorate the mind on a lazy early summer day.
The sugar
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