Have you ever heard the saying, "Eating sugarcane in winter is better than taking ginseng"? Eating sugarcane in winter helps us replenish fluids. Sugarcane is the only stem fruit among fruits and the fruit with the highest content of fiber (including insoluble fiber). It is known as a "warehouse of sugar water". Let's take a look at the other benefits of sugarcane!
Benefits of Sugarcane
1. Iron Supplementation and Blood Nourishment
Sugarcane is rich in vitamins and minerals. Every kilogram of sugarcane contains 9 milligrams of iron, the highest among fruits. When the iron in sugarcane enters the human bloodstream, it can help with blood production and also has the effect of nourishing and moistening the body. Therefore, sugarcane is known as the "blood-nourishing fruit" and is also called "natural pulse-restoring soup".
2. Nourishing and Moistening
The fiber in sugarcane can stimulate the intestines, promote bowel movements, and help with detoxification. If you feel hot and dry, have difficulty urinating, or have a fever and thirst, eating some sugarcane can nourish and moisten the body, clear heat, and detoxify.
3. Strengthening the Spleen and Promoting Urination
Sugarcane is an ingredient that can strengthen the spleen. Its fiber can nourish and moisten, relieve stomach heat, aid digestion, as well as promote saliva production to quench thirst, nourish the spleen and stomach, and help with urination.
4. Promoting Saliva Production and Sobering Up
Sugarcane contains a lot of water and sugar. Eating some when thirsty can immediately relieve thirst. At the same time, sugarcane is also effective for post-alcohol agitation and discomfort, and has a good effect on sobering up and protecting the liver.
5. Cleaning the Mouth
Sugarcane can moisten the throat and protect the vocal cords. Chewing sugarcane frequently can strengthen teeth and exercise facial muscles. People with bad breath or mouth inflammation can chew more sugarcane. However, be sure to rinse your mouth promptly after eating sugarcane to avoid excessive sugar remaining in the mouth, which can cause cavities and oral ulcers.
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Precautions for Eating Sugarcane
1. Although sugarcane is a great fruit, it is not suitable for everyone. For example, patients with symptoms such as stomach cold, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, or excessive phlegm should avoid or eat less sugarcane to avoid worsening their condition.
2. Sugarcane contains a lot of sugar and energy, so it should not be eaten in excess to prevent undigested sugar from accumulating in the body and converting into fat.
3. Sugarcane contains a lot of coarse fiber, so it must be chewed slowly. Do not rush or eat too much, as it may damage the oral mucosa and affect oral health.
4. Do not eat sugarcane that has turned red or moldy.
If you encounter sugarcane that has turned red or has red streaks, do not eat it. The red color is actually a sign of mold. Moldy sugarcane produces a mold called "Arthrinium," which secretes 3-nitropropionic acid, a toxic substance.
The skin of moldy sugarcane loses its luster. After peeling, the flesh turns from white to pink or brown, the texture is soft, and it tastes sour with a musty and wine-like smell.
Eating moldy sugarcane can easily cause poisoning symptoms such as vomiting, convulsions, and coma, or damage to the optic nerve or central nervous system. In severe cases, it can lead to blindness, incurable diseases such as systemic spastic paralysis, or even death.
How to Choose Sugarcane
1. Feel the firmness of the sugarcane; fresh sugarcane is hard.
2. Check if the pulp of the sugarcane is fresh; fresh sugarcane has a clear white flesh.
3. Smell the sugarcane for any unusual odors; fresh sugarcane has a fresh scent.
4. Choose sugarcane with uniform joints, slightly longer sections between joints, and a duller color, as this type of sugarcane is sweeter.
About the Two Colors of Sugarcane
Sugarcane with green-yellow skin has a heat-clearing effect, beneficial for relieving lung and stomach heat, but it is not suitable for people with a weak and cold spleen and stomach or stomach and abdominal pain.
Sugarcane with dark purple to black skin is mild and nourishing, can satisfy hunger, relieve coughs, strengthen the stomach, and replenish energy, but people with a sore throat and excessive heat should not eat it.
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