Fifteen Best Foods to Eat in Spring
Spring is a season of vibrant growth and vitality, and also a time when the body's physiological functions and metabolism are most active. To help you navigate this sensitive season, here are some of the best foods to eat in spring. As the saying goes, "Food therapy is better than medicine therapy." We might as well incorporate more of these foods into our daily diet to improve our health.
Raisins
Raisins are beneficial for replenishing vital energy and blood. They nourish the liver blood and are suitable for people who are prone to anemia, dizziness, or vertigo. Those who experience dizziness in spring often have insufficient qi and blood. Raisins are rich in iron, which is essential for blood production, especially for women. However, due to their high sugar content, those who are weight-conscious, have diabetes, or are prone to diarrhea should consume them in moderation. It is recommended not to eat more than half a handful per day.
Longan
Dried longan can calm the mind and is suitable for those with insufficient liver blood and poor qi and blood circulation, who often have poor sleep and low energy in spring. Dried longan can nourish the spleen and blood. When the spleen and stomach are well-nourished, the liver blood and qi are also more abundant. Therefore, people with poor sleep or dizziness can eat more. However, those who often have a dry mouth, are prone to "internal heat" (上火), or have a "hot" constitution should eat less. It is recommended not to eat more than half a handful per day.
Glutinous Rice
Glutinous rice cakes can boost energy. Glutinous rice has the effect of tonifying the middle jiao and replenishing qi. Eating it in the cool early spring weather can warm and nourish the spleen and stomach, nourish the blood, and calm the mind. It is suitable for people with a deficient spleen and stomach qi or frequent diarrhea, or those who experience abdominal pain or a cold stomach in cold weather. However, glutinous rice is not easily digested, so those prone to indigestion should limit their intake to about half a handful per day.
Chinese Yam
Chinese yam is sweet in flavor and neutral in nature, strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi. Regular consumption can enhance the body's immunity and increase the phagocytic activity of macrophages, which can promptly "eliminate" bacteria and viruses that invade the body. Patients with qi deficiency who often experience excessive sweating or frequent colds should pay special attention to moderately increasing their intake of Chinese yam in spring.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is the best friend for aiding digestion. Like a scavenger, it can quickly transform various foods into the most easily absorbable nutrients and block out harmful elements. It is not only effective for meat but also for spicy food. The astringent properties of hawthorn can greatly reduce the irritation of spicy food and its interference with the body's yin-yang balance.
Radish
Radish has a great function of cleansing the intestines. It can expel food residues from the intestines in a timely manner. Without these substances that can easily cause "internal heat," the symptoms will quickly subside.
Pineapple
Pineapple has the effect of nourishing yin and generating fluids. It can moisten the intestines and stomach and produce sufficient yin fluid, which is like a timely rain. When the firewood is soaked, the fire cannot burn, thus eliminating the "internal heat" caused by diet.
Red Dates
The ancient Chinese physician Sun Simiao said: "In spring, one should reduce sour foods and increase sweet ones to nourish the spleen qi." This means that in spring, it is advisable to eat less sour food and more sweet food. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that spring is when liver qi is flourishing. Eating too many sour foods can cause an excess of liver qi, which damages the spleen and stomach. Therefore, sour foods should be consumed in moderation. In spring, people engage in more outdoor activities than in winter, leading to greater physical exertion and increased energy needs. However, the spleen and stomach are relatively weak at this time, and digestive capacity is poor, making it unsuitable to eat a lot of greasy meat. Therefore, energy can be appropriately supplied by sweet foods. Red dates are an excellent spring food for nourishing the spleen.
Honey
TCM believes that honey is sweet in flavor and enters the spleen and stomach meridians. It can tonify the middle jiao, replenish qi, moisten the intestines, and promote bowel movements. The spring weather is changeable, with alternating cold and warm spells, making people prone to colds. Since honey contains various minerals and vitamins and has the function of clearing the lungs and detoxifying, it can enhance human immunity and is the most ideal tonic in spring. Therefore, in spring, if you can consume 1-2 teaspoons of honey daily, dissolved in a cup of warm water or mixed with milk, it will have a nourishing effect on the body.
Spring Sprouts
Eating spring sprouts in spring. Confucius said, "If it is not in season, do not eat it," meaning that one should not eat things that are not in season. The classic TCM text, "Huangdi Neijing" (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), also advises to "eat the grains of the year," which means eating seasonal foods. In spring, all plants sprout fresh, green, tender shoots. There are many edible spring sprouts, such as toon sprouts, bean sprouts, garlic sprouts, pea sprouts, and lettuce.
Chives
Spring weather is unpredictable, with alternating cold and warm spells, so it is important to nourish the body's yang energy, and chives are most beneficial for this. Chives contain volatile oils, protein, fat, and various vitamins and other nutrients, with effects of strengthening the stomach, refreshing the mind, and strengthening the kidneys. Spring chives are the finest among chives, with a particularly delicious flavor. Their roots are as white as jade, and their leaves are as green as jadeite, with a rich and fragrant aroma. Spring chives can be prepared in various ways; they can be served with meat, eggs, shrimp, or cuttlefish, or used as a filling for steamed buns and dumplings. Adding spring chives when stir-frying bean sprouts or dried tofu makes the dish exceptionally fragrant and delicious.
Spring Bamboo Shoots
Spring bamboo shoots, hailed as the "number one vegetarian delicacy," have been beloved by people since ancient times. Literati and gourmands have praised them endlessly, with a saying that "no one who has tasted the fresh delicacies fails to praise spring bamboo shoots." Spring bamboo shoots are thick, meaty, delicious, and nutritious, suitable for both meat and vegetable dishes. Different cooking methods yield different flavors; stir-frying, stewing, boiling, or braising all result in delicious dishes. Local famous dishes often feature spring bamboo shoots, such as "Goji Spring Bamboo Shoots" in Shanghai, "Spring Bamboo Shoots with White Chicken" in Nanjing, and "Southern Meat Spring Bamboo Shoots" in Zhejiang. However, fresh spring bamboo shoots are hard to find in the north; if you can only find them soaked in formaldehyde, it's best to avoid them.
Cherry
Cherries, known as the "first branch of spring fruits," are now cultivated all over China. Cherries have thick flesh, a delicious and juicy taste, and a vibrant color. They are nutritious, with an iron content that is particularly outstanding—more than 20 times higher than that of citrus, pears, and apples, ranking first among fruits. Cherries are warm in nature, sweet and slightly sour in flavor, and have the effects of tonifying the middle jiao, regulating the middle and benefiting the complexion, strengthening the spleen, and whetting the appetite. Eating cherries in spring can promote sweating, replenish qi, expel wind, and promote the eruption of rashes. It should be noted that cherries are considered "hot" in nature (属火) and should not be consumed in excess. Those with a yin deficiency and excess "fire" (阴虚火旺) should avoid or eat them sparingly. If you can't have cherries, strawberries are also an excellent choice.
Spinach
Spinach is available all year round, but it is best in spring, not in autumn as Zhao Benshan and Song Dandan joked. "Spring spinach" has red roots and green leaves, is exceptionally fresh and tender, and most delicious. Spinach available in spring is quite beneficial for detoxification and preventing spring dryness. TCM also believes that spinach is sweet and cool in nature, capable of nourishing blood, stopping bleeding, astringing yin, and moistening dryness. Because spinach contains a lot of oxalic acid, which hinders the absorption of calcium and iron, it is best to blanch it in boiling water before cooking.
Scallions, Ginger, and Garlic
These are not only excellent seasonings but also have important medicinal value. They can stimulate the appetite, help "spring yang" (春阳), and have antibacterial and disease-preventing effects. Spring is when scallions and garlic are most nutritious, tender, fragrant, and delicious of the year. Eating them at this time can prevent the most common respiratory infections in spring. Scallions scrambled with eggs or scallions dipped in sauce, which are popular in the north in spring, are both very nutritious and in harmony with the season.