Bitter Vegetables: Good to Eat More in Summer
Introduction: China has a long-standing saying, "Bitter medicine is good for you," and modern medicine has confirmed that bitter foods are rich in alkaloids, amino acids, bitter substances, vitamins, and minerals, and have the effects of relieving summer heat, reducing fever, eliminating vexation, refreshing the mind, and strengthening the stomach. In summer, you can eat more of nine kinds of bitter vegetables.
Bitter Melon
Bitter melon is an excellent food for summer, rich in nutrients, mainly containing protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and other nutrients. Unripe young fruits are used as vegetables, and the ripe pulp can be eaten raw. It can be cold-dressed, stir-fried with meat, or braised with fish, crisp and refreshing with a unique flavor. It has the effects of increasing appetite, aiding digestion, eliminating heat evil, relieving fatigue, clearing the heart and brightening the eyes, and replenishing qi and strengthening yang. In addition to the bitter quinine, bitter melon also contains protein. Research has found that protein can stimulate immune cells and has anti-cancer effects.
Bitter Vegetable
Bitter vegetable, also known as Tu, Tu grass, or Ku ma cai, is the whole plant of Sonchus oleraceus of the Asteraceae family. Bitter vegetable mainly contains nutrients such as carbohydrates, B vitamins, vitamin C, and minerals. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that bitter vegetable is bitter and cold in nature, and has the effects of clearing heat, cooling blood, and detoxifying. Li Shizhen pointed out in his book "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Bitter vegetable regulates the twelve meridians, calms the mind, replenishes qi, makes the body light and resistant to aging, strengthens the body, and brightens the eyes..." Pickled bitter vegetable is a delicious delicacy to accompany rice in summer, with the effects of being refreshing and appetizing, relieving summer heat, and clearing the heart and eliminating vexation.
Dandelion
Dandelion, also known as Po Po Ding, Huang Hua Di Ding, etc., is the whole plant of Taraxacum mongolicum with roots, widely distributed throughout the country. "Compendium of Materia Medica" says: "Di Ding, quite common in the south of the Yangtze River, also found elsewhere, but absolutely none in Lingnan. It grows in small clumps on the ground, spreading out. The stems, leaves, and flowers are all like bitter lettuce, but smaller. The young shoots are edible." Dandelion is a nutritious vegetable, mainly containing nutrients such as protein, fat, carotene, riboflavin, and calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc. In terms of consumption, young leaves are often cold-dressed in summer, and can also be cooked. Eating more dandelion does no harm, and it can also be used as medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that dandelion is sweet, bitter, and cold in nature, and enters the liver and stomach meridians, with effects such as clearing heat, detoxifying, stopping diarrhea, promoting bile secretion, protecting the liver, strengthening the stomach, and lowering blood pressure.
Bitter Bamboo Shoots
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that bitter bamboo shoots are sweet in taste and cool but not cold in nature, with effects such as relieving summer heat and detoxification, losing weight and keeping fit, strengthening the stomach and eliminating stagnation. Bitter bamboo shoots are a delicious dish on the summer dining table. People usually make bitter bamboo shoot soup with bitter bamboo shoots, pork ribs, and pickled vegetables. The soup is bitter and sweet, delicious, and leaves a lasting aftertaste. Turnip
Turnip, also known as Ji Mao Cai. It is native to China and one of the oldest vegetables, cultivated all over the country. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that turnip is neutral in nature, with a bitter, pungent, and sweet taste, and enters the stomach, liver, and kidney meridians, with effects such as stimulating appetite, promoting qi circulation, eliminating dampness, and detoxifying. It is suitable for treating indigestion, thirst, and heat toxin-induced swelling. Turnip has a good flavor, can be used as a grain substitute, cooked as a vegetable, or pickled and processed.
Lettuce
Lettuce, also known as Qian Jin Cai or Wo Cai. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that lettuce is cool in nature, with a bitter and sweet taste, and enters the intestine and stomach meridians. It has the effects of promoting urination, opening the chest and diaphragm, regulating qi and harmonizing the middle, clearing heat and quenching thirst. It is suitable for treating difficult urination, qi stagnation in the spleen and stomach, poor appetite, and excessive thirst. Lettuce can be stir-fried or cold-dressed. For stir-frying, use high heat and cook quickly. For cold-dressing, marinate with a little salt first, squeeze out the juice, then eat.
Cactus
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that cactus is bitter and cold in nature, mainly entering the heart, lung, and stomach meridians, with effects such as clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting qi and blood circulation, resolving phlegm, and calming the mind. Studies have shown that cactus can prevent arteriosclerosis and can also treat diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and lung cancer.
Wild Garlic
Wild garlic, also known as Da Tou Cai Zi or Xiao Du Suan. It has the effects of regulating qi and expanding the chest, and activating yang to resolve stagnation. It is used to treat chest obstruction, heart pain, and dry heaving.
Goji Berry Sprouts
Goji berry sprouts, also known as Tian Cai or Goji Jian. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the whole plant of goji berry sprouts is cool in nature, with a sweet and bitter taste, and has the effects of clearing heat and eliminating vexation, nourishing yin and brightening the eyes. It is suitable for treating yin deficiency fever, thirst and dry mouth, feverish palms and soles, liver and kidney deficiency, dry eyes, and virtual fire toothache.