Introduction: For post-autumn equinox dietary wellness, make the right choice between eating fruits and vegetables raw or cooked. Right after the autumn equinox, the focus is on light nourishment. Many fruits and vegetables are suitable, and many can be eaten both raw and cooked, with different nutritional values depending on the preparation. To eat raw or cooked? Consider your own needs.
Lotus Root
Fresh lotus root can nourish yin, clear heat, moisten dryness, quench thirst, and calm the mind, making it a truly healthy delicacy for autumn.
Raw: Raw lotus root is cooling in nature and has the effects of clearing heat and moistening the lungs, cooling the blood and dispelling stasis. It can treat symptoms like thirst due to yin deficiency and vexation, and is also effective for alleviating acne.
Cooked: When cooked, the nature of lotus root becomes warming, helping to strengthen the spleen and whet the appetite. Furthermore, people who use their brain frequently can benefit from eating lotus root, as it nourishes blood and marrow, and calms the mind to strengthen the brain. For women, eating lotus root can regulate and nourish the blood, giving the face a healthy glow.
Consumption Tip: For those with symptoms of "internal heat," try cold lotus root salad. For those with a weak or cold spleen and stomach, steamed lotus root or lotus root soup are good choices.
Pear
This sweet and sour fruit is perfect for autumn.
Raw: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, raw pear is believed to clear heat and reduce fire, moisten dryness and transform phlegm, and moisten the intestines to relieve constipation. It can alleviate common autumn symptoms like a dry, itchy, or sore throat, hoarseness, and constipation. Eating pears raw also allows for better intake of folic acid and vitamin C.
Cooked: Steaming or boiling pears can help nourish yin and moisten the lungs, and relieve coughs and reduce phlegm. Although this method destroys some heat-sensitive vitamins, soluble vitamins and minerals are still well-preserved.
Consumption Tip: People with a "heat" constitution are suitable for eating pears raw. Those with a weak spleen and stomach, or those who have caught a cold, are better off eating them cooked.
White Radish
White radish is rich in vitamins and minerals and can boost the body's immunity, which is the main reason it is recommended during the summer-autumn transition.
Raw: The pungent components in white radish can stimulate gastric juice secretion, regulate gastrointestinal function, and have a strong anti-inflammatory effect. It is also rich in vitamin C—its content is 8 to 10 times higher than that of pears and apples. Eating it raw allows for a greater intake of this vitamin.
Cooked: Cooked white radish is beneficial for the spleen and stomach. Especially when stewed with pork, lamb, or other meats, it can further supplement qi and regulate qi flow.
Consumption Tip: People with poor appetite, excessive phlegm and coughing, or hoarseness can eat white radish raw. Those with spleen deficiency and diarrhea should eat it cooked.
Apple
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Apples are rich in vitamins, organic acids, pectin, and flavonoids. Eating them during seasonal changes can help prevent colds and lower blood lipids.
Raw: Apples have the effects of promoting body fluids, moistening the lungs, strengthening the spleen, benefiting the stomach, and nourishing the heart. Eating apples raw has a very good effect on relieving constipation and lowering lipids.
Cooked: Besides the loss of some vitamins, most of the nutritional components of apples are retained when cooked. The pectin in cooked apples acts as an absorbent, which helps to stop diarrhea.
Consumption Tip: The vast majority of people can eat apples raw. Those with weaker digestive systems or who often have diarrhea are better off eating them steamed.