Introduction: As the weather gets hot, many families like to eat some bitter vegetables, such as bitter melon, lettuce, and endive. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, eating bitter foods not only clears heart-fire but also nourishes the heart.
Modern scientific research has proven that bitter foods contain various substances needed by the human body, such as alkaloids, amino acids, bitter principles, vitamins, and minerals. They have functions like relieving heat, expelling summer heat, refreshing the mind, and relieving irritability. Hot weather can easily reduce appetite, and eating bitter foods can also stimulate the digestive function of the spleen and stomach, thereby increasing appetite.
Bitter vegetables can be prepared in various ways, but the best method is to eat them cold-dressed. Stir-frying them in oil not only leads to a loss of some vitamins but also results in an excessively high oil content, which diminishes their heat-clearing and detoxifying effects. Here are two recommended cold-dressed bitter dishes that you might want to try.
Cold-dressed Bitter Melon: Wash the bitter melon, remove the seeds, and cut it into shreds or slices. Blanch it in boiling water first, then rinse it in cold water and drain. Place it in a plate, add appropriate amounts of minced garlic, sesame oil, salt, MSG, and vinegar, and mix well.
Cold-dressed Lettuce: Wash the lettuce, peel it, and cut it into long strips or small pieces. Blanch it, then drain the water. Season it with vinegar, salt, or other seasonings according to your taste. It should be noted that most bitter vegetables are cooling in nature, so you should not eat too much at once, as this can easily cause nausea and vomiting. People with a weak or cold spleen and stomach should eat even less. Additionally, women should avoid excessive consumption of bitter vegetables during their menstrual period, especially those who suffer from menstrual cramps caused by cold, as eating too much may cause qi and blood to become cold and stagnant, affecting the smooth flow of menstruation.