Introduction: From childhood, we've mostly eaten fruits raw. Firstly, to better absorb their nutrients, and secondly, because the raw flavor is often considered more authentic. Autumn is the season for a bountiful harvest of fruits, but most of them are considered "cooling" in nature, and eating too many can be harsh on the digestive system. For those with sensitive stomachs—such as women, the elderly, and children—if you can't resist the temptation, you can cook the fruits before eating them, or make your own warm fruit juices, both of which are beneficial to the stomach.
Pomelo
Pomelo, known as the "natural fruit can," is rich in vitamin C. Regular consumption can boost immunity and lower blood cholesterol levels. The delicious pomelo is a favorite for many. If you enjoy pomelo, consider trying it cooked. What you cook is not the pomelo pulp, but the peel. The peel contains flavonoids like naringin and rutin, which have antioxidant effects, can reduce blood viscosity, aid in weight loss, combat aging, and become more active in the body after being heated.
Apple
The pectin in apples has excellent detoxifying properties and can cleanse the intestines along with dietary fiber. When heated, pectin becomes more stable and gains the additional function of "absorbing bacteria and toxins in the intestines." Research has found that the content of polyphenols, natural antioxidants, in apples increases significantly after being heated. Polyphenols not only lower blood sugar and lipids, inhibit free radicals for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, but also suppress the rise in plasma cholesterol and eliminate free radicals in the body.
Apples that have been stored for a long time at home are probably not very tasty anymore. You can cook them. The vitamin C content in apples is low, so cooking them is not a big loss. Beneficial components like potassium, pectin, chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids are retained after heating. When boiled with water, the taste can become sour, so use less water and add some dates to sweeten it.
Apples are also delicious steamed or baked, or you can chop them up and mix them into pancakes.
Durian
Durian, the king of fruits, has a flavor that many people find unappealing. Moreover, autumn weather is dry, and eating raw durian can be like "adding fuel to the fire," easily leading to "internal heat." However, there's another way to eat durian: use it to stew chicken soup. Remove the durian seeds, then boil it with chicken, ginger, red dates, and walnut kernels over high heat, and then simmer on low heat. This method neutralizes the "heatiness" of durian, making it both nourishing and healthy.
It's worth noting that heating fruits will lead to a loss of vitamins C and B, while vitamins A, protein, and carbohydrates are completely unaffected.
Vitamin C is a nutrient that is easily obtained from other sources. If you lose some vitamin C from heating fruits, you can compensate by eating vegetables. Foods particularly high in vitamin C include sweet potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, kale, cucumbers, cauliflower, and various green vegetables. B vitamins are mostly found in grains, whereas their content in fruits is relatively low.