Introduction: The lungs are one of the most important organs in the human body, and poor lung health has a significant impact on a person. However, the autumn climate is dry and the temperature is variable, which can easily damage the lungs. So, do you know what to eat to moisten the lungs? Do you know how to maintain your health? Today, the editor recommends eating more of these white foods for lung nourishment in the autumn. Let's find out more!
1. Almonds
Almonds are a food that has been used in China for a long time for both medicinal and culinary purposes. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" says that almonds have three uses: "to moisten the lungs, to eliminate food stagnation, and to disperse stagnant qi."
There are two types of almonds: one is bitter, called bitter almond or North almond, and is mostly used for medicinal purposes; the other is sweet, called sweet almond or South almond, and is for consumption.
Crispy and Thinly Roasted Almonds
Health Preservation Eat More White Foods for Lung Nourishment in Autumn
For almond milk for daily drinking, it is best to use South almonds. The method is simple: grind the almonds into a slurry, strain it, then add water, sugar, and milk and bring to a boil. Alternatively, you can buy pre-ground almond powder and brew it directly. A delicious glass of almond milk is ready.
A glass of almond milk, paired with whole wheat bread, eggs, etc., makes a hearty breakfast.
2. Snow Pear
Pears have been revered since ancient times as the "king of all fruits" for their functions of moistening the lungs, relieving coughs, reducing phlegm, and clearing heat. In autumn, if the climate is excessively dry, leading to symptoms like thirst, constipation, and dry cough; or if internal heat causes symptoms like irritability, thirst, coughing, wheezing, and yellow phlegm, eating more pears can be beneficial.
Before using pears for health preservation, consider whether they are suitable for your constitution. Those with a deficient or cold constitution or a cold cough should not eat raw pears. They must be steamed, made into soup, or stewed with medicinal herbs. For those with long-term diarrhea, it is not advisable to eat too many pears because they are cold in nature and can worsen diarrhea.
Red Wine Snow Pear
3. Chinese Yam (Shanyao)
Modern nutrition considers Chinese yam to be rich in protein and carbohydrates, and also rich in mineral elements like potassium and magnesium. It has effects such as nutritional nourishment, inducing interferon, enhancing immunity, and improving coronary and microcirculation blood flow.
It can be used to treat chronic bronchitis, coronary heart disease, and angina pectoris. When the weather is dry, it is easy to damage lung fluid, leading to yin deficiency with symptoms like dry mouth, dry throat, chapped lips, and dry cough. At this time, replenishing with Chinese yam is most suitable because it is a mild food, an excellent choice for nourishing yin and moistening the lungs.
Chinese yam can not only be sliced and decocted into a tea but also stir-fried or made into congee, making it suitable for people with different constitutions. When cooking Chinese yam, once it is sliced, cubed, or shredded, it must be kept in water to prevent oxidation, which would ruin its texture and white appearance.
4. Lily Bulb
Modern research has found that lily bulbs contain various alkaloids such as biotin and colchicine, which have a good sedative effect on mood and are beneficial for people with neurasthenia.
Lily bulbs have cough-suppressing and asthma-relieving effects. Patients with chronic bronchitis or those with emphysema who often cough can eat lily bulbs to improve lung function and help alleviate symptoms.
Chicken Soup with Lotus Seeds and Lily Bulbs
Lily bulbs have a cough-suppressing and asthma-relieving effect
Everyone, men and women, old and young, can eat lily bulbs, but they are cool in nature, so those with wind-cold cough or a weak spleen should not eat them. Lily bulbs come in fresh and dried forms; for medicinal purposes, fresh bulbs are more effective than dried ones.
Fresh lily bulbs are of the best quality if the skin is thin, the petals are even, and the flesh is thick and yellowish-white. The dried form is easy to store and consume. It is not advisable to eat too much lily; the daily intake should not exceed 20 grams for dried bulbs or 30 grams for fresh bulbs.
5. White Radish
For radishes, there is a folk saying, "In October, the radish is better than ginseng." The "Compendium of Materia Medica" praises the radish highly, calling it "the most beneficial among vegetables." White radish can aid digestion, strengthen the spleen, and regulate qi.
White radish and lotus root stewed with bones or braised with beef brisket are undoubtedly a great soup or dish for lunch.
There is a folk remedy: white radish can help treat heat-type asthma. In this soup, malt sugar, which strengthens the five organs and nourishes the intestines, should also be added. The specific method is to juice raw white radish first. This white radish juice can moisten the lungs, clear heat, resolve phlegm, relieve asthma, and harmonize the middle jiao.
Braised Duck with White Radish
Lotus seeds have sedative, cardiotonic, and anti-aging effects
6. Lotus Seeds
Lotus seeds have multiple effects such as sedation, strengthening the heart, and anti-aging. Lotus seeds are very nutritious. Besides containing a large amount of starch, they also contain β-sitosterol, alkaloids, and rich minerals and vitamins like calcium, phosphorus, and iron.
Every 100 grams of lotus seeds contain 89 mg of calcium and up to 285 mg of phosphorus. Although the potassium content is less than 2.1 mg, it ranks first among all animal and plant foods.
When used as a health food or medicinal diet, the lotus seed core is generally not discarded. The lotus seed core is the green germ in the center of the seed. It is bitter and has the effects of clearing heat, securing essence, calming the mind, and strengthening the heart. Soaking 2 grams of lotus seed core in boiling water to make a tea can treat symptoms like restlessness and confusion caused by high fever, and it is also used to treat hypertension, dizziness, palpitations, and insomnia.
7. Tremella (Silver Fungus)
Also known as white fungus, tremella has a sweet and mild taste, is neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It acts on the lung, stomach, and kidney meridians, with effects such as promoting fluid production to moisten the lungs, replenishing qi and activating blood, nourishing yin and stomach, and tonifying the brain and strengthening the heart. It is suitable for symptoms like lung heat cough, dry cough due to lung dryness, stomach dryness, and constipation.
Papaya, Lotus Seed, and Tremella Soup
Tremella is praised as the "elixir of immortality," "the product for a long life," and "the king of fungi." It has a moisturizing but not greasy nature and is especially suitable for those who are weak, recovering from a long illness, and for whom other tonics are unsuitable, as well as for those with yin deficiency and internal heat or a tendency to bleed.
8. Sugarcane
Sugarcane is sweet, neutral, and non-toxic. It mainly helps to descend qi, harmonize the middle jiao, strengthen the spleen, benefit the large intestine, resolve phlegm and quench thirst, and relieve vexation and heat in the chest and heart. It has effects like nourishing yin and moistening dryness, harmonizing the stomach to stop vomiting, and clearing heat and detoxifying. For symptoms caused by insufficient yin fluid, such as dry mouth, little phlegm with cough, and constipation, eating more sugarcane can help improve these symptoms.
For febrile diseases, drinking raw sugarcane juice is best, known as "nature's pulse-restoring soup." However, when boiled, the nature of sugarcane juice turns warm and has a tonifying effect.
9. Oatmeal
Banana Oat Milk
It was originally used as a medicinal herb abroad. In recent years, the benefits of oats have become more widely known. They are rich in vitamins B and E, can lower blood cholesterol and blood sugar, treat constipation, and improve blood circulation, making them the best food for weight loss.
It is rich in vitamins B and E
Eggs and oats are the most delicious and nutritious combination. The two essential elements for breakfast (carbohydrates and protein) can be best and maximally satisfied from them. Mix 1/4 cup of chopped fresh spinach into the oats. Top with a thin slice of Swiss cheese and a fried egg.
10. Honey
Honey is made by bees from nectar collected from flowering plants. In addition to glucose and fructose, honey also contains various vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
Honey Grapefruit Jam
The glucose and fructose in honey are easily absorbed by the human body. It also contains various inorganic salts, organic acids, and trace elements whose concentration is similar to human serum, with effects of nourishing, moistening, and detoxifying.
To clear heat, it should be taken with warm or cool water. Every morning upon waking, take 1 to 2 tablespoons, mix with warm or cool water, and drink on an empty stomach. This not only moistens the lungs but also detoxifies and nourishes the skin.