Chinese people pay great attention to health preservation, and there are corresponding foods for each season. These foods are not exclusive to autumn, but when consumed in accordance with the body's characteristics during this season, they are greatly beneficial to health.
1. Chestnuts
Chestnuts are abundantly available in autumn and are an inexpensive and nutritious food. Chestnuts are rich in soft dietary fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Additionally, they are rich in sugar, starch, protein, and fat, as well as various vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. Their content of vitamin C, B vitamins, and carotene is particularly higher than that of most other nuts, making them worth eating.
Microwaved Chestnuts
2. Dried Persimmons
Dried persimmons are sweet and sour with rich nutrition and high medicinal value. When made into dried persimmons, they are easier to store and consume. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that persimmons are sweet, astringent, and cold in nature, with functions such as clearing heat and relieving dryness, moistening the lungs and resolving phlegm, softening hard masses, quenching thirst and promoting fluid production, strengthening the spleen, treating dysentery, and stopping bleeding. They can alleviate symptoms such as dry stools, hemorrhoid pain or bleeding, dry cough, sore throat, and high blood pressure. Therefore, dried persimmons are a natural health food for patients with chronic bronchitis, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and internal and external hemorrhoids.
3. Fruits
Fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, but contain very little protein and fat. Regularly eating a variety of fruits can stimulate appetite, aid digestion, treat constipation, and be very beneficial to health. If you have eaten enough staple foods in your three main meals, having a fruit for a snack is a good idea. They are rich in vitamin C, which can enhance the body's immunity. Many fruits are in season in autumn, such as autumn pears, apples, pomegranates, and fresh jujubes, which are all excellent choices. Eating them regularly can also help you resist the autumn dryness!
4. Taro
Eating taro in autumn has the benefits of moistening the lungs, detoxifying, and aiding in weight loss. As the weather gradually becomes drier in autumn and people's appetite increases due to the cooling weather, those who are usually overweight can eat more taro. The dietary fiber in taro can create a feeling of fullness, thereby reducing food intake. However, raw taro is slightly toxic and must be thoroughly cooked before consumption. The mucus in raw taro can cause itching and pain in the throat when it comes into contact with it, but this does not happen when cooked. Steaming taro and eating it as a snack is a good choice.
Sugar-coated Taro
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5. Yogurt
The autumn weather is dry and hot, so one should eat more sour things, which can not only moisten the skin and relieve dryness but also has a certain weight loss effect. By comparison, yogurt, being both sour and beneficial for weight loss, naturally becomes the best weight loss food for this season. It is best to take the yogurt out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour before drinking. Drinking very cold yogurt can cause diarrhea or a stomachache. You can pour it into a small bowl that has held hot water, and it will warm up quickly. However, do not use a microwave to heat it, as this can kill the precious lactic acid bacteria.
Kiwi Yogurt Cup
6. Seaweed
Seaweed contains various vitamins and minerals, especially rich in selenium and iodine. These minerals help the body maintain its acid-base balance. Regular consumption can prevent skin dullness, dry hair, and slow growth caused by iodine deficiency, reduce fat accumulation in the body, and help prevent symptoms such as high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
7. Red Dates
Red dates are the best nourishing food for women, beautifying the skin, nourishing the blood, and promoting fluid production. Regular consumption of red dates can improve anemia symptoms and enhance the skin's immune function. Red dates are rich in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They are also rich in dietary fiber and pectin, which can aid digestion and soften stools.
Red dates contain the highest amounts of vitamin C, calcium, and iron. They have high medicinal value. Long-term use can maintain normal metabolic function, refine the skin, and prevent oil from accumulating in the body, thereby achieving a weight loss effect. However, they should not be eaten in excess; three to five a day is sufficient. Eating too many can overwhelm the digestive system, leading to symptoms like internal heat and cough.
8. Goji Berries
Goji berries are naturally sweet, so they can be eaten as a snack or used to make tea. Goji berries are good for the eyes and are an excellent food for office workers who stare at computer screens for long periods. Additionally, goji berries are rich in nutrients, including beta-carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin C, calcium, and iron.
9. Cashews
Cashews are very rich in minerals, with zinc, magnesium, iron, and copper being essential nutrients for the human body. The oils in cashews can promote bowel movements, moisturize the skin and beauty, and delay aging. Therefore, they can not only help you lose weight but also make you more beautiful.
Peanut and Cashew Crisps
10. Pistachios
Regularly eating pistachios can prevent constipation and help the body eliminate toxins. Additionally, pistachios are rich in vitamin E, which has a powerful anti-aging effect and can also enhance physical fitness and treat conditions like kidney yin deficiency. Eating 28 grams of pistachios a day provides about 160 calories, so you don't have to worry about gaining weight; in fact, it can help control weight. Because it usually takes about 20 minutes for a person to feel full. The act of shelling pistachios can prolong eating time, creating a sense of fullness and satisfaction, thereby controlling food intake.
11. Raisins
Raisins are one of the best autumn snacks. When grapes are made into raisins, no other ingredients are added, so their nutrients are well preserved. Raisins contain various minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and vitamins A, E, and B. They are also cholesterol-free and have the effect of replenishing qi and blood. Regular consumption can also lower blood cholesterol levels. Furthermore, raisins nourish the blood, strengthen the mind, benefit the bones and muscles, strengthen the stomach, promote fluid production, relieve thirst, replenish qi, promote urination, and reduce edema.
12. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is high in fiber, which slows down digestion and continuously supplies carbohydrates to the bloodstream, helping the body get enough energy while maintaining high blood sugar levels. Drinking a cup of oatmeal when you are busy can quickly restore your body's energy, but be sure to choose the plain variety.
13. Sour Plum
The organic acids in sour plums are mainly citric acid, malic acid, tannic acid, bitter leaf acid, succinic acid, and tartaric acid. They have the effects of promoting saliva secretion, quenching thirst, stimulating appetite, and eliminating fatigue. The citric acid content in sour plums is the highest among various fruits. Citric acid is an important acid indispensable for human cell metabolism. It can promote the decomposition of lactic acid into carbon dioxide and water, which is excreted from the body, thus relieving fatigue and benefiting calcium absorption. Sour plums can neutralize acidic foods (such as meat and grains), promote metabolism and digestion, and improve gastrointestinal function.
Sour Plum Drink
14. Dark Chocolate
Autumn can easily lead to depression, and dark chocolate can improve blood flow to the brain, providing an immediate boost in energy and mood. Therefore, it is recommended to always have dark chocolate on hand and eat a big piece when you are feeling down. Recent research has found that chocolate can starve cancer cells. Many studies have also confirmed that chocolate contains various antioxidants. The antioxidant activity of dark chocolate is 3 times that of red wine and its polyphenol content is 4 times that of green tea. How to choose? Choose dark chocolate with a purity of over 65%, and the darker, the better. The antioxidant activity of milk chocolate or chocolate sauce is actually very low.
15. Almonds
Almonds are rich in fiber, a substance that helps lower blood cholesterol levels. The fiber content in a handful of almonds is about the same as that in an orange or an apple. Additionally, almonds are rich in fatty oil, which, like fiber, can increase the lubricating effect of intestinal contents on the mucosa. Almonds have certain health benefits; their phytochemicals can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and other diseases.
Almond Tofu
16. Walnuts
The phospholipids in walnuts can enhance cell activity and play an important role in maintaining brain nerve function, enhancing skin texture, and promoting hair growth.
In addition, walnuts also contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol. Furthermore, the calcium, magnesium, carotene, and various vitamins they contain are also effective for habitual constipation.
17. Green Tea
Green tea is a very healthy beverage and is very popular among the younger generation. If you feel stressed, brewing a cup of green tea is the best thing you can do. Green tea leaves contain L-theanine, an antioxidant said to have a relaxing effect. And green tea will give you fresher breath and help prevent cavities. So, drink a cup of green tea to give yourself a good mood and healthy teeth!
18. Hawthorn Slices
Homemade Dried Hawthorn Slices
Hawthorn slices contain various vitamins, tartaric acid, citric acid, hawthorn acid, malic acid, etc. The lipase they contain can promote the digestion of fatty foods, and they also have functions such as promoting gastric juice secretion and increasing gastric enzymes. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that hawthorn has the effects of eliminating stagnation, stopping diarrhea with astringents, invigorating blood and resolving stasis. It is mainly used for symptoms such as food stagnation, chest and epigastric fullness, hernia, blood stasis, and amenorrhea. In addition, eating hawthorn slices can also help with weight loss and lower blood lipids.
Please note that although the foods above are good for your health, they should not be consumed in excess.