A Healthy Chinese New Year Shopping Guide for Wellness Products

Introduction: With the Spring Festival just around the corner, more and more people are taking a break from their busy schedules to shop for New Year's goods. Faced with a dazzling array of festive items, people find it hard to choose. Whether it's food, drinks, clothing, or daily necessities, there's a continued emphasis on health and wellness. So, which New Year's goods are the most health-beneficial and nourishing?

I. For meat-based healthy New Year's goods, fish is the top choice

[Shopping Guide]

The Chinese family banquet, especially the New Year's Eve dinner, is never complete without fish. Moreover, the fish is rarely finished in one meal, symbolizing the wish for "surpluses year after year." This year is the Year of the Horse, and since ancient times, there has been the blessing of "success upon arrival." The entire team of Tianxia Yangsheng Net would like to wish you a happy, long, and prosperous New Year in advance! When purchasing live fish, choose those that are lively and swim actively, with a keen reaction to external stimuli. Generally, they should be free from injuries, have intact scales, and a bright body color, preferring to swim in the bottom and middle of the tank. When selecting fresh fish, look for a firm body that doesn't bend, bright, full, and protruding eyes with a clear and transparent cornea. The best fish have tightly closed gill covers, bright red gills, scales that adhere tightly to the body, a glossy sheen on both sides, and firm, elastic flesh with a slight fishy smell. If the eyes are not protruding, the pupils are dilated, or there is blood in the eyes, the fish is not fresh.

Steamed Sea Bass

[Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips]

In winter, when all things wither, coupled with the pressures of work and life, many readers, especially young professionals, often experience mild symptoms of depression during the New Year. Eating fish can help fight depression because fish contain a special fatty acid related to the "happy hormone" in the human brain, which helps to alleviate mental stress and balance emotions. During the cold winter and with frequent gatherings, the indulgence in rich foods can hide the risk of stroke. Eating fish during the New Year can help prevent stroke because the higher the protein and sulfur-containing amino acids in the diet, the lower the incidence of hypertension. Fish protein is rich in methionine and taurine, most of which are sulfur-containing amino acids. These can affect the blood pressure regulation mechanism, increasing the excretion of sodium in urine, thereby inhibiting the effect of salt on blood pressure and reducing the incidence of stroke.

Suancai Yu (Pickled Cucumber Fish)

II. For fruit-based healthy New Year's goods, longan is recommended

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The fruit market during the Spring Festival has become increasingly bustling in recent years. More and more people are paying attention to health issues during this time, making fruits rich in nutrients and health benefits the most popular choice. Some more expensive fruits have also become common guests on the tables of ordinary households. For the Year of the Dragon, fruits like longan are indispensable, and many readers enjoy them. But do you know the health and wellness benefits of longan? And who should avoid eating it?

[Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips]

Li Shizhen, a famous pharmacologist of the Ming Dynasty in China, recorded in his works that "longan is a great tonic." "Among foods, lychee is the most precious, but for nourishment, longan is superior." "Riyong Bencao" records its effect of "improving intelligence and calming the mind." "Depei Bencao" believes that longan "benefits the spleen and stomach, nourishes the heart, moistens the five organs, and treats palpitations." "Quanzhou Bencao" states that longan "strengthens yang, replenishes qi, and tonifies the spleen and stomach."

It should be noted that individuals with phlegm-dampness or heat syndromes in the body, such as those with colds, fever, or a productive cough, should not consume longan or drink longan tea. Pregnant women cannot eat dried longan. This is because pregnant women are often yin-deficient and prone to internal heat, manifesting as dry stools, yellow urine, and a dry mouth. Eating longan at this time not only fails to provide nourishment but can increase internal heat, leading to symptoms like spotting, abdominal pain, and bloating, which are signs of a threatened miscarriage.

Red Date, Longan, and Tremella Soup

III. For alcoholic beverages, yellow wine is the top choice for healthy New Year's goods

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On the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner table and when visiting for New Year greetings, alcohol is almost indispensable. Whether it's baijiu, beer, red wine, or yellow wine, it seems that a bit of alcohol is what makes the festival feel complete. As public health awareness grows, more readers are choosing red wine and health wines as New Year's gifts. However, compared to the more expensive health wines, yellow wine, which is more affordable, also offers many health benefits. You might consider trying yellow wine this New Year.

[Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips]

Yellow wine is a specialty of China, rich in nutrients and known as "liquid cake." Its nutritional value surpasses that of beer, known as "liquid bread," as well as nutritious red wine. Yellow wine is also an important auxiliary ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine preparations. It is often used to soak, decoct, steam, or prepare various herbal medicines, pills, and medicinal wines.

Yellow Wine-Braised Shrimp

IV. For beverages, dairy products are the top choice for healthy New Year's goods

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During the Spring Festival, many people purchase beverages to entertain friends and family who come for New Year visits. The most common beverages are carbonated drinks. However, besides providing energy from sugar, carbonated drinks contain almost no other nutrients. The carbon dioxide in these drinks can irritate the stomach. If consumed in large quantities, the released gas can easily cause bloating, affect appetite, and even lead to gastrointestinal dysfunction. The high acidity of carbonated drinks is a major cause of tooth erosion in adolescents. Carbonated drinks can also affect calcium absorption, and childhood and adolescence are critical periods for bone development, so excessive consumption should be avoided. Experts recommend dairy products as the top choice for healthy beverage New Year's goods.

[Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips]

Recommendations: Biluochun Green Tea, Warm Uterus Ginger Brown Sugar Tea, Lemon Tea

During the busy and stressful period of frequent social engagements and travel during the Spring Festival, combined with low temperatures, the body's resistance can easily decline. Dairy drinks containing whey protein can provide a large source of glutamine, a key substance needed for immune function. This helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, pollutants, and toxins. Compared to other protein sources, whey protein has the ability to increase glutathione, thereby enhancing human immunity. During the Spring Festival, when alcohol consumption is high, the phospholipids in milk can form a thick hydrophobic layer on the surface of the gastric mucosa, which can resist the erosion of alcohol on the stomach lining and play a role in preventing alcohol poisoning.

Hibiscus, Lemon, and Red Date Tea

V. For nuts, pumpkin seeds are the top choice for healthy New Year's goods

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After tea and meals, chatting with family, watching shows, and cracking nuts are some of the more pleasant things to do during the Spring Festival visits. Many readers purchase extra nuts when shopping for New Year's goods, with the most common being pistachios, pine nuts, and sunflower or watermelon seeds. However, experts suggest that eating some pumpkin seeds during the New Year is a good idea, as it has many health benefits that should not be ignored.

[Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips]

During the Spring Festival, oral health risks are everywhere, especially concerning gum health. Pumpkin seed kernels are rich in two types of nutrients vital for gums and alveolar bone. First, they contain a large amount of phosphorus; every 100 grams of pumpkin seed kernels contain 1159 milligrams of phosphorus, and bone loss in the elderly is related to phosphorus loss. Second, they are rich in carotene and vitamin E, which can directly nourish the gums and prevent gum recession.

In addition, pumpkin seeds are rich in amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, carotene, and other nutrients. Regular consumption of pumpkin seeds can not only prevent the occurrence of kidney stones but also promote the excretion of stones in patients.

More importantly, the active ingredients and rich zinc in pumpkin seeds have a beneficial effect on the prostate, so the gentlemen might as well eat more pumpkin seeds during the Spring Festival.

Salty and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

VI. For vegetables, "root vegetables" are the top choice for healthy New Year's goods

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Citizens who have experience buying vegetables before the New Year know that due to possible rainy or snowy weather during the festival and the risk of rising prices, many people stock up on vegetables in advance. Compared to leafy green vegetables that are not easy to preserve, some "root" and stem vegetables are more popular among citizens.

[Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips]

For vegetable New Year's goods during the festival, it's a good idea to prepare more "root" vegetables like radishes and lotus root. For example, there is a folk saying, "Winter radish is better than ginseng soup, no need for a doctor to write a prescription." During the New Year, the climate is dry, and pollution from fireworks increases, making many people feel discomfort in their lungs, especially upon waking in the morning when they often feel a dry throat. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes the lungs are a "delicate organ," the first to be invaded by external pathogens, and require special care after the start of winter. White radish has a certain effect of moistening the lungs and relieving coughs. Raw radish aids digestion, while cooked radish tonifies qi.

Another example is lotus root, which contains mucin protein and dietary fiber. These can bind with bile salts, cholesterol, and triglycerides in the human body, causing them to be excreted in feces and thus reducing the absorption of lipids. Lotus root also emits a unique fragrance and contains tannins, which have a certain effect of strengthening the spleen and stopping diarrhea. It can stimulate appetite, promote digestion, and whet the appetite, making it especially suitable for consumption during the New Year, especially for those with poor appetite and lack of desire to eat.

Lotus Root, Corn, and Pork Rib Soup

VII. For pastries, mung bean cake is the top choice for healthy New Year's goods

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Every festival, some traditional foods evoke memories. Pastries like osmanthus cake, dragon's beard cake, and mung bean cake are things people usually buy less often, but during the New Year, they naturally come to mind. It seems like the festival isn't complete without these foods. Some readers say that traditional pastries are popular because they evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminding people of their childhood. For the Year of the Dragon, dragon's beard cake is a must, but experts also remind us to stock up on mung bean cake. Why is that?

[Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips]

Many readers returning home for the Spring Festival or visiting relatives from out of town often find themselves facing what seems like a "change of environment" issue after a few social gatherings, and acne can easily appear on their face. What should they do?

You may be familiar with the saying: "Sesame and mung bean cakes, eat them and you won't get pimples." The "pimples" referred to in this saying mainly refer to acne, a chronic inflammation of hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that conditions like "accumulated heat in the spleen and stomach" are closely related to the occurrence of acne, and patients with acne often have varying degrees of constipation.

Mung Bean Cake

Mung beans in mung bean cake are sweet and cold in nature, with the effects of clearing heat, promoting urination, detoxifying, relieving summer heat, and quenching thirst. The Spring Festival falls in the coldest season of the year. People wear thick clothes, are less active, and the air is dry, which can easily cause heat to accumulate in the body without being released in a timely manner.

If too many "warming" foods are consumed, it is easy to develop internal heat. At this time, it is more appropriate to eat some "cooling" mung bean products. A normal mung bean cake should be light yellowish-green. The mung bean itself is light green, and the oil is yellow. During production, a small amount of water is mixed with the oil, resulting in a delicate fragrance and a color that is not too green or too yellow, similar to the color of mung bean soup after it has been boiled.

Creamy Mung Bean Cake