Introduction: Preventing Illness During Seasonal Changes by Eating More of These Medicinal Vegetables. As seasons change, the weather fluctuates between hot and cold, making people susceptible to illness. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that food and medicine share the same origin, and some foods are both edible and medicinal. Therefore, during seasonal transitions, it is advisable to eat more of these medicinal vegetables to prevent illness.
Medicinal Vegetables for Preventing Colds: Cauliflower, Lettuce
During seasonal changes, the climate is unpredictable, and the body struggles to adapt, leading to a gradual decline in immunity. This creates an opportunity for cold viruses. Sufficient supplementation of Vitamin C is a good way to prevent colds.
① Cauliflower
The Vitamin C content in cauliflower is 3-4 times higher than in Chinese cabbage and soybean sprouts, and twice as high as in citrus fruits. This rich Vitamin C content enhances the liver's detoxification ability, boosts the body's immunity, and helps prevent colds and scurvy. TCM has a saying, "White foods benefit the lungs," and the white cauliflower is undoubtedly a timely health food. It not only prevents respiratory diseases like colds but is also an excellent vascular cleanser.
Moreover, cauliflower is one of the foods richest in flavonoids. Besides preventing infections, flavonoids are the best vascular cleansers. They can prevent cholesterol oxidation and stop platelets from clumping, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Cauliflower also has many other medicinal properties: it contains trace elements with antioxidant and anti-cancer effects, and long-term consumption can reduce the incidence of cancers such as breast, colorectal, and stomach cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, among various vegetables and fruits, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage have the best anti-cancer effects. Some people bruise easily from minor bumps and injuries because they lack Vitamin K. The best way to supplement it is to eat more cauliflower. Eating more cauliflower also strengthens blood vessel walls, making them less prone to rupture.
Stir-fried Cauliflower with Swimming Crab
② Lettuce
Lettuce is a common vegetable with extremely rich nutritional value. However, many people may not know that besides being tender and delicious, it also offers significant health benefits. The leaves, in particular, have excellent medicinal value. Here is an introduction:
The nutritional value of lettuce leaves is far higher than that of its stalks. In autumn, those prone to coughs can eat more lettuce leaves to soothe their coughs. The leaves contain over 72 times more beta-carotene, 2 times more Vitamin B1, 5 times more Vitamin B2, and 3 times more Vitamin C than the stalks. Therefore, it's a real pity to discard the lettuce leaves. Additionally, for those who often have coughs, eating more lettuce leaves can help alleviate them.
It has a good therapeutic effect for people with heart disease and high blood pressure. It can also effectively promote human metabolism and is rich in various nutrients needed by the body, such as vitamins, calcium, and iron. Lettuce is also high in iodine, which is beneficial for the body, playing a good role in basic metabolism and physical development.
At the same time, lettuce is tender and suitable for both raw and cooked consumption. Regular consumption of lettuce can enhance the secretion of gastric and digestive juices and promote bile secretion. The potassium in lettuce is 27 times that of sodium, which helps promote urination, maintain water balance, and is very beneficial for patients with high blood pressure and heart disease. The fluorine in lettuce can participate in the formation of tooth enamel and dentin and in bone growth.
Cold-dressed Shredded Lettuce
Medicinal Vegetables for Indigestion: Chives, Cilantro
In autumn, people tend to "bulk up" for the season. However, the stomach, accustomed to the light, low-oil diet of summer, has difficulty digesting rich and heavy foods in a short time. Consequently, issues like food stagnation and indigestion are common. At this time, eating foods that eliminate stagnation, strengthen the spleen, and promote digestion is most helpful.
① Chives
Chives are rich in carotene, protein, and a large amount of sulfur compounds. These sulfur compounds have strong antibacterial and preservative effects, inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, when these sulfur compounds exert their antibacterial and intestinal-regulating effects, they stimulate the stomach to secrete gastric juice. Therefore, eating chives can help digest food, resolve stagnation, strengthen the spleen, and eating chive flowers can also stimulate the appetite.
Chives are rich in carotene, protein, and a large amount of dietary fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, treat constipation, and prevent colon cancer. Hence, chive leaves are known as "intestinal cleanser."
Although chives have many benefits for the body, they are not something to be consumed excessively. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" once recorded: "Excessive consumption of chives leads to mental confusion and dim vision, and it is especially forbidden after drinking alcohol."
Salmon with Chives and Herbs
② Cilantro
Cilantro, also known as coriander, yansui, or huosui, gets its common name from the special aromatic fragrance in its stems and leaves. It is an annual herb cultivated for its stems and leaves as a condiment. Its origin is the Mediterranean coast and Central Asia, and it was introduced to China by Zhang Qian in 119 BC. Cultivation techniques and pickling methods are already recorded in the "Qi Min Yao Shu."
Cilantro is grown year-round, but its quality is better in autumn and winter. It is nutritious, with main components including protein, carotene, calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc. Scientific analysis shows that the carotene content in cilantro is more than 10 times that in tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, and green beans. Its calcium and iron content are also higher than many other leafy vegetables. Additionally, the tender stems and leaves of cilantro contain volatile oil substances such as mannitol, decanal, nonanal, and linalool, which are the main reasons for its special aroma. These substances can stimulate appetite and promote digestion.
At the same time, TCM believes that cilantro is pungent, warm, and aromatic, penetrating the interior to the heart and spleen and the exterior to the limbs, expelling all pathogenic qi. It is a warming food that strengthens the stomach. In daily consumption, it has effects such as promoting digestion, moving qi downward, awakening the spleen, regulating the middle jiao, and strengthening yang. It is suitable for people with a cold constitution, a weak stomach, or intestinal stagnation, and can be used to treat symptoms like epigastric cold pain, indigestion, and incomplete measles rash.
Cilantro, combined with tangerine peel (which promotes digestion and moves qi) and ginger (which warms the stomach and dispels cold), can be added to congee to make cilantro congee. This enhances the effects of dispelling cold, relieving pain, strengthening the stomach, and promoting digestion. It is often used for treating wind-cold headaches, a weak stomach with food stagnation, etc. However, it should not be consumed if the cold is not due to an external wind-cold invasion. A decoction of cilantro with cloves, tangerine peel, and coptis can treat a weak stomach and indigestion.
Peanuts with Cilantro
Medicinal Vegetables for Mouth Ulcers: Spinach, Tomato
In autumn, the climate begins to get dry. When people do not consume enough vegetables, fruits, and water, they are prone to "internal heat," which can lead to problems like mouth ulcers and inflammation.
① Spinach
Spinach contains a variety of nutrients, has a good texture, and therapeutic effects. Professor Pei Zhimei, Deputy Director and Chief Physician of the TCM Department of Changchun Central Hospital, says that eating spinach appropriately can prevent mouth ulcers and also has a certain effect in relieving dry eyes.
According to Professor Pei Zhimei, spinach contains a variety of nutrients, among which its rich riboflavin is an important nutrient for effectively preventing angular stomatitis, cheilitis, glossitis, and dermatitis. People who frequently suffer from mouth ulcers might consider eating more spinach. At the same time, riboflavin also has a certain effect in relieving dry eyes, making it very suitable for people who work on computers for long periods.
The Vitamin K content in spinach is also very high, giving it a hemostatic effect. Spinach also has effects in treating high blood pressure and headaches and is suitable for patients with anemia, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
However, it should be noted that spinach contains oxalic acid, so it is best to blanch it before eating, and the consumption amount at one time should not be too large. Patients with urinary tract stones, kidney stones, and other related diseases should eat less spinach.
Spinach with Sesame Sauce Dressing