Introduction: While delicacies are delicious, they are not necessarily healthy. Nowadays, when people eat, nutrition and health are often the top priority. More and more people are realizing that expensive food does not mean good food. Among the native "vegetables" in China, there are four that may seem unremarkable, but have been called "longevity vegetables" by our ancestors.
Kelp lowers blood lipids. "Kelp is indeed a vegetable with very high nutritional value." Kelp grows in seawater and is a type of seaweed with an extremely high iodine content. Kelp is also rich in crude protein, sugar, calcium, and other nutrients, with several times the content of spinach and rapeseed. Experts point out that the sodium alginate in kelp has a blood pressure-lowering effect and also plays a certain role in preventing leukemia and bone pain disease; kelp starch can lower blood lipids, helping to prevent arteriosclerosis and reduce cholesterol. "Cold dressing and making soup are common ways to eat it, but people with weak spleen and stomach and pregnant women should not eat too much."
Braised Kelp
Shiitake mushrooms can prevent cancer. Shiitake mushrooms were the first edible fungi to be domesticated and cultivated by the Chinese people and have a long history of consumption in our country. Because they are nutritious and delicious, they are known as the "king of mushrooms". Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty often ate this vegetable and considered it a "longevity vegetable". Shiitake mushrooms "benefit qi, relieve hunger, treat wind and break blood, and benefit the stomach and aid digestion". In folk medicine, they are often used to treat headaches and dizziness. Modern research has proven that shiitake mushrooms can regulate the human immune system, reduce the possibility of tumor induction, and have the effect of preventing and fighting cancer.
Ferns reduce inflammation. Ferns, also known as dragon head vegetables or ruyi vegetables, are very common wild vegetables in mountainous areas. A few years ago, ferns were widely promoted. They are rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, and various vitamins, and have high nutritional value. Fernin in ferns has a certain inhibitory effect on bacteria and has good effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, sterilizing and reducing inflammation. It also has certain therapeutic effects on fever, eczema, sores, and other ailments. When eating, blanch in boiling water to remove the astringent taste. Ferns have a cool nature, so people with weak spleen and stomach should not eat too much.
Shredded Chicken with Fern Noodles
Purslane, also known as wuxingcao or changmingcai (long-life vegetable), is widely distributed in China. It can be eaten fresh or dried and is a wild delicacy that has been recorded in ancient books. Purslane can be stir-fried with shredded pork, or made into a soup with eggs and shredded pork. It is delicious, crisp, tender, and smooth. In addition to containing protein, fat, sugar, crude fiber, and various nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron, purslane itself has high pharmacological effects. Purslane contains a large amount of noradrenaline, potassium salts, and rich citric acid, malic acid, etc., which can help stabilize blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and protect the heart.
Purslane Dumplings