Introduction: In spring, many beauty-conscious women start to get restless, and health and beauty naturally become topics of conversation. Of course, who wouldn't want to be more beautiful! Here are some spring health foods recommended to help you achieve beauty from within.
Sweet foods that nourish the spleen, such as red dates
It is said in ancient times: "In spring, one should reduce sour and increase sweet to nourish the spleen." This means that in spring, it is advisable to eat less sour food and more sweet food. Experts believe that spring is a time when liver energy is abundant. Eating too many sour foods can cause excessive liver energy, which can damage the spleen and stomach. Therefore, one should eat less sour food. People also engage in more outdoor activities in spring than in winter, leading to greater physical exertion and increased caloric needs. However, the spleen and stomach are relatively weak at this time, and the digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract is poor, making it unsuitable to eat greasy meat. Therefore, calories can be appropriately supplied by sweet foods. Red dates are precisely an excellent spring food for nourishing the spleen.
Brown Sugar and Jujube Cake
Honey
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that honey is sweet in flavor and enters the spleen and stomach meridians. It can tonify the middle jiao, replenish qi, and moisten the intestines to promote bowel movements. The spring climate is variable, with alternating cold and warm weather, making people prone to colds. Since honey contains various minerals and vitamins and has the function of clearing the lungs and detoxifying, it can enhance human immunity and is the most ideal tonic in spring. Therefore, in spring, if you can drink 1-2 tablespoons of honey daily, taken with a glass of warm water or mixed with milk, it will have a nourishing effect on the body.
Chives
The spring climate is inconsistent, with alternating cold and warm, so it is necessary to nourish yang energy, and chives are most suitable for the body's yang. Chives contain nutrients such as volatile oil, protein, fat, and multiple vitamins, and have effects like strengthening the stomach, refreshing the mind, and strengthening the kidneys. Spring chives are the best among chives, with a particularly delicious flavor. Their roots are white as jade, their leaves are green as emerald, and they have a rich, fragrant aroma. Spring chives can be prepared in various ways; they can be served with meat, eggs, shrimp, cuttlefish, or used as a filling for steamed buns and dumplings. Adding spring chives when stir-frying mung bean sprouts or dried tofu makes them exceptionally fragrant and delicious.
Stir-fried Chive Stalks with Squid
Cherry
Known as the "first branch of spring fruits," cherries are now cultivated in various parts of our country. Cherry fruit is fleshy, delicious, juicy, and brightly colored, with rich nutrition. Its iron content is particularly outstanding, more than 20 times that of citrus, pears, and apples, ranking first among fruits. Cherries are warm in nature and sweet with a slight sour taste, with the effects of tonifying the middle jiao, regulating complexion, and strengthening the spleen to whet the appetite. Eating cherries in spring can induce sweating, replenish qi, expel wind, and promote the eruption of rashes. It should be noted that cherries are considered "heaty" and should not be eaten in excess. Those with a yin deficiency and excessive internal heat should avoid or eat them sparingly. If you can't eat cherries, strawberries are also a very good alternative.
Spring Bamboo Shoots
Spring bamboo shoots, hailed as the "number one vegetarian delicacy," have been a beloved delicacy since ancient times. Literati and gourmets have praised them endlessly, and there is a saying, "Those who have tasted the freshness all praise spring bamboo shoots." Spring bamboo shoots are plump, delicious, refreshing, and nutritious, suitable for both meat and vegetable dishes. Different cooking methods create different flavors; stir-frying, stewing, boiling, or braising all result in delicious dishes. Famous local dishes featuring spring bamboo shoots hold a place of honor, such as "Goji Berry Spring Shoots" from Shanghai, "Spring Shoots and White Chicken" from Nanjing, and "Nan Rou Spring Shoots" from Zhejiang.
Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots