Introduction: Many people believe that eating snacks is all bad with no benefits, but that's not entirely true. Some snacks are not only delicious but can also help treat certain illnesses. Let's take a look at which snacks can help treat diseases.
1. Jujubes: Treat Constipation
Most people think jujubes are for nourishing the blood, but in fact, their effect on relieving constipation is more significant. This is because jujubes are rich in fiber, especially when raw. Many people who suffer from constipation have what Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) calls "blood deficiency," which also implies a "qi deficiency." People with qi and blood deficiency are prone to constipation, one reason being weak intestinal peristalsis. The qi and blood-nourishing properties of jujubes, combined with their rich fiber, can help these individuals solve their constipation problem. Eating seven or eight jujubes a day can achieve this effect.
2. Dried Tangerine Peel: Treat Bloating
There are many snacks made with dried tangerine peel in supermarkets. Choose those that are not overly processed and have relatively few additives, where you can clearly see the peel from the outside. They are most suitable for treating the feeling of fullness, dullness, and dampness in the stomach after eating greasy or cold foods. This is caused by greasy and cold diet, which creates waste that the body cannot metabolize. If your digestive system was not strong to begin with, dampness is more likely to form. At this time, you can eat some dried tangerine peel because it has the effect of regulating qi and transforming dampness. Often, after eating a pack of dried tangerine peel snacks, burping and belching become smoother, the feeling of blockage and stuffiness in the stomach is relieved, and you might not even need to take medicine for it.
Dried Tangerine Peel, Tremella, and Mung Bean Soup
3. Raisins: Treat Osteoporosis
Raisins are rich in boron, which helps reduce the risk of bone loss in postmenopausal women. Raisins can be eaten with calcium-rich yogurt, and adding boron-rich pecans will have an even better effect.
4. Dried Cherries: Treat Gout
Cherries are rich in anthocyanins, which have excellent therapeutic effects on arthritis and gout. A recent study from the University of Michigan found that a diet rich in cherries can reduce inflammation by 50%. It is recommended to eat dried cherries twice a day, about 132 grams each time.
5. Black Plum: Treat High Blood Pressure
Black plum is classified as an "acidic" herb in TCM, which can promote the production of body fluids and is commonly used to relieve summer heat because summer involves a lot of sweating and energy consumption. Acidic herbs have an astringent effect, so black plum can reduce the excessive consumption of energy caused by sweating, from a TCM perspective. From a nutritional standpoint, black plum contains a lot of potassium. Potassium and sodium (from salt) can be exchanged for each other; potassium can displace the sodium that causes high blood pressure. Therefore, the medical community now highly recommends increasing potassium intake. In foods, bananas, mung beans, oranges, and black plums are all high in potassium and have blood pressure-lowering effects.
Tomato and Black Plum
6. Dried Apricots: Treat High Blood Pressure
The potassium content of dried apricots is three times that of bananas, and potassium has the effect of lowering blood pressure. A recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that an intake of potassium greater than sodium helps prevent high blood pressure and heart disease.
7. Dried Cranberries: Treat Cystitis
A U.S. study found that eating two handfuls of dried cranberries (42.5 grams) daily can reduce the "adhesion" of E. coli in the urine samples of female cystitis patients. The key reason is that the active substance proanthocyanidin in cranberries has anti-adhesive properties.
8. Dried Figs: Treat Anemia
Eating 4 dried figs a day can meet a quarter of the daily iron requirement and help prevent anemia. Eating dried figs with orange juice, which is rich in vitamin C, is more beneficial for the body's absorption of iron from plant-based foods.
Red Date and Fig Soup