Detox after the May Day holiday with 10 coarse grains to feel refreshed and light for summer.

Introduction: During the holiday season, indulging in a feast of rich and heavy foods not only easily leads to gastrointestinal disorders but can also, in severe cases, result in conditions like anorexia. Gastrointestinal discomfort can significantly affect a person's health and even dampen work enthusiasm, leading to a severe case of post-holiday syndrome. Eating more of the following 10 foods can effectively cleanse the intestines, help with detoxification, and promote healthy skin.

1. Red Beans

Red beans are a common nutritious whole grain, rich in protein, vitamins B1, B2, calcium, iron, and other nutrients. They have the function of strengthening the spleen, promoting urination to reduce edema, making them very suitable for people with obesity due to edema. Moreover, red beans are rich in B vitamins such as vitamin B1, vitamin B6, folic acid, and niacin. Vitamin B1 is also known as the anti-neuritis factor, and vitamin B6 is a typical anti-depressant nutrient. The synthesis of the happy neurotransmitter serotonin in the body requires the help of vitamin B6 and folic acid. There are many ways to eat red beans. You can soak them in a rice cooker before bed and drink the unsweetened red bean water as plain water the next day, which can effectively promote detoxification.

Red Bean and Coix Seed Porridge

2. Oats

Oats are nutritious and a rare weight-loss food. The soluble fiber in oats is more than 10 times that of white rice. The intake of soluble fiber can prolong the time for the body to absorb nutrients from food, thus achieving or maintaining a feeling of fullness. It can also accelerate intestinal peristalsis and metabolism, lower cholesterol, and with long-term persistence, it has the additional benefit of slimming. Furthermore, oats contain components like oat protein, oat peptides, oat beta-glucan, and oat oil. These have antioxidant effects, increase skin activity, delay skin aging, whiten and moisturize, reduce wrinkles and spots, and are anti-allergic. In countries like the United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and France, oats are called "family doctor," "plant gold," and "natural beautician."

Black Rice and Oat Porridge

3. Black Beans

Black beans contain five main components: dietary fiber, saponins, isoflavones, anthocyanins, and soy protein. Among them, saponins are particularly effective at preventing fatty acid oxidation, making them excellent for preventing weight gain. The other components in black beans are also rich in weight-loss and beauty-enhancing ingredients and can promote blood circulation. The rich fiber can effectively expel toxins from the body, making it a great choice for intestinal cleansing after the May Day holiday.

In addition, the beauty benefits of black beans should not be underestimated. Because black beans are rich in antioxidants like vitamin E, they can eliminate free radicals in the body, reduce skin wrinkles, and achieve the goal of nourishing the skin and maintaining youth.

Black Bean Paste Steamed Buns

4. Corn

Corn is rich in fiber, which can not only stimulate gastrointestinal motility to prevent constipation but also promote cholesterol metabolism and accelerate the excretion of intestinal toxins. Corn oil, pressed from the corn germ, contains a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, of which linoleic acid accounts for 60%. It can remove harmful cholesterol from the blood and prevent arteriosclerosis. Moreover, as a coarse fiber food, corn is very beneficial for weight loss. After eating it, it can to some extent curb hunger, and its low calorie content also makes it one of the substitutes for dieting.

Corn silk also has certain effects of promoting bile secretion, diuresis, and lowering blood sugar. It is commonly used in folk medicine for its diuretic and heat-clearing, detoxifying properties. For patients with chronic nephritis or nephrotic syndrome, 50-60 grams of dried corn silk can be decocted with 10 times the amount of water over a low flame, and taken orally in three doses daily. It is very beneficial for diabetics to lower blood sugar, although the effect is slow, so it is advisable to drink it regularly. Corn can be prepared in many ways: it can be boiled into soup, ground into cornmeal, puffed, or eaten as a snack of corn kernels, which can suppress cravings while providing fullness and reducing the amount of food eaten in main meals.

Oyster Sauce Corn Kernels

5. Peas

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, peas are sweet in taste and neutral in nature, and they affect the spleen and stomach meridians. They have the effects of tonifying the middle qi, stopping diarrhea, regulating nutrient qi and defensive qi, promoting urination, reducing swelling, and counteracting the toxicity of milk stones. They have a certain therapeutic effect on conditions like beriberi, swelling, blocked lactation, stomach discomfort, hiccups and vomiting, heart and abdominal pain, thirst, and diarrhea.

Modern medical research shows that the high-quality protein and carotene in peas, in addition to skin care, can enhance the human immune system. They also contain relatively rich dietary fiber, which can promote bowel movements, clean the intestines, and prevent constipation. Unlike other vegetables, peas contain substances like pisum sativum agglutinin, gibberellin, and phytohemagglutinin, which also have the effect of enhancing metabolism and burning fat.

Pea Jelly

6. Chinese Yam

Chinese yam has always been a favorite food among women. Firstly, it is rich in fiber, which easily creates a feeling of fullness, thereby controlling appetite. Moreover, its rich dietary fiber can promote gastrointestinal motility, which is very beneficial for obesity due to constipation. Chinese yam is highly nutritious and low in calories, and it also has the remarkable effect of breast enhancement, which is why it is liked by many women. Furthermore, the amylase in Chinese yam, which can break down starch, is three times the amount in radish. When eaten when the stomach is bloated, it promotes digestion and can relieve discomfort, helping to improve the digestive and absorptive function of the spleen and stomach. It is an excellent medicinal and edible food that gently tonifies the spleen and stomach.

Chinese Yam and Cotton Flower Soup

7. Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is a common root vegetable, rich in carbohydrates and protein. In the past, most people believed that sweet potatoes contained a lot of energy and would lead to weight gain, so they avoided them. But in reality, sweet potatoes are neutral in nature and sweet in taste, and they tonify the spleen and replenish qi. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" records: "It tonifies the middle, warms the stomach, and nourishes the five organs." Consuming it in cold weather nourishes the body's vital energy, warms the stomach, aids digestion, resolves food stagnation, and can also clear the intestines and aid weight loss. Not only that, sweet potatoes also contain high-quality protein. When paired with rice, they can effectively supplement the body's needed protein and nutrients. Another notable point is the dietary fiber in sweet potatoes, which promotes gastrointestinal motivation, effectively prevents colorectal cancer, promotes intestinal health, and enhances immunity. It's also a good choice for cleansing the intestines after the holidays.

Baked Sweet Potato Chips

8. Brown Rice

Brown rice is a common rice in life. As its name suggests, brown rice is not as refined as other types of rice, giving it a somewhat coarse texture. However, currently, many health-conscious people consume more brown rice for health purposes because it allows for effective absorption of its fiber.

Brown rice has not had its outer layer completely removed, and it may even have bran on it. But precisely because of this, brown rice has more protection from coarse fiber. Although the texture may not be as pleasant, the health benefits of brown rice are appealing. This is because when you eat brown rice, you can effectively absorb its protein, fat, vitamins, and other nutrients. At the same time, the large amount of fiber can promote gastrointestinal motility, and for people with poor digestion, eating brown rice can effectively lower cholesterol. Also, if there is a heart disease patient in the family, it is advisable to eat more brown rice.

Red Brown Rice and Lily Bulb Porridge

9. Job's Tears

Job's tears are a type of grain and a high-fiber food, and fiber is essential for weight loss. Moreover, Job's tears are a famous low-fat, low-calorie food, making it a diet staple for many women who want to stay slim, with a good auxiliary weight-loss effect. Ancient Chinese medical books record that Job's tears are an excellent beauty food, with effects such as treating warts and acne, lightening spots and whitening, moisturizing the skin and reducing wrinkles. The protein-splitting enzyme it contains can soften skin keratin, and vitamin E has an antioxidant effect. It also has the ability to absorb ultraviolet rays, and its extract can be added to cosmetics to achieve sun protection and UV-blocking effects. The moisturizing, skin-whitening, qi-activating, blood-circulating, menstruation-regulating, and pain-relieving effects of Job's tears are remarkable. When applied to the skin, it has a natural whitening effect, can improve skin metabolism and moisturizing functions, effectively prevent skin dryness, and make the body light and agile. It can also reduce the risk of cancer.

Red Bean, Job's Tears, and Chinese Yam Porridge

10. Buckwheat

Buckwheat is commonly known as "intestinal cleansing grass" in folk medicine for its effect of cleaning the intestines. It also has anti-inflammatory, cough-suppressing, and phlegm-removing properties. In addition to being rich in carbohydrates, protein, and fat like other grains, it also contains a large amount of fiber and various vitamins and other nutrients. It can not only prevent and treat obesity and digest fat but also promote the function of the spleen and stomach. Furthermore, buckwheat has a very low content of glutenin, and its main protein is globulin. The content of lysine, an essential amino acid, is high in buckwheat, while the content of methionine is low. Its amino acid pattern can complement that of major grains (such as wheat, corn, and rice, which have low lysine content).

Lemon Vinegar Honey Pear and Buckwheat Noodles