Introduction: During the transitional season from spring to summer, the temperature difference can be significant. This is especially true for the elderly and children, whose immune systems may not be as robust, making them more prone to colds, allergies, and diarrhea. Therefore, it is crucial to pay close attention to daily diet. Proper dietary conditioning can help boost immunity and maintain a healthy body. In terms of dietary nourishment, the principle for hot weather is to "clear and supplement," strengthen the spleen, and eliminate summer heat and dampness. Fatty, rich, and heating foods should be avoided, and instead, foods with the effects of being light, refreshing, and nourishing yin should be chosen. Below are 10 recommended foods that are light, refreshing, and nourishing yin.
1. Wheat Germ
Wheat germ is the most nutritious part of the wheat kernel. Fifty grams of wheat germ contains more high-quality protein than four eggs. Furthermore, the protein in wheat germ is a high-quality plant-based protein that is very easily absorbed by the body. Traditional Chinese medicine considers wheat germ not only a food of high nutritional value but also a medicinal substance for preventing and treating diseases. Wheat is cooling in nature and sweet in flavor, with the effects of nourishing the heart and benefiting the kidneys, harmonizing blood and moistening dryness, strengthening the spleen and thickening the intestines, and relieving restlessness and thirst. Wheat germ nourishes the heart's qi and is suitable for people with heart conditions to consume during spring and summer.
According to relevant literature, the physiological activity of natural Vitamin E in wheat germ is 30 times that of synthetic Vitamin E. Vitamin E has antioxidant effects; it can inhibit free radicals in the human body, promote metabolism, delay aging, and improve liver function, which is of great significance for liver health.
Wheat Germ Sesame Balls
2. Sorghum
Sorghum is mainly produced in northern China. It is sweet and astringent in flavor, and warm in nature, acting on the spleen and stomach meridians. Cooked sorghum or its flour can strengthen the spleen and benefit the stomach, and provide sustenance and nourishment. Sorghum congee is nourishing and suitable for those with a deficient spleen and dampness. Sorghum also has the effects of warming the middle jiao, drying dampness, and astringing. Sorghum leaves can harmonize the stomach and stop vomiting, sorghum roots promote urination and stop bleeding, and sorghum mold can dry dampness, astringe, and stop bleeding.
Not only that, sorghum is rich in starch, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, B vitamins, and more, making it highly beneficial to consume regularly. For young children, eating sorghum can strengthen the digestive system; for young people, it can promote digestion and replenish qi and nourish the stomach; for the elderly, it can supplement yin and extend life. Sorghum is suitable for all ages. Moreover, the nutritional value of sorghum is higher than that of rice. In your daily diet, do not rely on a single staple food for long periods. Alternating sorghum with rice and wheat can allow different nutrients to complement each other.
Pistachio Sorghum Cake
3. Highland Barley
Highland barley has rich nutritional value and outstanding medical and health benefits. In the high-altitude, oxygen-scarce Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the prevalence of centenarians is no coincidence, and it is closely related to the regular consumption of highland barley and its remarkable health functions. According to "Ben Shi Shi Yi" (Supplementary Records of Materia Medica), highland barley can "lower qi, expand the middle, strengthen essence and power, eliminate dampness and induce sweating, and stop diarrhea." Tibetan medical classics "Jing Zhu Ben Cao" (Crystal Materia Medica) even regards highland barley as an important medicine for treating various diseases.
Modern research shows that highland barley is rich in glucan, 50 times that of wheat. Glucan can effectively lower cholesterol, regulate blood lipids, and reduce blood sugar and pressure, thereby preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Moreover, highland barley rice is rich in dietary fiber, 20 times that of wheat, which acts as a "cleaner" for the human digestive system by clearing the intestines, removing toxins from the body, and eliminating freckles.
Highland Barley Bread
4. Tofu
Tofu is extremely nutritious, containing iron, magnesium, potassium, niacin, copper, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, folic acid, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin B6. Its high content of amino acids and protein makes it an excellent complementary food to grains. 78% of the fat in tofu is unsaturated fatty acid and it contains no cholesterol, earning it the name "vegetable meat." The digestibility and absorption rate of tofu is over 95%. Two small pieces of tofu can meet a person's daily calcium requirement.
Furthermore, tofu is a nourishing, heat-clearing, and health-preserving food. Regular consumption can tonify the middle jiao and qi, clear heat and moisten dryness, promote fluid production and quench thirst, and cleanse the intestines. It is especially suitable for those with a "heat" constitution, bad breath, thirst, an unclear digestive system, or those recovering from a febrile illness. Modern medicine has confirmed that in addition to increasing nutrition, aiding digestion, and stimulating appetite, tofu is also highly beneficial for the growth and development of teeth and bones (a function also shared by tamarind, the "calcium king of fruits") and can increase the iron content in the blood.
Double Winter Tofu Soup
5. Black Sesame
Black sesame is the black seed of the sesame plant from the Pedaliaceae family. It contains large amounts of fat and protein, as well as carbohydrates, vitamins A and E, lecithin, calcium, iron, chromium, and other nutrients. It has the effects of strengthening the stomach, protecting the liver, and promoting the growth of red blood cells. It can also increase melanin in the body, which is beneficial for hair growth.
Research suggests that reducing the production of free radicals, clearing aging metabolic products, and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes are effective methods for delaying skin aging. Black sesame is rich in natural Vitamin E, the highest content among plant-based foods. Vitamin E is a good antioxidant, and its proper supplementation can moisturize the skin and improve complexion. Additionally, sesame is one of the four major oil crops, and the oil in black sesame is mostly unsaturated fatty acid, with linoleic acid accounting for about half of it.
Black Sesame Crispy Cookies
Puffed bread
Rainbow dumplings
Ice cream
Spicy tablets
Homemade breakfast bread