What to eat in summer? 10 seasonal vegetables with great nutrition.

Introduction: "Eating in season" is a major principle of a healthy diet. So, what are the best vegetables to eat in the summer? Let the editor answer your question about what seasonal vegetables are available in summer! Seasonal vegetables have better flavor and nutrition, better meeting the body's needs, so everyone should learn to pick in-season vegetables to eat. Here are 10 recommended foods.

I. Cucumber

Cucumber is the best food for hydration in the summer, with the highest water content of all foods. Cucumbers contain cucurbitacin, which has certain anti-cancer properties. In addition, cucumber is cool in nature and has the effects of clearing heat, promoting urination, and detoxifying. Cucumbers are very suitable for cold salads, such as cucumber with wood ear fungus or garlic cucumber salad.

Fresh cucumbers have prickly skin. If there are no prickles, it means the cucumber is old. The best kind has prickles that break off with a light touch. Cucumbers with small, dense prickles are tastier, while those with large, sparse prickles lack the cucumber flavor. Delicious cucumbers generally have prominent vertical lines on their skin, which can be felt by touch and seen by the eye. Cucumbers with a smooth surface and no vertical lines are not tasty.

Black Vinegar Cucumber with Wood Ear Fungus

II. Luffa

Luffa is a seasonal vegetable in the summer. It becomes a daily health food because it is rich in protein, crude fiber, and various minerals. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, luffa has health benefits such as unblocking meridians and promoting blood circulation.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that luffa is cool in nature and sweet in taste. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood to stop bleeding, unblocking meridians, promoting blood circulation, beautifying the skin, and fighting cancer. It can also treat conditions such as phlegmatic wheezing and cough, obstructed lactation, fever and thirst, soreness in the bones and muscles, and bloody stools. It clears heat and resolves phlegm; cools the blood and detoxifies. Indicated for fever with body heat and thirst; phlegmatic wheezing and cough; intestinal bleeding, hemorrhoid bleeding; strangury; metrorrhagia; carbuncles and sores; unknown swellings and toxins; edema. The luffa is emerald green, fresh and tender, fragrant, crisp, and sweet, making it an excellent dish for clearing heat, purging fire, cooling the blood, and detoxifying in the summer.

Stuffed Luffa with Shrimp

III. Winter Melon

Winter melon is the top dish for relieving summer heat. It replenishes water and electrolytes, has the effect of clearing heat and dispelling summer heat, and is also less prone to pests, making it relatively safer and cleaner—a real pity to miss. On a scorching summer day, winter melon can clear heat and promote urination, and promote the production of body fluids to quench thirst. But when you eat it, don't peel the winter melon, as its medicinal value is no less than that of the flesh. Whether it's green-skinned or black-skinned, you should choose one that is well-shaped, has no spots, has little pulp, and has snow-white flesh. Fresh winter melon has firm pulp that is tightly connected to the flesh; if the pulp is sunken and separated from the flesh, it has been stored for a long time.

Winter Melon and Coix Seed Rib Soup

IV. Asparagus

Asparagus has a delicious and fragrant flavor, and its soft and palatable dietary fiber can stimulate the appetite and aid digestion. Modern nutritional analysis shows that the protein composition of asparagus contains all the essential amino acids required by the human body, with a content ratio that meets the body's needs. Among the inorganic elements, it contains more trace elements such as selenium, molybdenum, magnesium, and manganese. It also contains a large amount of non-protein nitrogenous substances mainly composed of asparagine and aspartic acid. Asparagus is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and zinc. One cup of asparagus can provide 67% of the daily folate requirement.

Asparagus is eaten for its tender shoots, which are fresh, delicious, and tender. It can be sliced and stir-fried, boiled, stewed, or served in a salad. For cold storage and preservation, first blanch it in boiling water for one minute, let it dry, then place it in a sealed plastic bag and put it in the freezer. Take it out when ready to eat. Famous asparagus dishes include "Fresh Mushroom Dragon's Beard," "Stir-fried Asparagus," "Shrimp and Asparagus," "Sautéed Asparagus with Sliced Pork," "Asparagus and Omelet," "Sweet and Sour Asparagus Slices," "Braised Asparagus with Scallops," and "Asparagus and Abalone Soup."

Shrimp, Asparagus, and Hollow Pasta

V. Cowpea

Cowpeas often bear fruit from June to September. The beans inside the pod are kidney-shaped and have the effect of tonifying the kidneys. They are tasty and can be stir-fried with tomatoes. People often eat cowpeas during the hot season; not only are they fragrant and delicious, but they can also promote intestinal peristalsis, strengthen the stomach and replenish qi, nourish and aid digestion, and relieve summer heat and quench thirst. Dark green cowpeas are fresher and crisper. The best choice is one with uniform thickness, bright color, transparent and luster, and full grains, without any pests or diseases. When touched, if the pod is firm and resilient, it is fresh and tender. If the pod feels hollow, the cowpea is old.

Cold-dressed Cowpea