Beauty and Wellness: The Little-Known Benefits of Steaming Fruit.

Introduction: Steaming fruit is not only a beauty treatment but also a health booster! Besides the well-known salt-steamed orange, there are several other fruits that can be steamed, offering numerous health benefits. Here, we'll uncover the lesser-known benefits of steamed fruit for you!

I. Pear

The pear is sweet and slightly sour in nature, and cool in temperature. It enters the lung and stomach meridians; it has the effects of promoting fluid production, moistening dryness, clearing heat, resolving phlegm, and detoxifying alcohol. It is used for conditions like dry cough, thirst, and constipation caused by yin deficiency from heat illness, as well as for vexation and thirst, coughing, and yellow phlegm caused by internal heat. A steamed pear has the effects of clearing heat, moistening the lungs, stopping coughs, and resolving phlegm. During the steaming process, other foods or herbs can be added to enhance these effects. The most common combination is stepear with Chuanbei (Fritillaria) rock sugar.

Osmanthus and Tremella Steamed Pear

II. Apple

Although fruits are nutritious, their cool nature may not be suitable for everyone. Some people with a weak spleen and stomach, or a delicate constitution, may find them difficult to digest and absorb, and they might even experience diarrhea. Steaming fruit not only reduces its cooling nature but can also double its therapeutic effects. When an apple is steamed, the pectin produced not only absorbs bacteria and toxins but also has an astringent effect to stop diarrhea and is easier to digest. There are many ways to prepare apples. Simply slice the apple (with the skin on) into small pieces, place them in a small bowl, and steam for 5 minutes. Let it cool slightly before eating.

III. Red Date

The skin of a dried date is very hard, and its flesh is firm, which can irritate the stomach lining, so those with a weak spleen and stomach should not eat it with the skin on. When cooked, red dates become easier to digest, and those with weaker digestive functions can eat them in moderation. Cooking red dates with goji berries and longan can further warm the stomach, nourish the blood, and strengthen the body; steaming them with goji berries and eggs can help improve conditions of qi and blood deficiency, as well as poor liver and kidney function.

Red Date Blood-Nourishing and Beauty-Enhancing Congee

IV. Orange

Oranges are rich in vitamins C and P, which can boost the body's resistance, increase the elasticity of capillaries, and lower blood cholesterol. They are beneficial for people with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and arteriosclerosis. The orange peel contains the cough and phlegm-relieving compounds hesperidin and orange oil. These two components are only released from the peel when it is steamed or boiled. It is especially suitable for children with persistent coughs.

V. Hawthorn

Hawthorn contains a large amount of organic acids and fruit acids, making it unsuitable for people with excess stomach acid. However, if it is cooked into a congee with red beans and rice, and then sweetened with brown sugar, it becomes much milder. This congee not only aids digestion and lowers blood lipids but also has beauty and weight-loss benefits. Hawthorn can also be steamed. The method is to pit the hawthorn, place it in a bowl, add rock sugar, and steam for 15 minutes. The resulting hawthorn is both sour and sweet, with therapeutic effects of stimulating appetite, aiding digestion, invigorating blood, and resolving phlegm.

Sugar-Crusted Hawthorn