Autumn is the season for a variety of vegetables to be harvested, and some of them are excellent choices for autumn health preservation. Next, we will introduce the top 5 autumn health champion vegetables—lotus root, mushrooms, bok choy, broccoli, and spinach. Add them to your diet to nourish your body and enhance your beauty!
1. Bok Choy – The Calcium Champion
Bok choy, also known as Qingcai or chicken feather vegetable, is a vegetable rich in minerals, especially calcium, which reaches up to 90 mg/100g, nearly double that of Chinese cabbage. Bok choy also contains a large amount of mineral elements and vitamin K that help with calcium absorption. Additionally, bok choy is rich in vitamins B1, B6, and pantothenic acid, which can help relieve mental tension, and eating more helps maintain a calm mindset. It should be noted that bok choy should not be eaten raw. When cooking with it, stir-frying or stewing time should not be too long to avoid nutrient loss.
Bok Choy Dumplings
2. Lotus Root – The Vitamin B1 Champion
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, raw lotus root is cold in nature and has the effect of clearing heat and relieving vexation. After being cooked, it turns from cool to warm, nourishing the stomach, nourishing yin, strengthening the spleen, and benefiting qi and blood. It is especially suitable for the elderly, young, women, children, patients with high fever, hypertension, loss of appetite, and iron-deficiency anemia. However, it should be noted that fresh lotus root is relatively cool and difficult to digest raw. People with a weak spleen and cold stomach or who are prone to diarrhea should eat it cooked.
Whether in soups, stir-fried, or in salads, lotus root is a very popular ingredient in autumn health recipes. It is rich in vitamin B1, which helps relieve fatigue, promote metabolism and digestion, and has skin-beautifying effects. In addition, lotus root also contains inorganic salts such as vitamin C, calcium, and iron, as well as polyphenols with antioxidant effects.
3. Mushrooms – The Potassium Champion
Mushrooms, hailed as "mountain treasures," are extremely rich in minerals, especially potassium. The banana, which we often call a "potassium star," has a potassium content of 256 mg/100g. In contrast, the potassium content in common mushrooms is: 1655 mg/100g in white button mushrooms, 312 mg/100g in fresh mushrooms, and 307 mg/100g in white button mushrooms, far exceeding that of bananas. Potassium can prevent stroke, assist normal muscle contraction, and lower blood pressure.
In addition, mushrooms are also rich in dietary fiber. What's more valuable is that mushrooms have a tender and delicate texture, not as difficult to eat as other high-fiber foods. Mushrooms can be prepared in various ways, such as stir-frying, making soups, and using as a filling.
Mushroom and Sausage Fried Rice
4. Broccoli – The Carotene Champion
As a recognized star vegetable, its nutritional content is not only high but also very comprehensive. Its carotene content is particularly outstanding, reaching as high as 7210 micrograms per 100g. Once in the body, carotene can be converted into vitamin A, which protects the eyes, and also has antioxidant effects, which is of great significance for preventing cardiovascular diseases, tumors, delaying aging, and preventing cancer.
In addition, the content of calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, etc., in broccoli is very rich, much higher than that of cauliflower, which also belongs to the cruciferous family. Moreover, its vitamin C content is nearly 3 times higher than that of tomatoes. Studies have shown that steaming broccoli for 5 minutes and then eating it with a dressing has the best anti-cancer effect.
5. Spinach – The Folate Champion
In addition to the well-known minerals such as magnesium, iron, and zinc, spinach is also rich in folate. The most important function of folate is to produce red and white blood cells and enhance immunity. It is also an important nutrient for preventing birth defects in babies. Spinach is also one of the best sources of lutein, which is very effective in preventing "age-related macular degeneration" caused by eye aging.
Since folate is a water-soluble vitamin and is unstable to heat and light, spinach should be bought and eaten fresh, and the storage time should not exceed 2 days. Moreover, it should be cooked by steaming, stir-frying over high heat, or boiling with a small amount of water to avoid cooking for too long or too soft, which can lead to nutrient loss.
Fried Spinach with Fried Gluten
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