There is a folk saying called "tie qiu biao," which in the past meant gaining some fat to prepare for the cold winter, so the focus was on eating meat. Nowadays, with abundant food, what we actually need to supplement are "vegetables, fermented foods, tubers, and mixed dishes."
Focus on green vegetables to supplement vitamins. In summer, people's diets are mostly composed of melons and fruits, which are not high in carotenoids or B vitamins. Therefore, after the Start of Autumn, one can choose seasonal green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and lettuce to supplement deficiencies in Vitamin A, B vitamins, and folic acid, in order to prevent vision decline, dry eyes, rough skin, and respiratory tract infections. Wang Leijun said that the daily intake of green leafy vegetables should be 150 to 250 grams.
Fermented foods aid digestion. In summer, people often have poor appetites and eat more cold foods, weakening the digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract. In autumn, it's a good idea to eat more fermented foods such as steamed buns, fermented glutinous rice, yogurt, and fermented black beans. During the fermentation process, anti-nutrients in the food are eliminated, making it easier to digest and absorb, and Vitamin B12 is produced. This substance exists in the body as a coenzyme, promoting the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and preventing toxin production.
Tubers take precedence for preventing obesity. Tubers are considered coarse grains, rich in B vitamins and abundant in minerals like potassium and magnesium. They are also rich in dietary fiber, which promotes intestinal peristalsis, prevents constipation, and the various chronic diseases that can result from it, such as obesity and diabetes. Autumn is the peak season for tubers, so it's very beneficial to eat some yams, sweet potatoes, taro, and potatoes from time to time.
Steamed and mixed dishes are the main choice to reduce calories. In autumn, people's appetites open up, and it's easy to overindulge without realizing it. You can try steaming vegetables and then mixing them while warm. For example, steam eggplant, broccoli, mushrooms, and bell peppers together. It looks good, tastes great, is low in calories, and doesn't lose its nutrients. Hu Ling reminds that the vegetables should not be over-steamed; turn off the heat after three minutes and let them cool before mixing. When mixing, you can add sesame paste, garlic, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, tomato sauce, etc., according to your own taste.