What traditional foods to eat on Start of Autumn for nourishment
What foods are traditionally eaten during the "chusu" season? The "chusu" season arrives, marking the end of hot weather and the beginning of cooler, drier weather. At this time, people may experience symptoms such as dry skin, constipation, dry mouth and throat, and dry cough with little phlegm. To prevent dryness, it is advisable to eat foods that moisten the lungs and nourish the body with yin.
1Radish
"Eating radish in autumn is good for health,"Ginseng“Health and wellness in autumn”, it can be seen that eating radishes in autumn is very beneficial for the human body. Radish is not only nutritious and rich in vitamins C and zinc, but also has a sweet, spicy, neutral, and slightly cold taste. It has the functions of clearing heat, moistening the lungs, cooling blood, stopping bleeding, relaxing the bowels, promoting digestion, relieving stomach discomfort, and promoting digestion and expectoration. It can enhance the body's immune function and improve its resistance to disease.Radish can be sliced and stir-fried or used in soups, or combined with mutton to make delicious fillings. The middle part of the radish can be eaten raw, mixed with salad, or made into cold dishes.
The lower part of the radish, if you like the spicy taste, can be eaten raw, or pickled into radish.Those who cannot tolerate spicy food can cook, stew, or make fillings to reduce the spiciness. Seasoning, the taste is excellent. Duck meat It is a custom in some areas to eat duck during "chusu". According to " " (Su Xi Ju Dietary Compendium), duck meat "nourishes the five internal organs with yin, clears the heat and fatigue from the body, replenishes blood and water, and nourishes the stomach and moistens the intestines." Duck meat has moisturizing properties and can prevent dryness in the autumn.Duck meat is cool in nature and can be eaten in early autumn when the weather is still warm, which can dispel heat and prevent dryness. There are many ways to cook duck, including roasting, stewing, boiling, and stir-frying. For older people, it is recommended to stew or cook duck, making it as soft as possible to reduce oiliness and make it easier to digest.Duck meat, sweet potato, and porridge make a nutritious and easily digestible soup.. Narcissus
Narcissus is sweet in taste, mild in nature, and has a high nutritional value.It contains essential protein, unsaturated fatty acids, trace elements, vitamins, and various alkaloids.
It is not only delicious but also has a high nutritional value and medicinal value.According to " " (Compendium of Materia Medica), narcissus can moisten the lungs and relieve cough, soothe the heart and calm the nerves, replenish qi and nourish blood. Dried narcissus should be dried, free from impurities, with a slightly white or pale yellow-brown color, hard and brittle, with a transparent section, and small and thick flakes. When selecting narcissus, avoid those that are too white, as they may have been bleached with sulfur, which will become moldy and have a sour taste when cooked. Fresh narcissus should be plump, large, with uniform petals, thick flesh, and a white or pale yellow color. Duck meat is cold in nature, and eating it in early autumn when it is still hot can dispel the heat and prevent fire.
Lotus rootLotus root is cold in nature and sweet in taste, belonging to the heart, spleen and stomach meridians. Eating fresh lotus root can clear heat and moisten the lungs, cool blood and remove blood stasis. Cooking it can remove cold and have the effects of nourishing the stomach, strengthening blood, stopping bleeding, and promoting qi. Therefore, eating lotus root in summer can not only make people feel "heart content and stop anger" but also prevent nosebleeds.In autumn, when the weather becomes dry, eating lotus root according to the principle of "moistening when dry" can also nourish yin, clear heat, moisten dryness, soothe the heart and calm the mind.Lotus root is generally divided into seven-hole lotus and nine-hole lotus. Seven-hole lotus, also known as red flower lotus, has a brown-yellow outer skin, short and thick body, and tastes bitter when eaten raw.
Nine-hole lotus, also known as white flower lotus, has smooth and silver-white outer skin, long and slender body, and is crisp and sweet when eaten raw.Regardless of which type of lotus root, its nutritional value is not much different, as long as it is fresh, it can be used for soup, and nine-hole lotus has high moisture content and crisp, juicy, and is best for cold mixing or stir-frying.
Lotus, it is slightly cold in nature and has a sweet and mild taste. Grape Chinese medicine believes that grapes have the effects of replenishing qi and blood, strengthening muscles and bones, and promoting urination. It is effective for treating lung deficiency and cough, palpitations, night sweat, wind and dampness, and bone numbness. Purple grapes are rich in anthocyanins, which can beautify and anti-aging. Black grapes can nourish the kidneys and promote hair growth.
Red grapes contain enzymes that can soften blood vessels and promote blood circulation, prevent blood clots, and are best eaten with the skin. Green grapes are rich in clear heat and detoxify. White grapes can replenish lung qi and moisten the lungs, which is suitable for people with cough and respiratory system problems.
After eating grapes, you must rinse your mouth.Some grapes contain various fermentable sugar substances, which have a strong corrosive effect on teeth. If you don't rinse your mouth after eating, the grape residue can cause tooth decay.Lotus root
RiceRice is warm in nature and has the benefit of nourishing the spleen and stomach. If you belong to a body type with a weak spleen and stomach, you have loose stools and are easily tired, especially if you have stomach discomfort, you can relieve it by drinking warm rice porridge.
The digestion speed of rice is fast, but it is not always completely digested. Because the amylase that digests starch is mainly found in the mouth and small intestine, and the stomach cannot digest starch, if you eat too much rice, it is easy to stay in the stomach, especially for people with poor stomach function. Therefore, you should not eat too much rice at once. Regardless of the type of lotus root, its nutritional value is not much different, as long as it is fresh, it is suitable for stewing, and the nine-hole lotus root has a high water content, is crisp and juicy, and is most suitable for cold mixing or stir-frying.
Honey Honey has the effects of strengthening the body, improving intelligence, increasing blood, and improving heart function. It is effective for neurosis, high blood pressure, coronary artery hardening, and lung diseases.
Therefore, in autumn, taking honey regularly can prevent the damage caused by dryness and help to moisten the lungs and nourish the lungs. In normal circumstances, fresh and ripe honey can be taken without heating. It is best to use honey with a temperature of 40℃ or less, which can preserve the nutritional components and prevent damage. The best time to drink is 1-1.5 hours before or 2-3 hours after meals, to avoid irritating the stomach. Black grapes can moisten the kidneys and promote hair growth;GinkgoChinese medicine believes that Ginkgo has the effects of strengthening the body, improving intelligence, increasing blood, and improving heart function. It is effective for neurosis, high blood pressure, coronary artery hardening, and lung diseases. Therefore, in autumn, taking Ginkgo regularly can prevent the damage caused by dryness and help to moisten the lungs and nourish the lungs.
Ginkgo is a good food for autumn. Some grapes contain various fermenting sugar substances, which have strong corrosive properties on teeth. If you do not rinse your mouth after eating, the grape residue in your mouth can easily cause cavities.
6Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is slightly warm and has benefits for nourishing the spleen and stomach. If you belong to a type of person with a weak spleen and stomach, you have loose and watery stools, are easily weak, and especially when you are hungry, your stomach will hurt, and after eating, the condition will improve. Drinking warm glutinous rice porridge will be very comfortable.
Glutinous rice is easily digested, but it is often not fully digested. This is because amylase, which is responsible for digesting starch, is mainly found in the mouth and small intestine, and the stomach cannot digest starch. If you eat too much glutinous rice, it is easy to stay in the stomach, especially for people with poor gastric motility. Therefore, it is not advisable to eat too much glutinous rice at one time.
7Honey
Honey has the effects of strengthening the body, improving intelligence, increasing hemoglobin, improving cardiac function, and has therapeutic effects on neuroasthenia, hypertension, coronary artery hardening, and lung diseases. Therefore, taking honey in autumn can prevent the damage caused by autumn dryness and promote lung health.
Normally, fresh and ripe honey can be taken without heating, and it is best to dilute it with warm or cool water below 40℃ to preserve the nutritional components and prevent damage. The best time to drink is 1-1.5 hours before or 2-3 hours after eating, to avoid irritating the stomach.
8Snow ear
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that snow ear is sweet, mild, neutral in nature, and has no toxicity. It has the effects of strengthening the body, replenishing kidney, moistening intestines and stomach, replenishing qi and blood, strengthening the heart and body, nourishing the brain and invigorating it, beautifying and moisturizing the skin, and prolonging life. It can improve the liver's detoxification ability and protect liver function. It not only enhances the body's immune ability against tumors but also enhances the tolerance of tumor patients to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Snow ear must be soaked in cold water (until fully expanded) before eating, and then soaked in warm (or cool) water for 20-30 minutes, and then washed several times with clean water before eating. After soaking, remove the parts that have not expanded, especially the parts that are pale yellow.
Reminder: During the hot weather, diet should increase saltiness and reduce spiciness, to help with gas and strengthen muscles, to nourish the spleen and stomach. It is advisable to eat less spicy food, such as Ginger Scallions, garlic,Leeks,Star anise,Fennel etc., and eat more salty food and fresh fruits and vegetables, such as Horseradish,Arrowroot Pumpkin, snow ear, lotus,Luzhi Honey, glutinous rice,Sesame Beans and dairy products.
