What kinds of fruits are there and what are their functions?

What kinds of fruits are there? There are countless kinds of fruits. Here are a few of them.

apple

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Among many fruits, apples are the most common and mildest, but their nutritional value should not be underestimated. Chinese medicine believes that apples can "promote the production of body fluids and moisten the lungs, strengthen the spleen and stimulate the appetite"; nutritional analysis points out that apples contain the most fructose, and contain a variety of organic acids, pectin and trace elements.

Apple pectin is a soluble fiber that not only promotes cholesterol metabolism and effectively lowers cholesterol levels, but also promotes fat excretion from the body. The French conducted an experiment in which a group of healthy middle-aged men and women ate two or three apples a day. After a month, they measured their cholesterol levels and found that 80% of them had lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL, also known as bad cholesterol) in their blood; at the same time, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL, also known as good cholesterol) increased. Apples are very helpful to the cardiovascular system.

The trace element potassium contained in apples can dilate blood vessels, which is beneficial for patients with hypertension. Zinc is also necessary for the human body. When it is deficient, it will lead to blood sugar metabolism disorders and decreased sexual function.

In addition to the above benefits, eating apples raw can also regulate the stomach and intestines because they are rich in fiber and help excretion. On the other hand, it is also good for people with diarrhea because malic acid has astringent effects. However, it should be noted that if the chronic diarrhea is caused by spleen and stomach deficiency, the apples must be wrapped in tin foil and baked or simmered before eating. Apples are rich in nutrients and low in calories, and are very popular among people who want to lose weight.

In terms of diet therapy, boil apple peels and a few slices of ginger and drink the water to stop vomiting. Pairing apples with pears can reduce the coldness of pears and strengthen and moisten the lungs and stomach. In autumn, use a few apples and pears, add 1 liang (30 grams) of lily, 5 qian (15 grams) of dendrobium, and 3 qian (9 grams) of almonds to moisten the lungs and stop coughing.

Eating papaya helps digestion

Papaya is actually very beneficial, but some people don't like its taste, so they refuse to eat it. Papaya is known as the "longevity fruit" in China. As the name suggests, eating more papaya can prolong life. As for the reason, ancient books did not clearly state it, but it is probably related to the enzymes contained in papaya. It is said that the enzymes contained in papaya are similar to human growth hormone, and eating more papaya can keep people young. Whether it is true or not remains to be verified. The only certainty is that the proteolytic enzymes contained in papaya help break down proteins and starches, which is of great benefit to the digestive system.

Medical books say: "The spleen is the foundation of the acquired constitution." Eating fruits can help digestion and absorption, and then strengthen the spleen and stomach, which is really cost-effective. According to medical analysis, papaya is sweet, neutral, and slightly cold. It can not only help digestion, but also relieve heat and thirst, moisten the lungs and relieve coughs. Chinese medicine also has a "papaya", but this papaya is "Sichuan papaya", also known as "Xuan papaya", not the "papaya" sold in fruit stalls. Sichuan papaya is sour and slightly warm. Its main function is to remove dampness and arthritis, relax muscles and activate collaterals, and it is most suitable for patients with rheumatic pain. As for papaya, eating it raw can relieve throat discomfort, and it is also helpful for colds, coughs, constipation, chronic tracheitis, etc.

In terms of dietotherapy, boiled papaya and dried persimmons in water can cure asthma cough; peeled and steamed papaya with honey can cure dry cough; raw papaya can be squeezed into juice or dried and ground into powder to drive away insects. The most well-known dish is boiled fish tail or stewed pig's trotter with papaya, which can promote milk secretion.

The pros and cons of eating more watermelon

Watermelon is known as the "natural white tiger soup". It is cold in nature and is not suitable for people with cold stomachs or pregnant women. Although it has a slightly dry and hot body, people with weak and cold constitutions should not eat too much. Otherwise, they will feel dizzy and stuffy. The people who really need to eat watermelon to clear away heat and purge fire are strong people with real heat. People with real heat usually have loud voices, red eyes, and bad breath. On the contrary, people with false heat are prone to fatigue and dizziness, so they should not eat too much watermelon. If you accidentally eat too much and feel dizzy and stuffy, you can put a piece of ginger in your mouth to save yourself.

If you are not very strong but want to use watermelon to relieve dampness and summer heat, you can use watermelon skin, lotus leaves, and lotus pods as the main ingredients, with lentils, raw coix seeds, etc. to make a bowl of heat-clearing and fire-purging soup. If your spleen and stomach are not in good condition, you can use cooked coix seeds instead to enhance the spleen-strengthening effect.

Pears are a great heat-clearing food

Pears have been revered as the "king of fruits" since ancient times, and can cure coughs and moisten the lungs. Unfortunately, people only know about its efficacy, but ignore whether its properties are suitable for their own constitution. Pears are good for clearing the heart and moistening the lungs, but they are cold in nature. People with weak constitutions and cold coughs should not eat them raw. They must be steamed, put into soup, or stewed with medicinal materials.

The most popular pear diet recipe is to boil sweet water or soup with apricots, pears, and snow fungus, which is quite effective for hoarseness and dry mouth. But please note that the pears in this recipe are cold and the snow fungus is cool, which is more suitable for people who have real heat or false fire and need to clear heat. If you have a weak body, you can omit the snow fungus. If you change this recipe slightly and add 3 qian (9 grams) of Fritillaria cirrhosa to boil soup, it can enhance the effect of replenishing lung qi. If you add lily, it can nourish yin and calm the mind.

Speaking of the cold nature of pears, a deeper study shows that different types of pears have different degrees of coldness. For example, the Tianya pear we often eat is colder, similar to the small and exquisite Xiang pear and the larger Gong pear, while the rough-skinned Sha pear and the imported Beer pear are even colder.

Mango also has medicinal value

Mango is one of the few fruits rich in protein, and eating more of it can make you full easily. Traditionally, it is said that it can benefit the eyes and moisturize the skin, probably because it contains carotene. Its kernel can also be used as medicine, which can detoxify, eliminate stagnation, and lower blood pressure. According to the analysis of the nature and taste of Chinese medicine diet therapy, mango is a fruit with a neutral nature, sweet taste, thirst quenching and body fluid. Eating it raw can stop vomiting and treat seasickness, and its effect is the same as sour plums. People who are not used to riding on a boat and feel stuffy in the chest after being shaken can use mango as "medicine". Pregnant women can eat mango flesh or boiled mango water when they feel stuffy and nauseous. The only thing to note is that mango is damp and toxic in nature, so if you have skin diseases or tumors, you should remember to avoid eating it.