The efficacy, effects and nutritional value of water chestnuts

Water chestnut (Pinyin: bí qi English: water chestnut Scientific name: Eleocharis dulcis), also known as horse hoof, water chestnut, peony, duckweed, black taro, Puqi, ground pear, is a species of the genus Eleocharis in the Cyperaceae family. The genus Eleocharis in the Cyperaceae family is a shallow-water perennial herb, and its bulbs are eaten as vegetables. In ancient times, it was called duckweed (duckweed), commonly known as horse hoof, and also called ground chestnut, because it is shaped like a horse hoof and chestnut. Calling it a horse hoof only refers to its appearance; saying that it is like a chestnut is not only in shape, but also in nature, taste, composition, and function. Because it bears fruit in the mud, it is called ground chestnut.

Basic Introduction

In ancient times, it was called Fuci (fúcí), also known as Wuyu. Today, it is called Dili, Dili, and Mati in some areas. The main planting areas are Pingle County, Lipu County, Zhongshan County, Pingnan County and other counties in southern China. It is a perennial herb planted in paddy fields. The underground stem is oblate, and the surface is dark brown or reddish red. The flesh is white and edible. Water chestnuts are "sweet, slightly cold, smooth, and non-toxic." Its functions are "to eliminate thirst, numbness and heat, warm the middle and replenish qi, remove Danshi, eliminate wind poison, and remove the heat in the chest. It can be eaten as powder. Because water chestnuts grow in mud, there may be more bacteria and parasites attached to the skin and the inside, so they should not be eaten raw. They must be washed and cooked thoroughly before they can be eaten, and cooked water chestnuts are sweeter.

Nutritional value of water chestnuts

The phosphorus content in water chestnuts is relatively high among root vegetables, which can promote human growth and development and maintain physiological functions. It is very beneficial to the development of teeth and bones. At the same time, it can promote the metabolism of sugar, fat and protein in the body and regulate acid-base balance. Therefore, water chestnuts are suitable for children.

The British discovered a substance called "water chestnut" in their research on water chestnuts. This substance has a certain inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus aeruginosa and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and has a certain effect on lowering blood pressure. This substance also has a preventive and therapeutic effect on cancer.

Water chestnuts are tender and juicy, and can treat thirst caused by loss of body fluid due to fever. They also have a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on diabetic patients with frequent urination.

Water chestnut decoction can promote diuresis and eliminate stranguria. It has a certain therapeutic effect on those with urinary incontinence and can be used as a dietary therapy for patients with urinary tract infection. Recent studies have found that water chestnuts contain an antiviral substance that can inhibit meningococcal and influenza viruses and can be used to prevent the spread of meningococcal and influenza viruses. It is edible for the general population.

The efficacy and function of water chestnuts

1. To treat fluid deficiency and constipation caused by cancer radiotherapy or after radiotherapy: squeeze the juice of 20 raw water chestnuts (wash and scald with warm water), then add half a cup of sugarcane juice and drink it, 1-2 cups a day.

2. For treating phlegm nodules and scrofula: 100g water chestnuts and 100g jellyfish, boil them into soup and drink it 2-3 times a day.

3. Treating Yin deficiency, lung dryness, phlegm-heat cough: Crush 150g of fresh water chestnuts, squeeze out the juice, add 100ml of lotus root juice, 60ml of pear juice, and 60ml of reed root juice. Take 1-2 times a day.

4. Treat weak spleen and stomach after cancer surgery and during radiotherapy and chemotherapy: 60g water chestnuts, 30g mushrooms, 400g soft tofu, 9g chopped green onions, appropriate amounts of oil, salt, pepper, and MSG. Wash the mushrooms, soak them in warm water, remove the stems and cut into strips (keep the mushroom water); cut the tofu into small pieces; chop the green onions; wash and peel the water chestnuts, and cut them into small pieces. Put the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and tofu into a pot and boil the soup. After the soup boils, add oil, salt, pepper, and MSG, then add the chopped green onions and cook for a while, then serve with meals.

5. Treat liver and kidney yin deficiency in cancer patients: 150g water chestnuts, 14 large fresh mushrooms, 15g wolfberry, 20g soy sauce, 1 fresh tomato, appropriate amounts of sugar, rice wine, refined oil, and sesame oil. Wash and slice the water chestnuts, flatten the mushroom stems and wash them, boil them in boiling water for 25 seconds, remove them, and rinse them with cold water. Heat the pot on low heat, add oil, put the mushrooms and water chestnuts in the oil pan, stir-fry repeatedly until the mushroom surface turns golden yellow, add rice wine, sugar, wolfberry, soy sauce and 200ml boiling water, cover, simmer on low heat until the soup is almost dry, drizzle with sesame oil, and then put the sliced ​​tomatoes on the mushrooms.

6. Treating spleen and lung deficiency in cancer patients: 100g water chestnuts, 100g mushrooms, 3 eggs, vegetable oil, shallots, and salt as appropriate. Wash and slice the water chestnuts; wash and slice the mushrooms; wash and remove the roots of shallots, and cut them into chopped green onions. Put the eggs in a bowl, add the mushrooms, water chestnuts, oil, and salt, and stir well with chopsticks. Put them in a hot oil pan, stir-fry continuously until they become small pieces, and serve with meals.

Medicinal value of water chestnuts

Water chestnuts are sweet and crispy, rich in nutrients, and contain protein, fat, crude fiber, carotene, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus and carbohydrates. They can be eaten raw, cooked, made into starch, and used as traditional Chinese medicine.

Water chestnuts also have the function of preventing acute infectious diseases. In the spring when measles and epidemic meningitis are more likely to occur, water chestnuts are a good disease prevention food. Water chestnuts are cold foods and have good effects of clearing heat and purging fire. They can clear heat and promote body fluid, and supplement nutrition. They are most suitable for patients with fever. They have the effects of cooling blood and detoxifying, diuresis, laxatives and expectoration, digestion and distension, regulating hemorrhoids or dysentery, bleeding in stool, metrorrhagia in women, yin deficiency and lung dryness, phlegm-heat cough, throat discomfort, mass accumulation, red eyes and cataracts. It is best not to eat water chestnuts raw often. If you often eat raw water chestnuts, the ginger worms in them will enter the human body and attach to the intestinal mucosa, causing intestinal ulcers, diarrhea or facial edema. In addition, water chestnuts are raw and cold foods, which are not suitable for people with spleen and kidney deficiency and blood stasis.

Side effects and contraindications of water chestnuts

Water chestnuts contain a lot of protein, fat, crude fiber, carotene, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus and carbohydrates. Because water chestnuts contain a variety of nutrients, they have good therapeutic effects. There are still some things to pay attention to when eating them.

1. Water chestnuts are raw and cold food, and are not suitable for people with weak spleen and stomach, loose stools, and blood stasis.

2. Although water chestnuts have some benefits for the elderly, eating too much will cause irritation.

3. It is best not to eat water chestnuts raw frequently. If you often eat raw water chestnuts, the ginger worms in them will enter the human body and attach to the intestinal mucosa, causing intestinal ulcers, diarrhea or facial edema. It is best not to eat water chestnuts raw frequently.

4. Choose water chestnuts that are large, have dark purple skin, and short and thick buds. These water chestnuts have a sweet and crispy taste.

5. Water chestnuts must be peeled before eating, because water chestnuts grow in paddy fields and their skins are prone to accumulate harmful and toxic biological excrement, parasites, and chemicals. In addition to water chestnuts, the skins of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and persimmons cannot be eaten.

6. Water chestnuts are raw and cold food, so people with weak spleen and stomach should avoid eating too much.

7. After the juice is collected, there will be sugary substances sticking to the water chestnut skin. Be sure to wash it with cold boiled water before it is suitable for grabbing with your hands.

How to make delicious water chestnuts

Water chestnut and tamarisk soup

[Ingredients]: 90g water chestnuts, 15g tamarisk leaves (30g fresh branches and leaves)

[Preparation]: Boil water chestnuts and tamarisk leaves together in water.

【Source】：Private

[Usage]: Take twice a day.

【Effects】: Warming the middle and replenishing Qi, eliminating wind poison. Suitable for measles that breaks out slowly.

Water chestnut lion head

[Ingredients]: 5 peeled water chestnuts, 300 grams of lean meat filling, 50 grams of Chinese cabbage, 5 grams of salt, 20 grams of soy sauce, 15 grams of sugar, 1 egg, cornstarch, chopped green onion, chopped ginger, MSG, cooking wine, and wet starch in appropriate amounts.

【practice】:

1. Chop water chestnuts into rice-sized pieces, mix with the meat filling, add salt, eggs, cooking wine, wet starch, MSG, chopped green onion and ginger, mix well, and make four large meatballs;

2. Put the wok on the fire, pour in oil, put in the meatballs when the oil is hot and fry until both sides are golden brown, then add cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar and broth, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, put the lion's head into a bowl with choy sum as the bottom, and pour the marinade over the surface.

Features: fresh and crispy, salty and sweet, with contrasting red and green.

Snowflake Horseshoe

【Taste】: Sweet

[Main ingredients]: 200 grams of water chestnuts.

【Supplementary ingredients】: 15 grams of wheat flour.

【Cuisine and efficacy】: Dessert/Snack.

[Technology]: Stir-fry.