Pumpkin, potato, corn nutrition and cooking methods

Winter is here. When it comes to food, we don’t know what we should eat. What should we eat? Here are some specific foods for you:

1. Pumpkin

Main nutrients

Protein, carbohydrates, iron, dietary fiber, carotenoids, B vitamins, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, chromium, etc.

Dietary effects

Carotenoids can strengthen mucous membranes, prevent colds, improve corneal dryness, night blindness and rough skin; dietary fiber can aid digestion, prevent constipation and colon cancer, and slow down the absorption of sugar in the small intestine; chromium can promote normal insulin secretion and has the effect of preventing and treating diabetes.

Doctor's advice

The yellow color of pumpkin is due to the carotenoids it contains. The darker the color, the more carotenoids it contains. If consumed in excess, it can easily cause pigmentation and cause temporary yellowing of the skin, which will recover naturally as long as you stop eating it.

Nutritionist warning

The carotenoids contained in pumpkin are resistant to high temperatures, and cooking with oil is more conducive to human absorption. When using pumpkin as filling, it is not advisable to chop it or remove the juice, which will easily cause the loss of water-soluble nutrients.

Chinese medicine recipes

For lung cancer patients with cough, take 200 grams of pumpkin and a small amount of rock sugar, add appropriate amount of water and cook until soft. For those with hair loss caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, take pumpkin seeds and put them in a pot, add water and simmer over low heat before eating, 20 seeds per day

Food incompatibility

Pumpkin + vinegar = affects starch decomposition and digestion

Note: Eating starchy pumpkin and vinegar containing acetic acid together will interfere with the decomposition of starch, causing the starch to remain in the stomach and become corrupt, which is not good for health.

Pumpkin + pork liver = affects the body's absorption of copper

Note: The dietary fiber in the pumpkin meets the copper in the liver, which will reduce the absorption of copper and may also cause abdominal bloating.

2. Corn

Main nutrients

Protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, carotenoids, selenium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, etc.

Dietary effects

Contains carotenoids and lutein, which can prevent cataracts; dietary fiber can improve constipation and prevent enteritis and colon cancer. Magnesium has the effect of inhibiting the spread and development of cancer cells. Selenium can combine with carcinogens in the body and excrete them out of the body.

Doctor's advice

When you buy corn and store it, do not remove the leaves that wrap it. It is best to wrap the corn in newspaper and store it in the refrigerator. Avoid storing it in a humid place because once the corn is exposed to moisture, it is easy to grow mold and produce aflatoxin, which may increase the risk of cancer.

Nutritionist warning

Corn leaves easily accumulate pesticides, so it is best to peel off the outer leaves and wash them thoroughly in clean water.

Corn should not be stored for too long, as it will easily lose nutrients and moisture.

Chinese medicine recipes

Take 3 corn hearts, chop them into pieces, add 600 ml of water and cook them together. Concentrate them until half is reached. Drink it 3 times a day. It is beneficial for cancer patients with concurrent nephritis.