Warming and Nourishing Foods: "Red Foods"
In cold weather, appetites open up, which is a good time for "nourishing" the body. For those who pay attention to health and wellness, it is advisable to choose foods according to the season, and in winter, it is recommended to eat more "red foods".
Classification of Red Foods:
The so-called "red foods" mainly fall into two categories. One category is meat and meat products that contain hemoglobin, such as beef and mutton. The other category is colorful vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, red dates, and hawthorn. In the desolate winter, these foods can first brighten people's eyes, bring pleasant visual stimulation, and increase appetite.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, red meats are warm but not dry, and have the effects of warming the middle, dispelling cold, nourishing Qi and blood, and invigorating the spleen. Eating them in winter can resist wind and cold and nourish the body. In addition, most red meats are rich in natural iron, which helps in nourishing and replenishing blood, making the blood supply to the heart more abundant and the complexion rosy. Cooking lamb soup with a moderate amount of angelica and ginger and consuming it 1-2 times a week is a good way to nourish blood, benefit the kidneys, and improve complexion.
Red Vegetables and Fruits:
Red vegetables and fruits are also "health experts". Most of them are rich in lycopene, polyphenols, anthocyanins, and other natural pigments, which have antioxidant effects. They are also rich in calcium and iron, which can protect the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system to a certain extent. In addition, carrots contain a large amount of carotene, which can invigorate the spleen, aid digestion, nourish the liver, improve eyesight, and relieve coughs; sweet potatoes nourish the spleen and kidneys, and can "strengthen the spleen and stomach, invigorate Qi, and resist wind and cold" according to traditional Chinese medicine; red dates can nourish the middle, benefit Qi, nourish blood, and calm the mind. These "common" vegetables and fruits are readily available and can easily achieve health benefits when properly combined.
