In the past, our ancestors relied on various wild vegetables to sustain themselves in poverty. With the improvement of living standards, people have more choices in diet, and this dietary habit has gradually been abandoned. Wild vegetables have also become unpopular. But do you know? Those seemingly inconspicuous wild vegetables actually have outstanding medicinal value and excellent therapeutic effects on certain diseases. Let me introduce several of them in detail.
Dandelion
The stems and leaves of dandelion are a valuable medicine with the functions of clearing heat, detoxifying, reducing swelling and diuresis, promoting hair growth and strengthening the body. It has therapeutic effects on sore throat, cold and fever, and various inflammations. It can also stimulate the body's immune system and protect the gallbladder and liver.
Dandelion can be prepared in various ways. The stems and leaves can be blanched and cold mixed, stir-fried, or boiled in soup. They can also be dried and brewed as tea.
Garlic chives
Garlic chives are the tender leaves of the garlic chive tree. They have a strong fragrance and contain various nutrients such as protein, vitamins, carotene, and trace elements like iron, phosphorus, and calcium. They have multiple effects such as relieving aging, nourishing yin and tonifying yang, invigorating the spleen and stimulating the appetite, and relieving enteritis.
Garlic chives can be eaten cold mixed, stir-fried with eggs, or crushed with garlic and added to various seasonings to make noodles.
Willow leaves
Willow leaves are the leaves extracted from willow trees. In traditional Chinese medicine, they are considered bitter and cold in nature, with the functions of clearing heat, detoxifying, diuresis, and pain relief. They have therapeutic effects on bronchitis, urethritis, cystitis, and various inflammations.
Willow leaves can be blanched and cold mixed or stir-fried with other ingredients. They can also be dried and brewed as tea.
Water celery
Water celery is a wild vegetable that grows in moist places such as riversides. Its stems and roots are hollow, and its leaves are triangular. It contains nutrients such as flavonoids, selenium, and dietary fiber. It has the functions of invigorating the spleen and stomach, diuresis and stopping bleeding. It also has outstanding hypotensive effects and is a high-quality health vegetable. Water celery is commonly stir-fried or eaten cold mixed. It can also be chopped and used as filling for dumplings or buns.
Purslane
Purslane is named after its thick, toothed leaves resembling a horse's teeth. It is also known as the "longevity vegetable" due to its rich nutritional composition and health benefits. It contains vitamins, carotene, malic acid, glucose, fatty acids, and other substances. It can effectively reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, improve the elasticity of blood vessel walls, and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Purslane can be eaten raw or cooked, cold mixed, steamed, stir-fried, or used as filling, all of which are delicious.
These common wild vegetables may have disappeared from our dining tables, but that does not mean that their nutrition and taste are inferior. Their health benefits and medicinal value are still worth exploring.
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