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Have you ever wondered why you should stay away from eggplants when you are old? Is eggplant itself really bad for blood vessels? In fact, the eggplant itself is not the culprit, the key lies in the way we usually cook eggplant.
As we all know, eggplant is a "warrior of the oil sea", during the cooking process it can absorb a lot of oil and sprinkle some salt, which is where the potential damage to blood vessels occurs.
Walking into a snack bar on the street, or in the kitchen at home, the aroma of braised eggplant is often irresistible. The dish is shiny in the pan, the eggplant is soft and glutinous, the sauce is rich, and every bite is full of the taste of home.
But have you ever noticed that these seemingly harmless home-cooked dishes actually invisibly increase our excessive intake of oil and salt?
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Especially for those elderly friends who need special attention to their vascular health, this way of cooking may be a hidden danger.
Take flavored eggplant as an example, many places like to use chili pepper and garlic to enhance the flavor, although these seasonings are good, it is easy to overlook the taste and health of the ingredients themselves.
After this treatment, eggplant is delicious, but it is also a "heavy" dish with high oil and salt.
In the long run, a diet high in salt and oil will cause a burden on blood vessels, especially for the elderly who already have blood pressure and heart disease.
And, did you notice that in our diets, eggplants tend not to go it alone.
In various stews and stir-fries, eggplant is paired with meat and other high-fat ingredients, and although it satisfies the taste and appetite, the fat and salt content of the whole dish also rises dramatically.
In the long run, it's not just a matter of eggplant, it's a question of the entire diet.
Avoid eggplant altogether? It doesn't have to be so extreme. The key is to adjust our cooking methods and diets so that ingredients like eggplant can play out their nutritional value, rather than become a health hazard.
Eggplant cooked with less oil and salt – stir-fried, steamed or stir-fried quickly with a small amount of olive oil – can greatly preserve its nutrients while reducing potential damage to blood vessels.
So, the next time you stop in front of the market and look at those fresh and tempting eggplants, think about it: how can I cook these delicious ingredients in a healthier way?
Dietary choices are especially critical in dog days, as some foods can be taxing your body, especially those that have the potential to affect your vascular health.
First of all, let's take a look at the "3 melons" - watermelon, cucumber, and winter melon.
These three melons are very popular in summer because their high moisture and cooling sensation can help quench our thirst and cool down.
At the same time, watermelon is a cold food, and excessive consumption may cause diarrhea or gastrointestinal upset, especially in the elderly who are weak or have a weak digestive system.
Cucumbers are also cold foods, and if you have a cold stomach, frequent diarrhea, or a cold constitution, excessive consumption of cucumbers may exacerbate these symptoms.
Additionally, while the fiber in cucumbers can help with gut health, unripe or raw cucumbers can cause indigestion or abdominal discomfort.
The diuretic effect of winter melon also means that it accelerates the loss of water and electrolytes in the body, especially when you sweat a lot on dog days, and if you don't replenish electrolytes in time, it may cause a water-electrolyte imbalance and affect heart and kidney function.
Now let's talk about the "4 dishes" – celery, cabbage, spinach and chrysanthemum. However, they also have their own caveats.
Celery, for example, is rich in potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure, but if you're taking blood pressure medications, an excess of celery may interact with the medication and cause your blood pressure to get too low.
Celery also contains more fiber, and for people with weakened gastrointestinal functions, eating too much may cause bloating and indigestion.
Cabbage is a shady food, and excessive consumption may affect the body's yang energy, especially when the weather is cold.
Spinach is a nutritious ingredient that contains a lot of iron and folic acid, making it ideal for pregnant women and those who need blood supplementation.
However, spinach also contains oxalic acid, a substance that can combine with calcium in the body to form calcium oxalate, which may affect kidney function, especially for people with a tendency to kidney stones, and excessive intake of oxalic acid may aggravate the condition.
Finally, chrysanthemum, as a unique vegetable, is loved by many people for its unique aroma and taste.
However, chrysanthemum contains a certain amount of nitrate, and excessive consumption may convert into nitrite in the body, a harmful substance that may affect oxygen transport in the bloodstream.
Although these "3 melons and 4 dishes" are all healthy ingredients, we need to choose and eat them in moderation according to our own health and physique on hot dog days.
The right diet can help us better survive the heat and keep our bodies healthy and energetic.
We often hear about eggplant taboos, especially when discussing healthy eating. But in reality, if the cooking method is chosen correctly, eggplant can not only be a delicious delicacy but also bring many benefits to our health.
So, how do we turn this common vegetable into a wholesome food? Let me share some unique perspectives and cooking tips to help you rediscover the charm of eggplant.
First, let's start with the nutritional value of the eggplant itself. Eggplant is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, especially narsnin, a powerful phytochemical that can help lower free radicals in the body and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
In addition, eggplant is also rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber, which are necessary for maintaining good health.
Another unique health benefit of eggplant is its low-sodium and low-calorie properties, making it ideal for people who need to control their weight or blood pressure.
When preparing eggplant dishes, you can add some wholesome ingredients such as tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, which not only enhance the flavor of the eggplant but also provide additional nutrients and health benefits.
For example, the high amount of sulfide in garlic can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, while the lycopene in tomatoes is a powerful antioxidant.
To make the cooking of eggplant more diverse, we can try to combine it with various protein sources, such as tofu, chicken, or fish, which will not only increase the nutritional value of the dish, but also take the taste and nutrition of the food to a new level.
For example, the combination of eggplant and tofu not only provides rich plant protein, but also increases the satiety of dishes, making it a good choice for weight loss diets.
Finally, let's talk about how to use eggplant in your daily healthy diet. In addition to the cooking methods mentioned above, eggplant can also be used as part of making a healthy salad or as a main course for a light dinner.
For example, you can make a delicious eggplant salad with grilled eggplant with some fresh vegetables and low-fat seasonings. Alternatively, mix steamed eggplant with a dash of olive oil and lemon juice for a simple and healthy meal that's perfect for hot summer days.
Through the above introduction, we can see that eggplant is not only a delicious vegetable, but also its unique health value is also worth exploring and utilizing. By changing the cooking method and pairing it with healthy ingredients, eggplant can become both delicious and healthy.
So, the next time you see that purple allure, try some new cooking methods and turn this ordinary vegetable into a healthy star on your table.
What do you think about healthy eating for middle-aged and older adults? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!
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Resources
[1] Yu Xiuchan. Investigation of the risk of malnutrition in patients with chronic heart failure and the improvement effect of individualized nutritional support, China Food and Nutrition, 2024-06-14