The best vegetables to eat in spring have so many benefits!

“The peaches and plums in the city are worried about wind and rain, while spring is here and shepherd’s purse is blooming by the stream.” Spring is here, shepherd’s purse is on the market, and it’s time to try it!

I believe that among the readers who are reading this article now, there must be many people who are like me, obsessed with all the delicacies made with shepherd's purse - shepherd's purse dumplings, shepherd's purse wontons, shepherd's purse meat buns, shepherd's purse scrambled eggs, shepherd's purse fried rice cakes, shepherd's purse tofu soup, shepherd's purse pies, shepherd's purse spring rolls...

Compared with other spring vegetables, such as toon, artemisia selengensis, alfalfa, etc., shepherd's purse seems to be more popular. It can be said that it is suitable for people from all walks of life, both north and south, and young and old.

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However, while enjoying the delicious shepherd's purse, have you ever thought about why shepherd's purse is so delicious?

The Secret of Shepherd's Purse's Taste

The deliciousness of shepherd's purse first comes from its "umami-making machine" - shepherd's purse contains a variety of amino acids , including glutamic acid. Just add a little salt to transform glutamate into monosodium glutamate (MSG is monosodium glutamate), and the delicious taste of shepherd's purse will immediately appear.

Secondly, the deliciousness of shepherd's purse comes from its freshness. In early spring, shepherd's purse has just emerged. At this time, the leaves are not big and have not yet opened small white flowers. The water content in the leaves is the most abundant, and it tastes the freshest and sweetest. As early as in the "Book of Songs", people used shepherd's purse to describe the sweet taste of other wild vegetables: "Who says that tea is bitter, it is as sweet as shepherd's purse." Some friends are worried that shepherd's purse has a bitter taste, but in fact, the fresh and tender shepherd's purse is not very astringent. Just blanch it in boiling water to remove the oxalic acid that brings saltiness and astringency, and the taste will become more delicious.

Shepherd's purse also has a special aroma, which mainly comes from the leaf alcohol (scientific name cis-3-hexen-1-ol, molecular formula C6H12O, a colorless liquid with a strong smell of green leaves, the aroma is fresh, rich and natural). This substance is a star in the spice industry.

On the third day of the third lunar month, people in some parts of the south eat boiled eggs with shepherd's purse flowers.

"Calcium supplement expert"

I recommend that you eat more shepherd's purse in spring. The reason is certainly not just because it is a seasonal vegetable, but there is another very important reason - the calcium content of shepherd's purse is really among the best among vegetables, even not inferior to milk.

Let's look at this comparison:

It can be seen that the calcium content of shepherd's purse is a "crushing" victory over other vegetables. The only vegetable that can compare with it is mustard greens, but because it is most often used to make pickles and salted vegetables, it has the unhealthy factor of high salt. Overall, it is still not as good as shepherd's purse.

Theoretically speaking, the calcium obtained from eating 100 grams of shepherd's purse can meet more than 1/3 of the body's daily calcium needs.

Some friends have heard that shepherd's purse contains oxalic acid, which will affect the absorption of calcium. Indeed, shepherd's purse contains a certain amount of oxalic acid, but it does not have a significant impact on the effect of shepherd's purse's "calcium supplementation".

On the one hand, the oxalic acid content of shepherd's purse is not very high among vegetables. The oxalic acid content of many common vegetables is higher than that of shepherd's purse, such as spinach, red and green amaranth, etc. On the other hand, we can remove the oxalic acid by blanching (oxalic acid is soluble in water). In short, if you refuse shepherd's purse because you are worried that oxalic acid will affect calcium absorption, it is really a big loss.

Moreover, in addition to its biggest advantage of high calcium content, shepherd's purse's other nutritional advantages should not be underestimated.

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For example, shepherd's purse has a high potassium content. The potassium content of shepherd's purse reaches 280mg/100g. Among vegetables, only a few green leafy vegetables such as amaranth (340mg/100g), kale (345mg/100g), and spinach (311mg/100g) have higher potassium content than shepherd's purse. The potassium content of shepherd's purse is even higher than that of bananas (potassium content is 256mg/100g), which is a potassium supplement that we are familiar with. Therefore, it is very suitable for people with high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.

Second, shepherd's purse has a high dietary fiber content. The insoluble dietary fiber content in shepherd's purse reaches 1.7g/100g, and the high potassium content itself has the effect of promoting gastrointestinal motility. In this way, for friends who usually have slow gastrointestinal motility and constipation, the advantages of shepherd's purse are once again apparent.

Third, shepherd's purse has a high content of carotenoids. The carotenoid content of shepherd's purse is as high as 2590μg/100g, which is higher than the carotenoid content of the orange-yellow fruits and vegetables we are familiar with, such as pumpkin (890μg/100g). This is very beneficial for protecting visual cells and preventing dry eyes.

In addition, the vitamin C content in shepherd's purse is also high , at 43mg/100g. Compared with common vegetables such as spinach (32mg/100g), cabbage (40mg/100g), and Chinese cabbage (37.5mg/100g), it is even better.

By comparing them, you will find that shepherd's purse is indeed worth recommending. Not only is it delicious, but it also contains a lot of nutrients that are beneficial to health. Sure enough, eating spring vegetables according to the "strict selection of our ancestors" will not go wrong!

When eating shepherd's purse, pay attention to these details

Although it is not as difficult to eat as Yunnan mushrooms, there are some precautions if you want to eat shepherd's purse safely and healthily.

1

Don't go out to dig shepherd's purse yourself

Wild vegetables grown on the sides of urban roads and in green belts are easily affected by exhaust gas from passing vehicles and absorb heavy metals. Some orchards and vegetable gardens are sprayed with pesticides, which are harmful to human health.

At the same time, it is also very likely that they will mistakenly dig up other inedible or even poisonous and harmful wild plants. (You can read the article "Don't pick these wild vegetables and mushrooms you saw on the roadside recently! Someone has been admitted to the ICU..." and take part in the spring wild vegetable test)

2

Shepherd's purse should be blanched before eating

As mentioned earlier, since shepherd's purse contains a certain amount of oxalic acid, it not only affects the taste but also affects calcium absorption. Therefore, it needs to be blanched in boiling water before eating.

Here we would like to remind you that when blanching, you should pick and wash the vegetables first, and then do not cut them. Put the whole vegetable directly into the boiling water. The amount of water should be sufficient, and the duration should be controlled. It should not be too long ( fresh shepherd's purse can be blanched within 1 minute ). This can better preserve other nutrients that are easily affected by high temperatures, such as vitamin C, and prevent the shepherd's purse from being boiled soft or mushy.

After blanching, it is recommended to immediately put it in cold water to cool down, drain it, and then you can make various delicious foods.

The blanching method can also be used to store shepherd's purse - roll the blanched shepherd's purse into a ball, squeeze out the water and freeze it directly, which can greatly extend the shelf life (it is usually recommended to eat it within 3 months) and retain the taste of spring.

Finally, I strongly recommend everyone to try my favorite shepherd's purse delicacy: shepherd's purse and tofu soup.

Blanch the tofu and shepherd's purse separately, then dice the tender tofu and chop the carrots, put them into the pot and cook them, then add a little water starch to make the soup smoother, sprinkle the shepherd's purse and bring it to a boil, and finally add a little salt, chicken essence and pepper to season, and you will get a bowl of shepherd's purse and tofu soup with a fresh and pleasant color and delicious taste. It is so refreshing!

What are you waiting for? Go buy some shepherd's purse after watching this~

Planning and production

Author: Wang Lu, registered dietitian

Reviewer: Ruan Guangfeng, Director of Science and Technology Department, Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center

Planning丨Yang Yaping

Editor: Yang Yaping

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin