Preparation: Take 10 grams of chrysanthemum flowers, 1 purple eggplant, and appropriate amounts of salt, vinegar, and sesame oil.Rinse the chrysanthemum flowers and place them in a pot with sufficient water. Bring to a boil, then strain the flowers, reserving the liquid. Cut the washed purple eggplant (with skin) into strips. Combine the eggplant strips with the reserved chrysanthemum liquid in a bowl. Steam over boiling water for 15-20 minutes until tender. Add sesame oil, salt, and vinegar to taste, then mix well. This dish nourishes yin, calms the liver, clears heat, and improves vision.
Chrysanthemum flowers dispel wind, clear heat, calm the liver, improve vision, detoxify, and reduce swelling. They are primarily used to treat red eyes, dizziness, headaches, and chest discomfort.It is particularly effective for eye conditions, treating redness and swelling caused by excess heat (wind-heat in the liver meridian or liver fire rising). It also addresses blurred vision and eye strain resulting from cardiovascular diseases like hypertension (kidney yin deficiency or liver yang hyperactivity). Modern pharmacological research indicates chrysanthemum contains volatile oils, chrysanthemum glycosides,adenine, amino acids, choline, scopolamine, berberine, flavonoids, chrysanthemum pigments, vitamins, and trace elements. These components exhibit antimicrobial properties, enhance capillary resistance, and possess diverse pharmacological activities including coronary heart disease treatment, blood pressure reduction, hyperlipidemia prevention, antibacterial effects, antiviral properties, anti-inflammatory action, and anti-aging benefits.
Eggplant boasts high nutritional value, containing protein, fat, sugar, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and various vitamins. It not only helps maintain acid-base balance but also offers anti-cancer health benefits. Purple eggplant, in particular, is rich in vitamin P, which enhances capillary resistance and prevents bleeding.Additionally, eggplants contain various alkaloids and saponins. Saponins effectively lower blood cholesterol levels, making them highly beneficial for preventing cardiovascular diseases.
Note that both chrysanthemum and eggplant are cooling in nature. Therefore, individuals with poor digestion, prone to diarrhea, or suffering from spleen-stomach deficiency-cold should avoid excessive consumption. Additionally, these home remedies should not be combined with crab meat. Both eggplant and crab meat are cold-natured foods; consuming them together often causes gastrointestinal discomfort and may lead to diarrhea, especially for those with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold.
Eating eggplant with its skin promotes vitamin C absorption. It's best not to peel eggplant, as its skin is rich in B vitamins. Vitamin C metabolism requires B vitamins for support, and eating eggplant with its skin aids in vitamin C absorption. Additionally, choose fresh eggplants; older eggplants harvested after autumn contain higher levels of solanine, which is harmful to the body and should be consumed sparingly.