Three autumn staples for health and longevity—do you know them? Harvest season is here again, with plump fish and shrimp, and ripe rice grains. Have you been indulging in nourishing foods this autumn? Traditional Chinese medicine has long regarded autumn as a season for tonic supplements. However, improper supplementation or poor dietary choices can lead to obesity, insomnia, dryness, and even illness.Simultaneously, the folk tradition of "gaining autumn weight" persists—aimed at compensating for summer-induced physical weakness. Yet improper weight gain only leads to obesity.
Today, let's explore three autumn treasures: how they detoxify, aid weight loss, and extend longevity while you build reserves.
I. Autumn Treasure #1: Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes need no introduction.After autumn arrives, roasted sweet potato carts gradually appear on street corners. Sweet potatoes have a relatively short history in China, with no records of their existence before the Ming Dynasty. Guangdong residents were the first to introduce them. The Compendium of Materia Medica states: "Sweet potatoes replenish deficiencies, strengthen the spleen, stimulate appetite, and fortify kidney yin."Here, "sweet potato" refers to the common variety we eat, known in northern regions as "sweet potato" or "yam."
Autumn Treasure #1: Sweet Potato
Traditional Chinese medicine regards sweet potatoes as a valuable remedy. They contain 60%-80% water and starch.Nutritionally valuable components include carotene, dietary fiber, sugars, proteins, potassium, and the anti-cancer compound "deoxyepiandrosterone." Consequently, the "Records on Sweet Potatoes" outlines six medicinal benefits of sweet potatoes.So, what benefits does eating more of them in autumn offer?
1. Promotes detoxification and reduces cancer risk
The flavonoids in sweet potatoes can inhibit the development of breast and colon cancers. Their dietary fiber aids bowel movements, accelerating the elimination of toxins from the large intestine. This helps treat hemorrhoids and anal fissures while lowering the incidence of colorectal cancer.
2. Sweet potatoes help you gain weight without getting fat during autumn weight gain
Their dietary fiber absorbs cholesterol from blood vessels, prevents sugar from converting into fat, and promotes gastrointestinal motility, aiding weight loss. Additionally, the flavonoids protect the skin and delay aging.
So during autumn's "gaining weight season," don't forget to enjoy some sweet potatoes—they cut through greasiness while aiding weight loss.
3. Alleviates Autumn Dryness
Autumn's dry air most affects skin and eyes. Sweet potatoes contain carotene, folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, which soothe dryness and mitigate autumn's harsh effects.
Sweet potatoes help you gain autumn weight without gaining fat
II. Autumn Treasure No. 2: Chinese Yam
Autumn also marks the harvest season for Chinese yam, a top-tier food-medicine dual-use substance. It offers beauty benefits, nourishes the kidneys, generates fluids, and benefits the lungs. Hence, it's known as the "natural ginseng."
The Compendium of Materia Medica records that yam "nourishes kidney qi, strengthens the spleen and stomach, stops diarrhea and dysentery, dissolves phlegm, and moistens hair and skin." The Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica states it "primarily fortifies the middle burner, replenishes deficiency, dispels cold and heat pathogens, supplements qi and strength, builds muscle, and with long-term use, sharpens hearing and vision." So what benefits does consuming it in autumn offer?
1.Nourishes Liver, Kidneys, and Lungs
Rich in mucopolysaccharides, saponins, amylase, and polyphenol oxidase, Chinese yam strengthens the body and nourishes the liver and kidneys. Its saponins and mucopolysaccharides moisturize the lungs, benefiting lung qi and alleviating autumn-induced lung-heat coughs.
Thus, for autumn weight gain ("autumn fat"), yam is the ideal choice—highly nourishing without causing obesity or internal heat.
2. Aids digestion and prevents cardiovascular disease
Common digestive tablets contain yam extract because its amylase and saccharifying enzymes are three times more potent than those in radishes, promoting digestion. Don't forget to include it in your autumn regimen.
Common digestive tablets contain yam.
Moreover, yam is virtually fat-free. Its mucopolysaccharides help prevent fat accumulation in blood vessels, while saponins lower cholesterol and triglycerides, offering preventive and therapeutic benefits for cardiovascular diseases.
3. Anti-Aging and Longevity
As mentioned earlier, it moisturizes the lungs. Since the lungs govern the skin and hair, healthy lungs lead to fair, supple skin. Thus, consuming yam also beautifies the skin.
Yam promotes longevity by increasing T lymphocytes in the body, enhancing immune function, delaying cellular aging, and extending lifespan.
III. Autumn's Third Treasure: Lotus Root
An old saying goes: "A man should never go a day without ginger, nor a woman three days without lotus root." This highlights the importance of lotus root.
Lotus root is rich in nutrients, particularly high in vitamin C—containing approximately 50mg per 100g. It also contains peroxidase, polyphenolic compounds, iron, and substantial amounts of high-quality protein. Its amino acid structure closely resembles that of the human body, facilitating easy absorption.
Men cannot go a day without ginger, women cannot go three days without lotus root
In traditional Chinese medicine, raw lotus root has a sweet and cooling nature, while cooked lotus root is warming. Consumed raw, it cools the blood and stops bleeding, promotes fluid production, and quenches thirst. Cooked, it nourishes the spleen and stomach, enriches the blood, and promotes tissue regeneration.
Therefore, if you seek radiant skin this autumn without overindulging, lotus root is an essential ingredient you must not overlook.
These are the three autumn staples we've introduced for your dining table—promoting health and longevity. We trust you now have a solid understanding. A gentle reminder: Autumn's crisp weather stimulates appetite, offering a chance to replenish summer's energy depletion while countering the season's inherent dryness.Many choose to nourish their bodies during autumn, but while these foods replenish, they can also lead to weight gain. The three autumn treasures mentioned above are not only affordable and readily available but also address issues like weight gain and lifestyle challenges associated with autumn nourishment—offering multiple benefits at once.