Ang simulan ng tag-init ay nagdadala ng mainit na hangin, at ang lahat ay nagbubulok. Sa panahon ng magandang tag-init, maraming tao ang naglalakad sa labas, kasama ang kanilang basket, kasama ang kutsilyo, upang humuli ng mga maliwanag at manipis na seasonal delicacies — ang wild vegetables. Ito ang ilang mga halimbawa ng mga wild vegetables na may mataas na nutritional value, masarap ang lasa, mataas na medicinal value, at may kapakinabangan sa pagpapalakas ng qi at pagbalanse sa katawan.
Parang magic medicine — Shepherd's Purse
Alam din bilang land lettuce, Qingming grass, atbp. Ang shepherd's purse ay isang wild vegetable na minahal ng mga tao. Ang "The Book of Songs" noong sinaunang panahon ay may tumutugon na "sweet like shepherd's purse." Ang poet na si Xin Qiji ay may famous line: "In the city, peach and plum trees fear the wind and rain, but spring is in the shepherd's purse flowers by the stream." Ang shepherd's purse ay puno ng nutrition. Ayon sa chemical analysis, ang bawat kilo ng vegetable ay may 42.4 grams ng protina, 18 grams ng carbohydrates, 3.2 grams ng taba, 11.2 grams ng crude fiber, 0.58 grams ng phosphorus, 3.36 grams ng calcium, at mga elemento tulad ng beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, potassium, manganese, magnesium. Mayroon din ito ng iba't ibang amino acids na kailangan ng katawan. Ang protina nito ay nasa top tier sa leafy and fruit vegetables, ang beta-carotene ay katumbas ng carrot, ang vitamin C ay mas mataas kaysa sa tomato, at ang mga mineral tulad ng calcium, iron, manganese, potassium ay mataas din.
Ang shepherd's purse ay hindi lamang may mataas na nutritional value at masarap na lasa, kundi mayroon din itong medikal na epekto. Ang modernong medical experiments ay nagpapahiwatig na ito ay may maraming therapeutic functions: maaaring pigilan ang iba't ibang uri ng bleeding, tulad ng internal bleeding, postpartum uterine bleeding, bloody stool, hematuria, bleeding from gastrointestinal ulcer, retinal bleeding, atbp.; maaaring bawasan ang blood pressure; maaaring gamutin ang chyluria, kidney stones, edema, at iba pang kidney-related illnesses; maaaring gamutin ang digestive problems tulad ng indigestion, gastric spasm, gastric ulcer, dysentery, enteritis, at iba pa; maaaring gamutin ang eye problems tulad ng red eyes, conjunctivitis, night blindness, atbp.
King of Mountain Vegetables — Fiddlehead Fern
Ang fiddlehead fern, kilala rin bilang gaotou cai o lucky vegetable. Ito ay isang perennial herb na kabilang sa the fern family; lumalabas bago ang bulaklak. Matatagpuan sa lahat ng mountainous areas sa China. Ayon sa botanist, ang fern is a plant na dating mula noong Paleozoic era, specifically the Permian period, na nagpapahiwatig na ito ay may mahabang history, kaya't tinawag ito ng ilan bilang "king of ancient mountain vegetables." Ayon sa Lu Ji's annotation sa "The Book of Songs," ang fiddlehead fern ay ginamit bilang offering during Zhou and Qin dynasties, at ngayon ay isa ring favorite among mountain dwellers at city folk. Ayon sa analysis, ang bawat 100 grams ng fiddlehead fern ay may 86 grams ng water, 1.6 grams ng protina, 1.68 mg ng beta-carotene, 35 mg ng ascorbic acid, 0.4 grams ng taba, 1.3 grams ng fiber, 10 grams ng carbohydrates, 0.4 grams ng ash, 24 mg ng calcium, 0.7 mg ng iron, at nagdudulot ng 50 kcal ng energy. Kapag ginawa sa dish, ang lasa ay masarap at malamig, nakakapagpalakas ng katahimikan, at isang excellent dish sa table.
Ang fiddlehead fern ay may mataas na nutritional value at maaari ring gamitin bilang gamot. Si Li Shizhen ay nagsabi: "Removes excessive heat, promotes urination, induces sleep, nourishes the five organs." Ang Chinese medicine ay naniniwala na ang fiddlehead fern ay may sweet, slightly bitter taste, at cold nature. May mga epekto sa clearing heat, removing dampness, promoting urination, lubricating the intestines, strengthening qi, and nourishing yin. Ginagamit ito para sa mga sakit tulad ng high fever, mental confusion, joint pain, intestinal heat toxicity, difficulty in urinating, vaginal discharge due to damp-heat, constipation, habitual constipation, atbp. Ang modernong research ay nagpapahiwatig na ang fiddlehead fern ay may effects sa lowering blood pressure, clearing heat, and improving digestion.
Natural Antibiotic — Purslane
Ang purslane ay isang wild edible na nakalista sa mga sinaunang akda bilang isang useful plant for humans. Ang itsura nito ay green leaves, red stems, yellow flowers, white roots, black seeds, kaya't tinawag ito bilang "Five Elements Grass." Dahil sa maaaring kainin nang fresco o dried, maaaring gamitin bilang food or grain, at may mabuting medical benefits, kaya't tinawag ito ng mga tao sa China bilang "Longevity Vegetable" o "Long Life Vegetable."
Ang modernong siyensya ay nagpapahiwatig na ang purslane ay puno ng norepinephrine at maraming potassium salts, at may maraming dihydroxyethylamine, malonic acid, glucose, calcium, phosphorus, iron, at mga nutrients tulad ng beta-carotene, vitamin B, vitamin C. Ang regular na pagkain nito ay maaaring magbigay ng nutrition, at walang panganib na mapataas ang cholesterol. Ito ay isang natural na nutritious and medicinal vegetable.
Bukod sa pagkain, ang purslane ay may mabuting medical value dahil sa malambot at mabango na katawan, malamig at acidic na lasa, na may mga epekto sa clearing heat, removing dampness, stopping diarrhea, reducing inflammation, detoxifying, at curing sores. Ang pharmacological tests ay nagpapahiwatig na ito ay may strong inhibitory effect sa iba't ibang bacteria tulad ng Shigella, E. coli, at Staphylococcus aureus, kaya't tinawag ito bilang "natural antibiotic." Sa summer and autumn, ito ay ginagamit para sa mga sakit tulad ng enteritis, dysentery, hematuria, urethritis, eczema, dermatitis, leucorrhea, various abscesses, boils, mastitis, hemorrhoids, snake bites, at tuberculosis.
Spring Delicacy — Thin Vegetable
Ang thin vegetable ay isang perennial rhizomatous herb mula sa the Typha family. Kilala rin bilang "pu sun" o "pu cao." Ang anyo at katangian nito ay maipahayag sa poem "Ode to Pu": "Tall reeds on the water, droplets scatter like pearls. In autumn, lotuses bloom; in spring, ducklings emerge. Early sprouts are fit for the table; late blossoms are like pepper paste. What a pity that the hall song is sad, yet they rejoice in golden bodies."
Ang thin vegetable ay lumalaki sa banks of rivers, lakes, at shallow waters.
Ang thin vegetable ay kilala bilang "anti-Jin vegetable," may isang nakakagulat na kuwento: noong huling panahon ng Southern Song Dynasty, si Liang Hongyu ay kumain ng thin vegetable sa lake bank, at napansin niyang masarap, matamis, malambot, at malamig, at agad niya itinawag ang mga tauhan para burahin at gamitin bilang replacement for food, at sa wakas ay nakapanalo laban sa Jin forces.
Ang thin vegetable ay may mahabang history ng pagkain sa China. Ang "Book of Songs" ay may sinasabi: "What are the vegetables? They are bamboo shoots and pu." Ang "Zhouli" ay may sinasabi: "The offerings on the plate..." meaning the pu and meat paste. Ngayon, ang pagkain ng pu is based on the tender root stem, peeled and soaked overnight before eating. Maaaring i-stir fry, i-boil, i-fill, i-cook with meat, or make into soup—suitable for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Ayon sa nutrition analysis, the entire plant contains abundant vitamin B1, B2, and C. May mga epekto sa clearing dampness, opening the mind, and treating symptoms such as difficulty in urination and mastitis.
Wild Vegetable Medicine — Malva
Ang spring brings forth malva along roadsides and open fields, bringing the breath of spring and adding nutrition and health to our tables. Ming Li Shizhen said: "Malva grows abundantly in marshy areas; in February, it has red stems and white roots, long leaves with serrated edges. People in the south often dry them for use as vegetables or filling for buns." This shows that people have been eating malva for a long time.
Ang malva ay naging a popular dish not only because of its delicious taste, but also because of its rich nutrition. Besides protein, fat, and carbohydrates, it contains abundant inorganic salts and vitamins, with higher levels than tomatoes. Every 100 grams of malva contains 45 mg calcium, 69 mg phosphorus, 6.2 mg iron, 513 mg potassium—higher than spinach—and malva has lower oxalic acid content than spinach, making calcium and iron more absorbable. Additionally, its vitamin A precursor content is equal to that of carrots, and its vitamin C content is similar to the average of citrus fruits.
Ang malva ay maaaring gamitin bilang vegetable at gamot. According to traditional Chinese medicine, malva has a spicy-cold nature and can clear heat, detoxify, cool blood, stop bleeding, promote urination, reduce swelling, and treat conditions such as sore throat, abscesses, boils, and turbid urine. Fresh consumption is effective for sore throat, acute pharyngitis, tonsillitis, etc. Boiling it into tea can prevent upper respiratory infections, acute conjunctivitis, stomatitis, periodontitis, mastitis, epistaxis, retinal hemorrhage due to hypertension, or eye pain caused by glaucoma. Recently, malva has also shown effectiveness in treating hepatitis A and bacterial dysentery.
Best Blood-Tonic — Amaranth
Amaranth is a wild vegetable with small greenish-white flowers, commonly known as "human green grass," widely found in both northern and southern China during spring and summer. The best edible part is the young leaves that sprout in spring. Amaranth grows fast; after spring rains, or near houses and roads, tender seedlings appear scattered on the ground. Harvesting these young leaves and cooking them gives a refreshing, smooth, and pleasant taste—truly a premium delicacy of spring.
Amaranth is rich in nutrients, including many amino acids. Its protein, fat, calcium, and phosphorus content are relatively high. Red amaranth has even more iron than spinach. Modern medicine notes that due to its high iron and calcium content, amaranth is an excellent choice for anemic patients, infants after surgery, and those with fractures. Anemic patients especially benefit from consuming more amaranth. Because the iron and calcium in amaranth are not hindered by oxalic acid, their absorption rate is high, with no side effects, aiding in blood synthesis and regeneration.
Amaranth also has high medicinal value and is known as the "blood tonic" and "longevity vegetable." It can improve vision, remove evil influences, clear the channels, promote urination, clear heat, detoxify, stop bleeding, fight bacteria, and reduce swelling. It can be used to treat acute enteritis, bacillary dysentery, typhoid, tonsillitis, urinary tract infections, constipation, schistosomiasis, filariasis, thyroid enlargement, uterine cancer, and external injuries like bee or spider stings. However, amaranth should not be eaten in excess, as it may cause contact dermatitis. Those with poor digestion, bloating, intestinal rumbling, or loose stools should eat less or avoid it temporarily.
Spring's Best Food — Leek
Leek, also known as garlic chives, was historically called "long-life leek" or "superior grass." Some even call it "the best spring food."
In early spring, when the weather is still cold and most vegetables are scarce, there is a tradition of "trying new leeks on the spring platter." Leeks can be used as a main ingredient or as a seasoning. As a main ingredient, they can be stir-fried alone or blanched and served cold—green and tender. As a seasoning, they pair well with many animal-based ingredients and are suitable for stir-frying, quick-frying, and other cooking methods, adding a fragrant aroma. In noodle dishes, they can be used as filling for buns, dumplings, and wontons. Leek shoots are crisp and tender, suitable for stir-frying, cold dishes, or pairing with other ingredients. Leek flowers can be pickled. Leek yellow can be used as a main ingredient or seasoning, or as filling for steamed buns and spring rolls. Leeks are a beloved vegetarian dish in households—they are tender, fragrant, nutritious, and highly beneficial for health. They are rich in vitamin A precursor, which surpasses all other vegetables, as well as protein, fat, sugar, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin C, fiber, volatile oil, and sulfur compounds. Ancient Chinese medical texts like "Bencao Shiyi" state: "This food is extremely warm and beneficial to the body." "Bencao Jing Jizhu" says: "Raw, it is pungent and promotes blood circulation; cooked, it is sweet and tonifies the spleen and liver, disperses stagnation, and clears blockages." Therefore, moderate daily consumption can help treat injuries, dysphagia, hematemesis, epigastric pain, and more. It is also recommended for men with erectile dysfunction, excessive vaginal discharge, frequent urination, back pain, leg weakness, and other conditions. Moreover, leeks contain abundant vitamin A precursor, which helps moisturize the lungs, improve skin, prevent colds, and treat night blindness. The volatile oil and sulfur compounds enhance appetite and kill pathogens. Folk remedies often include stir-frying leek yellow with shrimp meat to treat male sexual dysfunction; crushing fresh leek juice and drinking with warm water to treat gastritis; or eating large amounts of boiled soft leeks to prevent constipation and treat swallowed foreign objects. However, those with heat symptoms or poor digestion should eat less.
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