September 23rd is the Autumnal Equinox, the sixteenth of the twenty-four solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar. The Autumnal Equinox has two meanings: first, it signifies that day and night are of equal length, and from this day onward, the days gradually become longer than the nights; second, it indicates the transition from hot to cool weather.
Autumn weather is dry. Before the autumnal equinox, there is still lingering summer heat, and the weather is mostly warm and dry. After the autumnal equinox, gusts of autumn wind come and the temperature gradually drops, and the cold becomes more pronounced, so cool dryness is more common. Today, let's talk about what to eat during the autumnal equinox.
Regardless of the solar term, a balanced and moderate diet is essential, and the Autumn Equinox is no exception. In addition to following the general principles of a reasonable diet, it is also recommended to eat more yams during the Autumn Equinox.
Eating some yam during the Autumn Equinox can help control weight and prevent constipation.
The second guideline of the Chinese Dietary Guidelines recommends eating more vegetables, fruits, and tubers.
Studies have shown that a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and tubers plays an important role in maintaining good health, normal gut function, boosting immunity, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
Yam belongs to the tuber family. Other common tuber families include sweet potato, also known as yam, white potato, yam, and sweet potato. Dried tuber products contain about 80% starch, about 5% protein, and about 0.5% fat. Regular consumption can help control weight and prevent constipation.
Yam has a tender texture and is rich in nutrients. Every 100 grams of yam contains about 75 grams of water, 14.4-19.9 grams of carbohydrates, 1.5-2.2 grams of protein, 0.1-0.2 grams of fat, as well as B vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
However, it should be noted that because potatoes are low in protein, excessive consumption by children over a long period of time can affect their normal growth and development.
What are the differences between the different types of yam that we often eat?
There are many varieties of yam, among which the more famous ones are iron stick yam and Huai yam.
1. Iron yam
Iron stick yam is mainly produced in Henan and Shandong. Compared with ordinary yam, it has more hairs, is whiter, has less water, is more viscous, and is firmer and heavier, and will not fall apart even after being boiled in water for a long time.
2. Chinese yam
Chinese yam, also known as water yam, is mainly produced in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. Its stem is usually purplish-red. The root of the fine-haired yam is cylindrical, with a thin skin covered with fine hairs, and is yellow with yellowish-brown spots; the flesh is fine and white.
3. Other
In addition, there are also Chinese yam, Ganoderma lucidum yam, and the Japanese yam, Nagai yam, which was introduced from Japan.
Different varieties of yam have different prices, ranging from a few yuan to tens of yuan per kilogram.
Six recommended ways to eat yam
Eat raw, steamed, boiled, stewed, stir-fried, deep-fried
1. Eat raw
Yam can be washed and eaten directly; it looks white and tastes crisp. It can also be washed and used in cold dishes.
2. Steaming
Steaming or boiling yams is a very convenient method. Once cooked, they can be eaten directly, or you can dip them in white sugar or honey for flavor, or make them into blueberry yams.
3. Boil
Yam can also be used to make porridge. You can add a little yam when making millet porridge, rice porridge, or mixed grain porridge. You can also make yam and pumpkin porridge.
4. Stew
Yam can be stewed with meat, such as pork ribs with yam or black-boned chicken with yam, or it can be made into a mixed stew with potatoes, green beans, etc.
5. Stir-fry
Yam can be stir-fried alone or with wood ear mushrooms, both are delicious. The contrast between the white and black is striking and refreshing. Yam can also be stir-fried with sliced meat.
6. Fry
Candied yam is the most famous type, as is honey-glazed yam. Because it involves deep-frying, its calorie content increases. Therefore, fried yam should not be eaten in large quantities.
When eating yams, it is recommended to use steaming, boiling, or stewing methods more often, and to use frying or stir-frying methods less often, in order to reduce oil intake.
Article by Dr. Ma's Health Team
Scientific review/Ma Guansheng
Boost your immunity with these meals in autumn
Autumn brings large temperature differences between day and night, often causing illness for those with weakened immune systems. To maintain a healthy immune system, it's essential to ensure a diverse diet with sufficient and balanced nutrition. Relying on a single food is unrealistic; no single food can provide such a powerful effect. Only through dietary diversity can we truly achieve the six-word principle of a balanced diet: "comprehensive, balanced, and moderate," maximizing its health benefits.
Two numbers to achieve food diversity
Here are two figures for you: eat more than 12 kinds of food every day and more than 25 kinds of food every week.
In other words, the wider the range of food options and the more diverse the food choices, the stronger the ability to resist external aggression and the more robust the resistance.
Many people might think that having a wide variety of foods is difficult to manage, but it's actually not that hard. For example, I aim to eat around 20 different types of food each day. This isn't difficult; the key is to plan carefully and make it a habit. You can start pursuing dietary diversity with breakfast.
My daily breakfast consists of more than five kinds of food, including at least two kinds of staple food, eggs, milk (or unsweetened soy milk, low-sugar yogurt), at least two kinds of vegetables, and sometimes tofu, braised meat, etc.
Lunch is often a work meal, while dinner is a meal to make up for what we missed in the morning and at noon. We supplement our meals with foods that we didn't eat in the morning and at noon, following the recommendations of the food pyramid.
Three easy ways to eat according to dietary guidelines
While maintaining a diverse diet, it's essential to ensure a balanced diet. What exactly does "balanced" mean?
First, a certain amount of staple food is required, and it should be a combination of refined and whole grains.
Many people trying to lose weight often skip staple foods for fear of gaining weight, but the body's core energy source comes from staple foods. Staple foods are essential, and they should be a balanced mix of refined and whole grains. Whole grains, legumes, and tubers should make up more than 30% of your total staple food intake to supplement dietary fiber and various trace elements.
Secondly, ensuring adequate protein intake requires attention to the proper way of eating.
Protein is essential for maintaining immunity. Consume 300-500 ml of milk, one boiled egg, 2-3 ounces of meat, and 1-2 ounces of soy products daily.
Generally, adults should ideally consume seafood twice a week, or 300-500 grams; eggs 300-350 grams, roughly equivalent to one egg per day, preferably steamed or boiled; and 300-500 grams of poultry and meat, while limiting processed meats and fatty meats. Protein should be evenly distributed across three meals, alternating between red and white meat. Chicken and duck should be skinless whenever possible. Among red meats, pork belly, beef, and pork rump are good choices, with pork belly alternating with pork tenderloin. It's also beneficial to eat different types of fish, such as sea bass, yellow croaker, tuna, and salmon, in rotation.
Third, one pound of vegetables and one piece of fruit every day.
Vegetables and fruits provide vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, which are essential nutrients for maintaining overall health, especially immunity.
There are also these precautions for daily drinking water and eating fruits and vegetables.
In daily life, it is recommended to eat 300-500 grams of vegetables every day, with dark-colored vegetables making up more than 50%; and 200-350 grams of fruit per day, with an appropriate amount of fruits high in vitamin C. Aim for more than five different types of vegetables and fruits daily.
For those who sweat little and engage in light physical activity, the recommended daily intake is 1500-1700 ml of water, two and a half to three tablespoons of oil, and five grams of salt. This is roughly the overall structure of our food intake throughout the day.
If you can maintain this structure every day, persevere, and add appropriate exercise, sufficient sleep, a happy mood, and a regular lifestyle, your immunity can reach a good level.
By Yu Kang
