What is the best food for the Winter Solstice?

The Winter Solstice is a traditional festival of the Chinese nation in 24 solar terms. Replenishment in winter accords with the characteristics of seasonal "hiding". It can store enough nutrients for the body and improve its physical quality. The Winter Solstice was dominated by cold weather, so he tended to warm and nourish Yang qi to resist cold evil. It is said that "the tonic of medicine is not as good as that of dietary supplement". Some of the diets that the Winter Solstice often eats have a good effect on tonifying yang and preventing cold.

What does the Winter Solstice mean?

The ancients believed that since the winter solstice, heaven and earth Yang began to become stronger and stronger, representing the beginning of the next cycle, which is an auspicious day. Therefore, the general customs such as ancestor worship and family dinners during the Spring Festival often appeared in the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice is also known as "Xiao Nian". First, it shows that the end of the year is approaching, and there are not many days left. Second, it shows the importance of the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice as a festival originated from the Zhou Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties, and has been associated with each other ever since. The first month of the weekly calendar is November of the summer calendar, so the first month of the Zhou Dynasty is equal to the current November, so there is no difference between New year's greetings and he Dong. It was not until Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty adopted the summer calendar that he separated the first month from the Winter Solstice. Therefore, it can also be said that the special "Winter Solstice Festival" has only existed since the Han Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties, and has been around since.

The Winter Solstice's principle of replenishment

1. Tonifying: pork and its liver, kidney, lungs, eggs, hens, ducks, tofu, celery, radish, longan, mushrooms, honey, bee milk, etc.

2. Nourishing: soft-shelled turtle, crucian carp, light vegetables, kelp, jellyfish, pears, oranges, apples, bananas, lilies, sesame, mung beans, red beans, peas, cauliflower, Tremella, bird's nest and so on.

3. Warm tonic: mutton, beef and their internal organs, dog meat, rooster, goose, sea cucumber, squid, venison, jujube, walnut, lentil, potato taro, onion, garlic, leek, ginger, broad bean, wheat flour, wine and so on.

The Winter Solstice's eating customs

1. Northern dumplings: every year the Winter Solstice in the lunar calendar, regardless of whether rich or poor, dumplings are an essential holiday meal. As the saying goes, "on October 1st, the Winter Solstice arrived and every family ate dumplings." This custom is left in memory of the "medical sage" Zhang Zhongjing and the Winter Solstice.

2. Mutton soup: the Winter Solstice's custom of eating mutton is said to have begun in the Han Dynasty. According to legend, Liu Bang, Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, ate mutton cooked by Fan Kui on the Winter Solstice's day and found it particularly delicious and full of praise. From then on, the Winter Solstice's custom of eating mutton was formed among the people. People eat mutton and all kinds of nourishing foods on the Winter Solstice's day in order to have a good sign for the coming year. Now in the area of Tengzhou, Shandong Province, this day is called Fujiu. Before the festival, gifts such as mutton will be given to the elders. Every family in Fujiu will drink mutton soup, which is a good sign for individuals, elders and families.

3. Jiangnan rice: in the Jiangnan water village, it is a custom for the whole family to get together and eat red bean glutinous rice on the Winter Solstice's night. According to legend, the Gonggong family was untalented and committed many evils. he died on the day of the Winter Solstice and became an epidemic ghost after his death and continued to harm the people. However, this epidemic ghost is most afraid of red beans, so people cook and eat red bean rice on the Winter Solstice's day to ward off epidemic ghosts and prevent disasters and dispel diseases.

4. Sweet potato soup: in the traditional customs of Ningbo, sweet potato soup is one of the delicacies that the Winter Solstice must eat. "Fan" and "turn" have the same pronunciation. In the understanding of Ningbo people, when the Winter Solstice eats sweet potatoes, he means "turning over" all the bad luck of the past year. Tang Guo, similar to dumplings, but much smaller, and there is no stuffing in it. Tang Guo is also called Yuanzi, which means "reunion" and "consummation". There is also a saying in old Ningbo that "eating tangguo is one year older".

5. Taiwan waxy cake: in Taiwan, China, the Winter Solstice still maintains the tradition of offering sacrifices to his ancestors with nine-layer cakes, using glutinous rice flour to make chicken, duck, turtle, pig, cow, sheep and other animals symbolizing auspiciousness and longevity, and then steaming them in a steamer to offer sacrifices to their ancestors. To show that you don't forget your ancestors. Those with the same surname and clan agreed at an early date before and after the Winter Solstice gathered in the ancestral temple according to the order of the elders and children to worship their ancestors one by one, commonly known as "ancestor worship". After the ceremony, there will be a feast for relatives who came to worship their ancestors. Everyone drank happily and contacted each other's strange feelings for a long time, which was called "the ancestor of Food." The ancestors of the Winter Solstice Festival have been handed down from generation to generation in Taiwan to show that they do not forget their "roots." Radish, green vegetables, tofu, fungus and so on.

6. Taizhou Lianyuan: people in Taizhou, Zhejiang have good food. The Winter Solstice is an important solar term of the year. To cook some special dishes and food on this day, we must first pay tribute to our ancestors and pray that the ancestors will keep the whole family safe and prosperous in the coming year. Then the whole family happily get together to drink and eat food. Among them, eating "the Winter Solstice Yuan" (also known as beating round, also known as beating round, turning rough circle) is an old tradition in Taizhou.

7. Suzhou wine-making: Gusu area attaches great importance to the Winter Solstice's solar terms. As the saying goes, "the Winter Solstice is like a big year." Traditional Gusu people drink winter wine at night in the Winter Solstice. Winter wine is a kind of rice wine brewed with sweet-scented osmanthus, with a pleasant aroma. The people of Gusu drink winter wine at night, and at the same time, they also serve stewed beef, stewed mutton and other kinds of stewed vegetables. In the cold winter, winter wine can not only drive out the cold, but also place a good wish on life for the people of Gusu.

8. Jiangxi Ma Fu: Ma Fu is a specialty of Zhejiang and Jiangxi. It is also a traditional snack of Fujian people and a sacrifice offering of Fujian people. It is suitable for steaming, frying, roasting and sand stir-frying after drying.

9. Winter solstice noodles: "if you eat winter solstice noodles, you will grow a line every day." In Hefei, Anhui, the Winter Solstice's custom of eating noodles is related to solar terms, climate and farming. The Winter Solstice counted nine cold days after that, counting 19 every nine days. In the freezing winter, eating a bowl of hot egg noodles can be regarded as a the Winter Solstice.

10. Tangyuan: as the saying goes of the Han nationality in Chaoshan area, "the Winter Festival is as big as the year" and "the Winter Festival does not return to our ancestors". It means that people who go out should rush back home to worship their ancestors on this day, otherwise they will have no concept of ancestral home. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait attach great importance to the Winter Solstice and regard the Winter Solstice as a reunion festival. After eating the winter festival circle, people in Chaoshan have to stick two winter festival circles in conspicuous places such as doors, windows, tables, cupboards, ladders and beds, even the bow of fishermen, the horns of cattle cultivated by farmers, and the fruit trees planted by fruit farmers.

11. Longan roasted eggs: the Winter Solstice is a big festival in ancient times. Jiaxing attaches great importance to the Winter Solstice. As the saying goes, "the Winter Solstice is as old as a year", preserving the ancient style. According to Jiaxing Chronicles: "the Winter Solstice sacrificed first, crowned and congratulated each other, such as Yuan Dan Yi." People advocate the Winter Solstice tonic, including red bean glutinous rice, ginseng soup, white fungus, walnut kernel stew, longan boiled eggs and so on. Up to now, Jiaxing still inherits the custom of the Winter Solstice eating "longan fried eggs". Old people say that because the Winter Solstice has the longest night in a year, it will freeze all night if he doesn't eat, and he will be hungry in the middle of the night.

12. Pumpkin pie: the Winter Solstice after the Lunar New year, people from Hefei will eat pumpkin pie when they come to the Winter Solstice. The streets and alleys are filled with the smell of pumpkin pie, and there is also a proverb called "eat winter solstice noodles, a day will be long," that is, after the Winter Solstice, the nights will be short and the days will be long.

Tangyuan (Glutinous Rice Balls)

It is a traditional custom in China for the Winter Solstice to eat tangyuan, especially in Guangdong. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that glutinous rice tastes sweet and warm, can nourish the vital qi of the human body, and will have a fever all over the body after eating. It plays a role in keeping out the cold and nourishing, so it is most suitable for consumption in winter. The skin of glutinous rice dumplings is made of glutinous rice flour, which is white and can nourish the lungs, which is suitable for the five-color tonic theme of "white lung nourishing".

Glutinous rice taste sweet, warm, can nourish the human body, after eating will be hot, play a role in keeping out the cold, nourishing, the most suitable for consumption in winter. Glutinous rice contains protein, fat, sugars, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin and starch, etc., which is rich in nutrition and has the effect of tonifying qi, invigorating spleen and stomach, stopping deficiency and sweating. It has a certain relieving effect on poor appetite, abdominal distension and diarrhea. In addition, it can also relieve symptoms such as night sweats caused by qi deficiency, distension of waist and abdomen after pregnancy, shortness of breath after labor injury and so on. Traditional Chinese medicine has always regarded tangyuan as something to tonify deficiency, regulate blood, strengthen spleen and appetizer.

The inner filling is mainly composed of fruit materials and dried fruits, including sesame, walnut, peanut, Hawthorn and so on. Tangyuan is good, but if you eat too much, you will get sick. This is because sticky rice is sticky and difficult to melt, especially after making cakes, it is more difficult to digest. China Food Network reminds you that when the Winter Solstice eats tangyuan, he should chew it carefully and swallow it slowly. He should not eat too much at a time, and should not eat tangyuan continuously. Do not eat too hot dumplings to prevent burns of the mouth and tongue.

Radish

Radish contains protein, sugar, vitamin A, vitamin C, nicotinic acid, as well as vegetarian calcium, phosphorus, iron and so on. The saccharifying enzymes and mustard oil contained in radish are of great benefit to the digestive function of the human body. Mustard oil has a spicy taste, can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, enhance appetite, help digestion, this function of radish won it the laudatory name of "little ginseng".

Radish taste sweet, cool, has the effect of relieving asthma, relieving cough, resolving phlegm, eliminating flatulence, promoting defecation and clearing heat and detoxification. For those suffering from acute or chronic bronchitis or cough with sputum and asthma, wash the slices or shredded radish with radish, marinate them with Yee sugar, and eat them, which has the effect of reducing qi, resolving phlegm and relieving asthma. When vomiting, the radish can be mashed, fried in encrypted water, carefully swallowed and chewed, and the stomach, antiemetic, digestion effect.

Chinese yam

Chinese yam is rich in carbohydrates and protein, according to the determination: every 500 grams of slender hair yam contains 7.1 grams of protein, 67 grams of sugar, 67 milligrams of calcium, 200 milligrams of phosphorus, 1.4 milligrams of iron, 296 kcal, and rich in vitamin A. It is used for weakness of spleen and stomach, tiredness of eating less, loose stool for a long time, accumulation of spleen and stomach in children, weakness of spleen and stomach, etc. Chinese yam tonifies qi and nourishes yin, tonifying but not stagnant, nourishing but not greasy, which is commonly used to tonify the spleen and stomach.

As far as the cooking of yam is concerned, it can be used as both main ingredient and ingredient, hot and cold dishes, sweet dishes and salty dishes. It can be "mixed", "braised", "fried", and "stewed", "stewed" and "roasted". It can not only cook ordinary dishes, but also assist in the processing of fine high-end dishes. It can improve the quality of dishes, enhance the tenderness of dishes, enrich the taste of dishes and so on.

Lamb

It is appropriate to eat mutton in winter, the taste of mutton is sweet but not greasy, the nature is warm but not dry, it has the effect of tonifying kidney and strengthening yang, dispelling cold in warmth, warming and tonifying qi and blood, appetizer and spleen, so eating mutton in winter can not only resist wind and cold, but also nourish the body. it's a beautiful thing to kill two birds with one stone.

When it comes to the side dishes of stewed mutton, the first thing that comes to mind for most people is white radish. Few people know that mutton also has an excellent partner-black beans. China Food Network reminds that mutton with black beans has many advantages, including mutton and black beans are protein-rich ingredients, but their sources are different, the two stewed together, in which animal protein and plant protein can complement each other, more conducive to the use of protein.

Nuts

Winter is the season for keeping in good health, so it is suitable to eat more nourishing food. Nuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial to the human body, as well as a large number of vitamins and trace elements, which are recommended by experts as one of the most suitable foods to eat in winter. The hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and cashews introduced in this edition are known as the "four biggest nuts in the world". They are among the best of all kinds of nuts in terms of nutrition and taste, and eating more in winter will make your body stronger.

Dove

As the saying goes, "one pigeon is better than nine chickens". Pigeons have high nutritional value, especially in winter, which is very suitable for the elderly, the weak, surgical patients, pregnant women and children. Pigeon, also known as Baifeng, is a famous proprietary Chinese medicine Wuji Baifeng pill, which is made from black bone chicken and Baifeng. In recent years, squab food has become popular all over the world, especially in Hong Kong, where there has been a saying that "one pigeon tops nine chickens, without pigeon there is no table".

Stewed Pigeon with Gastrodia Tuber, papaya Tremella stewed squab, Gastrodia elata, Tremella fuciformis and so on are already excellent food tonics, which are combined with pigeon meat to have a more nourishing effect. In addition, for example, pigeon kidney boiled rice, pigeon kidney the size of a little finger is steamed, boiled and seasoned with soup, so that those who have eaten it will know how good it tastes. Delicate pigeon eggs, sprinkled with spice, are said to nourish yin and moisten dryness, and are very suitable for women to eat. Now it has become a fashionable dish at the banquet.

Black sesame

Black sesame has the effect of tonifying liver and kidney, moistening the five internal organs and tonifying energy. it can be used to treat vertigo, early whitening of hair, alopecia, sore waist and knees, weakness of limbs, five internal organs, dry skin, intestinal dryness and constipation caused by deficiency of liver and kidney essence and blood.

Black sesame red jujube porridge is the Winter Solstice solar terms more suitable for health therapy porridge, ingredients are 150g of japonica rice, 20g of black sesame, 25g of jujube (dry), 30g of white sugar. The specific methods are: stir-fry the black sesame into the pot over low heat, grind it into powder, spare, wash the japonica rice, soak it in cold water for half an hour, remove, drain the water, wash the red jujube to remove the core, add about 1500 milliliters of cold water in the pot, put in the japonica rice and red jujube, first boil it over high heat, then boil it over low heat, wait for the rice porridge to be rotten, add black sesame and white sugar, and then boil for a while.

Dog meat

Winter is the season for replenishment, and dog meat is often selected in all kinds of tonics. Dog meat has the functions of warming the kidney and strengthening yang, tonifying essence and marrow, mainly treating kidney yang deficiency, spermatorrhea impotence, low spirits, low back and knee cold pain, female infertility, male infertility and so on. Dog meat has delicious taste and high nutritional value.

Dog meat is rich in protein, fat, a variety of vitamins, purines, carnosine, creatine and other substances, which has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on the endocrine, digestive, nervous, reproductive and other systems of the human body. It can strengthen the human body, improve the immunity and digestive function of the human body, enhance sexual ability and so on.

After formula cooking, dog meat can be used to assist in the treatment of many diseases. Such as 500 grams of dog meat, 100 grams of black beans, mixed with five-spice powder, ginger, salt, cooked and eaten, can assist in the treatment of nocturnal urination, enuresis, waist and knee pain caused by kidney deficiency. The dog meat is cooked and eaten with appropriate amount of star anise, cumin, cinnamon, tangerine peel, ginger and salt, which has the effect of warming and tonifying the spleen and kidney, and has a good effect on cold fear caused by kidney yang deficiency, lukewarm hands and feet, low back pain, impotence, women's leucorrhea, such as water.

Black fungus

Auricularia auricula is deeply welcomed by consumers at home and abroad, and enjoys the reputation of "vegetarian meat". Auricularia auricula is not only an excellent anti-cancer food, can effectively remove garbage and carcinogens in blood vessels, prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, but also dilute carcinogens in the large intestine, helping to prevent colorectal cancer.

Auricularia auricula contains more trace elements and vitamins B1, B2, carotene, mannose, pentose, xylose, lecithin, lecithin, calcium, iron and so on, which can prevent blood clotting, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and dry stool. According to traditional Chinese medicine, Auricularia auricula is flat and sweet, which has the effects of tonifying qi, promoting wisdom and promoting blood, and is effective for anemia, sore waist and legs and limb numbness.

milk

Milk is one of the best sources of human nutrients, is a good calcium supplement in winter, and contains 9 essential amino acids. The fat particles in milk are small, highly dispersed and have high digestibility. The carbohydrates in milk are mainly lactose, which is beneficial to the reproduction of lactic acid bacteria and inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the taste of milk is sweet and flat, which has the effects of tonifying deficiency and nourishing the body, invigorating the body and moistening the intestines, eliminating thirst and so on.

The amount of calcium and phosphorus in milk is not only large, but also the proportion is relatively appropriate, which is most easily absorbed by the human body. It is the best calcium source for human body and promoting growth and development. Milk can not only promote the healthy growth of young people, but also contribute to the health and longevity of the middle-aged and elderly. The nutritional characteristics of milk can meet the needs of the elderly, thus becoming the best food for health care for the elderly.

Black bean

Black beans have the highest protein content in all kinds of legumes, which mainly contain monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, with essential fatty acids accounting for 50%, as well as phospholipids, daidzein and biotin. Eating black beans will not cause high blood lipids, but also reduce cholesterol. According to traditional Chinese medicine, black beans have the function of moistening the intestines and tonifying blood.

Black beans are rich in vitamins, lecithin and riboflavin, in which the contents of vitamin B and vitamin E are very high, and the content of vitamin E is 7 times higher than that of meat. According to traditional Chinese medicine, "black bean is the valley of the kidney", which has the functions of tonifying the liver and kidney, strengthening muscles and bones, warming intestines and stomach, promoting blood circulation, promoting water and detoxification, and is also a good product for moisturizing skin and black hair.

Generally eat black beans is to beat soybean milk to drink, use can hit the soybean milk soymilk machine, put some black rice, black beans, soybeans, mung beans, red beans together, can also put some black beans into powder, the soybean milk made is delicious.

Black rice

Black rice is a treasure of rice, known as "tribute rice", "longevity rice" and other reputation, with special nutritional value. The color of black rice is different from other rice mainly because its outer cortex contains anti-aging anthocyanin pigments. The darker the color of rice, the stronger the anti-aging effect of epidermal pigment. In addition, this pigment is also rich in flavonoids, which is as much as 5 times that of white rice, which is of great benefit to the prevention of arteriosclerosis.

Long-term consumption of black rice can not only promote sleep, but also treat dizziness, dizziness, anemia, white hair, eye diseases and sore waist and legs. In addition, black rice also plays a certain role in tonifying blood, relieving pain, treating internal trauma and so on. Parturient women eat more black rice food, the body can recover as soon as possible, and it also has a good effect on children's white hair.

It is suggested that you can cook black rice porridge at ordinary times. Black rice is soaked for two days and nights in winter and then cooked in a pressure cooker. It only takes about 20 minutes to eat. The water used for soaking rice should be boiled with rice and should not be discarded to preserve its nutrients. Generally speaking, black japonica rice and black glutinous rice taste best when cooking porridge. When cooking porridge with black indica rice, it is best to match some glutinous rice to increase the viscosity. In addition to porridge, black rice can also be made into snacks, such as glutinous rice dumplings, zongzi, bread and so on.