The most beautiful April day, spring is here, and so are the mothers.
They have a small shovel in their left hand and a plastic bag in their right hand, and they can’t wait to rush to the bases where wild vegetables may grow.
Mothers love to dig wild vegetables. Maybe you may not know anything about it. After a winter dormancy, these wild vegetables bring the freshest spring flavor and make a scene in Chinese recipes every year. one time.
What are the wild vegetables in spring?
First, Dandelion
Dandelion is very common in spring, summer and autumn, but in summer and autumn, the leaves of dandelion are relatively old, and the taste of dandelion is particularly astringent.
And in the spring, the dandelion has just sprouted and the leaves are very tender. It can be eaten as cold dandelion, or used to make soup, stuffing, or other delicacies. The taste is very tender and there is almost no bitterness.
The dandelion can also be dug up by its roots, washed and used to make dandelion tea, which has a unique fragrance.
In addition to being a wild vegetable, dandelion is also a Chinese herbal medicine.
Dandelion not only contains a large amount of vitamins, but also contains dandelion, dandelion alcohol, pectin, choline, and various minerals. Especially many, these substances can play a variety of effects such as antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, clearing heat and eliminating fire.
Second, shepherd’s purse
After entering the spring, be sure to eat more shepherd’s purse. Shepherd’s purse tastes very fresh and tender. It can be used not only for cold dishes, but also for fried eggs, fried pork, or It can be made into some soups, and can also be used with meat fillings to make dumplings and steamed buns. The taste is fragrant but not greasy.
Shepherd’s purse is also very rich in nutrients.Every 100 grams of shepherd’s purse contains 5.3 grams of protein, 420 mg of calcium, and a lot of vitamins and carotene. and various mineral elements.
These nutrients have certain nutritional and medicinal value, and can play a variety of effects such as improving metabolism, protecting blood vessels, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.
Third, Purslane
Although purslane is very common, whether it is in the fields or on both sides of the road, it can be seen, but this wild vegetable contains very rich nutrients , such as vitamins, carotene, etc.
These substances can have various effects such as diuresis, blood pressure reduction, detoxification, swelling, heat and dampness. It has a relatively good effect on improving hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes.
And the purslane is made into cold purslane, but it is made into other delicacies, and the taste is particularly tender.
Fourth, Toon Head
The nature of toona sinensis is actually similar to that of coriander. People who love it can love it to the core, and people who dislike it will not accept this taste, mainly because it also contains volatile aromatic substances– –Toona sinensis.
And there are many categories of toon head, purple toon and green toon are the most.
The former is dark in color and has a strong aroma, while the latter is light in color and light in aroma. Since the fresh toon head contains a certain amount of nitrite, it needs to be boiled in boiling water before cooking. Hot, the color of the leaves will also change from bright red to bright green in different shades.
Wild vegetables are good, but you can’t step on them casually
Many mothers believe that wild vegetables are natural, pollution-free, green and healthy.
As early as 2020, a survey on the heavy metal content of wild vegetables in Beijing showed that:
The heavy metal content of wild vegetables in Beijing parks, mountain forests, residential areas, and on both sides of roads generally exceeds the standard, not only exceeding the safety requirements for pollution-free vegetables, but also exceeding the limit of pollutants in food.
You should know that although the park has lush vegetation, the staff need to use herbicides to remove weeds, and then use pesticides to eliminate pests, especially in the spring of each year, but also weeding and pest control peak period.
It is different from agricultural cultivated land. The grassland in the park is mainly ornamental, so the use of herbicides and pesticides is not so rigorous, resulting in higher residues.
As for those suburbs, although they are far away from the urban area, the chemical factories and highways are there. The exhaust gas from automobiles and the waste water from chemical factories will inevitably settle in the nearby soil. This leads to soil heavy metal pollution.
Therefore, these seemingly natural wild vegetables lack relevant quality inspection standards and do not have any health and safety guarantees.
So mothers, you need to hear from us—–
The wild vegetables picked outside are really not as healthy as you think. Don’t pick wild vegetables on the roadside!
References:
[1] Lou Yiyang, & Lou Ge. (2020). Determination of heavy metals in common wild vegetables in Beijing area by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Metrology and Testing Technology, 47 (7), 76-79. doi:10.15988/j.cnki.1004-6941.2020.7.026