2. Introduction to Tangyuan
Tangyuan is one of the representative snacks of Han nationality in China. It is a spherical food made of glutinous rice flour, usually filled with soup and cooked. It is also the most distinctive food of the Lantern Festival. It has a long history. According to legend, Tangyuan originated in the Song Dynasty. At that time, Mingzhou (now Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province) began to eat a novel food, that is, black sesame seeds and lard were used as stuffing, a little sugar was added, and glutinous rice flour was used to make balls outside. After cooking, it tastes sweet, delicious and interesting. Because this kind of dumplings cooked in a pot will float and sink, it was originally called "floating Zi Yuan", and later it was renamed Yuanxiao in some areas. It is said that Yuanxiao symbolizes family reunion, and eating Yuanxiao means happy family reunion in the new year, so Yuanxiao on the fifteenth day of the first month is necessary.
3. Nutritional components
Yuanxiao (Tangyuan) is rich in nutrition, and its main component, glutinous rice flour, contains nutrients such as fat, carbohydrate, calcium, iron, riboflavin and nicotinic acid. At the same time, its conventional fillings are mainly fruits and dried fruits, including sesame seeds, walnuts and peanuts. Adding vegetable oil, its nutritional value will be "higher".
4. Main efficacy
Because glutinous rice balls are rich in nutrition, Chinese medicine has always regarded Yuanxiao as something that can tonify deficiency, regulate blood, strengthen spleen and stimulate appetite, and modern nutritionists also admire its health care function.