The "Book of Zhou" says: "On the day of Xiaoman, bitter vegetables show up." Eating bitter vegetables is one of the customs of Xiaoman solar term. Although Xiaoman symbolizes the arrival of a good harvest, it happens to be a time of drought. Therefore, in the past, many people had to eat bitter vegetables to satisfy their hunger, and this custom has been passed down.

Eating wild vegetables that are bitter but astringent, astringent but sweet, fresh and refreshing can clear away heat and dampness in humid and hot weather, and strengthen the body. Old Beijing people often eat a kind of bitter vegetable called "bitter mango", also called "endive".

It has the effects of reassuring and replenishing qi, lightening the body and resisting aging. Simply mix it with salt and vinegar, and it tastes good when eaten raw. It can also be made into soup, stir-fried or stuffed.

There is also a kind of purslane, which has the effects of clearing heat and removing dampness, dissipating blood and swelling, diuresis and treating stranguria. Folks call it "longevity vegetable" and "longevity vegetable".

The leaves at the top of the purslane stem are soft and can be cooked like watercress, used in soups or used in sauces, mayonnaise and stews. It also tastes great served with grated radish or mashed potatoes. Its stems and leaves can be marinated in vinegar and eaten. You can also make scrambled eggs with purslane, steamed purslane stuffed buns, or cook some garlic purslane porridge that can clear away heat and stop diarrhea.

In fact, it is not just about eating bitter vegetables. The weather is hot in summer. Eating more bitter foods can not only promote appetite and digestion, but also have the effect of removing heat and detoxifying. Among the common vegetables on the market, the more bitter ones include bitter melon, while the slightly bitter ones include malan head, chrysanthemum brain, and wild vegetables such as wolfberry head. In addition, you can also eat some bitter dried and fresh fruits that are used as food and medicine, such as lotus seed cores, mint leaves, bitter almonds, dandelions, etc. Source: Economic Daily