Lettuce

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) belongs to the Asteraceae family, Lactuca genus, and is an annual herbaceous plant. Lettuce can be divided into two categories: leaf type and stem type. Lettuce has many names, including "Qianjincai", "lettuce" and "shicho" in herbal medicine. Leaf lettuce is also called lettuce, and stem lettuce is also called lettuce and bamboo shoots. There are more lettuce than lettuce cultivated areas in various parts of the country. The flesh of lettuce is tender, and the stems can be eaten raw, cold, stir-fried, dried or pickled. Lettuce mainly eats leaves or leaf balls. In recent years, it has developed in major cities, especially in the southern coastal provinces, and has become the main vegetable with more fancy varieties. Lettuce stems and leaves contain lettuce, which tastes bitter and has a strong bitter taste due to high temperature and drought. It can enhance gastric juice, stimulate digestion, increase appetite, and has analgesic and hypnotic effects.

Characteristics: The root system of lettuce is shallow and dense, mostly distributed in the soil layer of 20cm-30cm. The leaves grow alternately on the shortened stems in the seedling stage. The leaves of leaf lettuce are numerous and large, and they are fed by leaves or leaf balls. As the plant grows vigorously, the shortened stems of stem lettuce gradually elongate and expand. After the flower buds differentiate, the stems The leaves continue to expand, forming a thick fleshy stem. Lettuce heads have yellow flowers. Each inflorescence has about 20 flowers. They are self-pollinated, and sometimes cross-pollination occurs. Achenes, brown or silvery white, with pappus.

Variety: leaf lettuce and stem lettuce, leaf lettuce is divided into romaine lettuce, wrinkled leaf lettuce, and head lettuce

Compendium of Materia Medica says: "Lettuce, positive two Plant under the moon, best for fertile ground. The leaves are like radicchio and pointed, slightly green in color, with white juice sticking to your hands when broken. They sprout in April and are three to four feet tall. Peel and eat raw. They taste like courgettes and are good when eaten raw." According to this record, eating lettuce raw or pickled has existed since ancient times.

Family consumption method: 1. Buy thin-stem lettuce, cut the stems into thin slices diagonally, stir-fry in a pan, add a little salt and a little oil, and eat while it's hot. It tastes very clear. 2． Chop the lettuce leaves and cook them with tofu for a unique flavor. 3. Slice the lettuce shoot stems first, then cut them into thin strips, and stir-fry them with the spring bamboo shoots. 4. Boil the bamboo shoots and shred them, mix them with shredded lettuce and add soy sauce and sesame oil for a more delicious and refreshing taste. 5. Use lettuce shoot stems, cut them into diagonal pieces, and soak them in oil to serve as a porridge dish.

When eating lettuce shoots, you mainly eat the stems. Many people discard the leaves. In fact, the leaves are also the most delicious lettuce. Westerners often combine it with cold dishes. Nutritionists regard lettuce shoots as the best food for anemia patients. Li Shizhen also said: "Lettuce can open the meridians and open the chest and diaphragm." Therefore, lettuce shoots are not only a good vegetable, but also have therapeutic effects.

Lettuce relieves abdominal pain: children suffer from cold in the abdomen, or adults suffer from wind and cold and have dull pain in the abdomen. If you don't like taking medicine, you can mash the stems and leaves of lettuce and cook them on the boiler as a drink to relieve abdominal pain. Because there is a white emulsion in the stems and leaves of lettuce shoots, which is called lettuce slices, and its English name is LACTUCAIUM. According to research by pharmacists, this liquid has analgesic and anesthetic effects, and there is a new medicine that contains emulsion ingredients.

Lettuce can stop tooth bleeding: Those who are weak, have insufficient yin, often bleed between the teeth, or have a dry nose, are prone to nosebleeds. Slices of lettuce stems can be cooked and mixed with soy sauce or salt to treat and reduce bleeding.

Because lettuce belongs to the leafy vegetables of the Asteraceae family, it is rich in vitamin C, which can prevent and treat scurvy. It is an essential supplementary food for humans like cabbage, bitter melon, and cauliflower.

Lettuce can help urinate: When children have difficulty urinating, lettuce stems and leaves can be mashed into mud and applied to the navel. The urination can gradually become smoother. This method is listed in the simple hygiene prescription. Another way is to mash dozens of green onion stalks together with ten lettuce stalks, add honey or glycerin to make a mud cake, and apply it on the abdomen above the navel to make urination smooth. One important point when applying is to warm the lettuce cake with hot water before applying it to avoid getting cold. The position of the compress should be away from the navel and applied on the belly. Or it would be better to fill the navel with cotton or gauze in advance to prevent the juice from infiltrating.

Name: lettuce

Explanation: Famous lettuce, lettuce.

Odor: (vegetable) bitter, cold, slightly poisonous.

Indications: 1. Absence of breast milk. Fry lettuce with wine and serve. Another prescription: one cup of lettuce seeds, three coins of raw licorice, half a cup of glutinous rice and half a cup of japonica rice, cook porridge and eat frequently.

2. Inability to urinate. Mash lettuce greens or mash lettuce seeds into cakes and stick them in the navel.

3. Hundreds of insects enter the ears. Pour lettuce juice into it and the worms will come out.

4. Flash injury to waist. Use three liang of white lettuce seeds (fried), a pinch of white corn (fried), half a liang each of frankincense, myrrh, and black plum meat. Grind the *** into powder, add refined honey to make balls, as big as marbles. After each pill is chewed, hot wine is served.

5. Scrotal swelling. Combine lettuce seeds, mash into powder, add a bowl of water and boil for five times.