Water chestnut helps lower blood pressure and reduce blood lipids.
Chemical composition: water chestnut tubers contain protein, lipids, carbohydrates, cholesterol, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, copper, magnesium, zinc, selenium; vitamins A, B, B, B, C, D, E, K, carotene, folacin...
Water chestnut tubers are the tubers of the water chestnut plant, or Zizania latifolia Turcz. Water chestnuts are cultivated throughout Vietnam. The edible part is the swollen, bulging mass at the base of the shoots, formed by the activity of a parasitic smut fungus, Ustilago esculentum Hennings or sulage viridis; this swollen part is commonly called a tuber. Water chestnuts are primarily grown for their tubers, which are used as a vegetable when young. They have a pleasant taste and are delicious. They can be eaten raw, stir-fried with meat, or used in soups.
Chemical composition: water chestnut tubers contain protein, lipids, carbohydrates, cholesterol, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, copper, magnesium, zinc, selenium; and vitamins A and B.1, B2, B6, C, D, E, K, carotene, folacin, pantothenic acid, niacin.
Eating water chestnut regularly can help prevent high blood pressure and lower blood cholesterol.
Modern medicine suggests that regularly consuming water chestnut tubers can prevent hypertension, inhibit atherosclerosis, and is particularly effective in treating liver cirrhosis and high blood urea levels. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, water chestnut tubers are sweet and cooling in nature. Their roots, branches, and seeds are used as medicine, effectively clearing heat and relieving irritability, generating fluids and quenching thirst, regulating the intestines and stomach, promoting urination and defecation, and stimulating lactation. Recent research by Japanese scientists has found that water chestnut tubers have the effect of whitening, moisturizing, and beautifying the skin.
Some dishes and medicinal remedies made from water chestnut tubers.
Mixed water chestnut salad:500g water chestnut, 25g cooked ham, 1 chicken egg, sesame oil, salt, MSG, sugar, black pepper. Peel and cook the water chestnuts until tender, then drain. Beat the egg and fry it thinly in a pan, then remove to a plate. Slice the water chestnuts into long strips, and mix them with the ham and fried egg in a bowl. Then add salt, MSG, sugar, black pepper, and sesame oil to the bowl and mix well. This dish is very good for people with high blood pressure.
Water chestnut porridge:Ingredients: 100g water chestnut, 50g minced pork, 100g rice. 25g soaked shiitake mushrooms, salt, MSG, sesame oil. Clean and julienne the water chestnuts, slice the shiitake mushrooms into strips. Heat sesame oil in a pan, add the minced pork, then add the water chestnuts, shiitake mushrooms, salt, and MSG. Stir-fry until fragrant, then transfer to a bowl. Wash the rice, add water, and cook into porridge. When the porridge is cooked, add the stir-fried water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms, stir well, and bring to a boil. This dish is good for people with diabetes..
Stir-fried water chestnut with meat:
Ingredients: 200g water chestnut, 100g lean pork, 50g carrots, fresh ginger, salt, garlic, onion, MSG. Wash and finely chop the onion and ginger. Wash and slice the garlic. Wash and slice the water chestnut; peel and slice the carrots, then blanch them briefly in boiling water. After washing the lean pork, remove any tendons and slice it. Heat oil in a pan, sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant, then add the pork, water chestnut, and carrots. Stir-fry until cooked through, season with salt and MSG, and mix well. This dish helps to clear heat, promote diuresis, detoxify, nourish yin, and moisten dryness, making it suitable for people with prostatitis that is characterized by heat.
Note: People with urinary tract stones, abdominal pain and diarrhea, weak spleen and stomach, or those with impotence and premature ejaculation should not eat water chestnut tubers. Do not eat water chestnut tubers with honey.
According to Health & Life - NT
