Water chestnuts are one of the favorite foods of many people, also known as horsehoof. In daily life, they can be eaten raw or steamed and cooked into dishes. However, many people ignore the fact that they can be directly boiled into water to drink. The juice is very fragrant and has good effects. It is also very good for women’s health. In the season of spring drowsiness and autumn fatigue, why not boil a cup, drink it quietly in the afternoon, read a book, listen to music, and unconsciously become lighter. Well, without further ado, let’s take a detailed look at the effects of water chestnuts boiled in water, how to make a cup of water chestnuts boiled in water, and what precautions should be taken.

(I) Effects

Water chestnuts boiled in water can have the effects of detoxifying and clearing heat. The water chestnuts water can lower our blood pressure and has a good effect on constipation. Water chestnuts water has antibacterial effects and cooling blood effects.

Water chestnuts are cold in nature and have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling blood and producing fluid, diuretic and defecating, removing dampness and expelling phlegm, digesting food and relieving distension. They can be used to treat jaundice, dysentery, poliomyelitis, constipation, and other diseases; water chestnuts contain a kind of antibacterial component that has a certain effect on lowering blood pressure, and this substance also has a preventive and therapeutic effect on cancer.

According to ‘The Materia Medica of Food Therapy’: ‘Water chestnuts, reduce stone, eliminate wind toxicity, and remove the actual heat in the chest. It can be made into flour food. It brightens the eyes and clears the ears, quenches thirst, and eliminates jaundice. If there is coldness beforehand, it should not be eaten as it may cause abdominal distension and fullness. Children who eat it in autumn may experience pain around the navel.

According to ‘Luo’s Medical Mirror’: ‘Water chestnuts invigorate the body, calm the middle, promote appetite and digestion, remove heat and produce fluid, stop dysentery and quench thirst, treat jaundice, cure hematochezia, and alleviate copper poisoning.

It has the effects of preventing acute infectious diseases, clearing heat and reducing fire, cooling blood and detoxifying, diuretic and defecating to expel phlegm, digesting food and relieving distension, regulating hemorrhoids or dysentery with hematochezia, women’s metrorrhagia, Yin deficiency and lung dryness, phlegm heat cough, throat discomfort, mass and accumulation, red eyes and opacity, and assisting in reducing fever. In addition, water chestnuts contain a kind of antiviral substance that can inhibit meningitis, influenza virus, and can be used to prevent the spread of meningitis and influenza.

(II) How to make

Ingredients: water chestnuts, sugarcane

Water chestnuts contain a large amount of protein, fat, rough fiber, carotene, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and carbohydrates. Traditional Chinese medicine believes it has the functions of quenching thirst, digesting food, and relieving fever.

Sugarcane: With abundant juice, sweet taste, and rich nutrition, it is known as a fine fruit, and has special effects of clearing heat, generating moisture, lowering gas, moistening dryness, and benefiting the lung and stomach.

Preparation:

1. Do not peel or remove the head of the water chestnuts bought from the market. Brush it clean with a toothbrush.

2. The sugarcane should not be peeled. Please ask the seller to cut it into small pieces, and the length should be suitable for your pot. After brushing it clean, cut it open lengthwise.

3. Put the sugarcane and water chestnuts in the pot, add an appropriate amount of water.

4. After the pot is brought to a boil with high heat, cook with low heat for 5-20 minutes, and taste it during the process. If it is not sweet enough, cook it for a longer time.

(Two) Matters needing attention

1. The head and skin of water chestnuts must not be removed.

2. The sugarcane cannot be peeled.

3. The water cooked out is very sweet and delicious, and no sugar needs to be added. Children generally do not dislike it.

4. The general amount is to buy one pound of water chestnuts with one medium-sized sugarcane.

(Three) Selection and eating taboos

1. How to pick water chestnuts

Water chestnuts have purple-black skin and white flesh, sweet and juicy, crisp and delicious, which can be used as both fruit and vegetable. It is a science to pick a good water chestnut, and the key to picking water chestnuts is still through ‘look’, ‘smell’, and ‘touch’. Water chestnuts are considered top quality when they are large, clean, and fresh.

Among water chestnuts, the ones with purple-red color and shorter top buds, known as ‘tongpi water chestnuts’, are of better quality. They have thin skin, fine flesh, abundant juice, sweet taste, crisp texture, and no residue. While the ones with purple-black color and longer top buds, known as ‘tiipi water chestnuts’, are slightly inferior in quality, as they are rough and have more residue. Depending on the color of the skin, dìlì (Chinese bulbous plant) can generally be divided into ‘tonggu dìlì’ and ‘tiěgu dìlì’ two types. The former has thin skin, bright and bright purple color, tender and juicy flesh, sweet and delicious taste, and can be used as fruit; the latter has slightly thicker skin, purple-black color, crisp and juicy flesh, slightly sweet taste, and is suitable for boiling or slicing and stir-frying.

First is the ‘look’: The natural color of water chestnuts should be red and black, looking older, while the soaked water chestnuts are fresh and tender. If you see water chestnuts with an abnormal bright red color and even distribution, it is worth suspecting.

Next is the ‘smell’: Normal water chestnuts have no刺激性 odor. If there is an odor, attention should be paid.

Finally, there is the ‘touch’: When buying water chestnuts, pay attention to whether there is any change, softening, decay, etc., and at the same time, by squeezing the corners of the water chestnuts, the soaked water chestnuts will leave a yellow sweat on your hands.

2. Taboos of eating water chestnuts

Water chestnuts contain a large amount of protein, fat, crude fiber, carotene, vitamin B, vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and carbohydrates. Due to the various nutrients contained in water chestnuts, their therapeutic effects are also good, and there are still some places that need to be paid attention to when eating them.

Water chestnuts belong to cold and raw foods, and are not suitable for people with deficiency of the spleen and stomach, loose stools, and blood stasis.