Do you want to pick wild vegetables on the roadside?

With the arrival of early spring, all things come back to life, and wild vegetables on the roadside begin to "pop up". Friends who are used to eating home-cooked meals find it difficult to resist the temptation of juicy wild vegetables, and always want to dig some to try when they see them.

So how do we eat wild vegetables correctly?

First of all, they need to be soaked and blanched before eating to reduce the harmful substances they may contain. For example, if you eat too much oxalic acid, it will combine with calcium to form calcium oxalate, which is easy to form stones. Secondly, wild vegetables are rich in vitamins. When cooking, they are generally stir-fried over high heat or blanched in boiling water to retain nutrients to the maximum extent and reduce nutrient loss. The time for washing, cutting and cooking wild vegetables should not be too long to avoid the loss of vitamins and minerals. Thirdly, wild vegetables can be used as fresh vegetables for raw salad, stir-frying, steaming, side dishes and soups. They can also be used to dry vegetables, make sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, etc. It is recommended to make suitable types of wild vegetables into staple foods such as dumplings and buns, with a combination of meat and vegetables, and the nutrition is more reasonable and comprehensive.

Remember the "Six Don'ts"

1. Do not eat what you do not know

Do not pick or eat unfamiliar or unfamiliar wild vegetables to avoid confusion and accidental poisoning.

2. Do not eat unclean food

Do not pick or eat wild vegetables from polluted areas such as chemical plants, garbage disposal plants, sewage ditches, and roadsides. Pay attention to whether wild vegetables in farmland have been sprayed with pesticides.

3. Do not eat if it is not cooked

Wash and blanch them, then cook them properly, paying special attention to cleaning the eggs.

4. Do not eat if you feel unwell

If you experience symptoms such as dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc. after eating wild vegetables, you should induce vomiting immediately and seek medical attention promptly.

5. Do not eat too much

Don't eat too much wild vegetables, just eat them in small amounts occasionally.

6. Do not eat if you are allergic

People who have a history of allergies to wild vegetables, infants, pregnant women, the elderly and other people with sensitive digestive systems or existing diseases should try not to eat them or eat less.

It is recommended to buy wild vegetables at regular supermarkets or vegetable markets, and try to avoid buying them at roadside stalls or mobile stalls. If you want to collect accurate and non-toxic wild vegetables, it is best to go to the wild away from urban areas, in a clean environment and with fresh air.

Several local wild vegetables in Shandong

1. Shepherd’s Purse

Efficacy: Improve eyesight, reduce stomach fire, strengthen the spleen, and prevent bleeding.

Suitable for: People with no taboos

Not suitable for: pregnant women, people with loose stools and those with allergies or those who are allergic to shepherd's purse

Food: Shepherd's purse dumplings, shepherd's purse egg pancakes

2. Toona sinensis sprouts

Efficacy: Strengthen the spleen and regulate qi, improve the body's immunity, and have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

Suitable for: People with no taboos

Not suitable for: people with skin diseases or ulcers, allergic constitution, yin deficiency and internal heat

Food: Toona sinensis bud egg pancake, Toona sinensis bud mixed with tofu

3. Elm seeds

Effects: Clearing away heat and dampness, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and promoting digestion

Suitable for: People with neurasthenia, insomnia, and loss of appetite

Not suitable for: People with weak spleen and stomach, fear of cold, diarrhea, loose stools, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer

Food: Elm seed steamed bread, steamed elm seed rice

4. Acacia flowers

Effect: Cooling blood and stopping bleeding, clearing liver and purging fire

Suitable for: People with liver fire, dizziness, headache, swollen and painful eyes

Not suitable for: People with weak spleen and stomach, fear of cold, diarrhea and loose stools

Food: Steamed Sophora japonica rice, Sophora japonica egg pancake

5. Purslane

Efficacy: clearing away heat and detoxifying, promoting diuresis and reducing swelling, cooling blood and stopping bleeding, and stopping diarrhea.

Suitable for: People with yellow urine, constipation, irritability, and heat in the body

Not suitable for: pregnant women, people with weak spleen and stomach, fear of cold, diarrhea and loose stools

Food: Cold purslane salad, purslane flower rolls