Weight loss through vegetables and grains: the benefits of celery, carrots, mung bean sprouts, and oat and buckwheat.

celery

Celery, also known as dryland celery, medicinal celery, and fragrant celery, is the whole herb of the celery plant (Apiaceae family). Water celery grows in marshy areas, while dryland celery is called dryland celery. It is cultivated throughout China. Celery is divided into Chinese type (Chinese celery) and European type (Western celery). Western celery has thicker petioles, while Chinese celery has slender petioles. Celery can be stir-fried or used in salads. Numerous studies have shown that celery is a plant with excellent medicinal value.

Celery contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is particularly rich in vitamin B, and its content of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron is higher than that of most leafy green vegetables.

Celery has diuretic and antispasmodic effects, regulates the stomach and intestines, removes dampness, relieves chest heat, disperses blood stasis and breaks up lumps, invigorates the spleen and strengthens the body, clears heat and calms the liver, clears damp heat, reduces swelling and detoxifies, lowers blood pressure and relieves dizziness. It is a good vegetable for women to reduce fat and lose weight, and is also a common weight loss food in women's meals.

Celery is rich in fiber, which has a strong cleansing effect on the intestines, absorbing water and impurities and expelling harmful substances, even carcinogens, from the body. Certain components in celery inhibit the growth of melanin, especially melanin produced by ultraviolet radiation, thus promoting skin whitening. Therefore, celery is considered a beauty and weight-loss aid.

[Expert Tip] When consuming celery, in addition to using the stalks, it's important to make full use of the celery leaves as well. This will allow you to fully utilize celery's nutritional and weight-loss benefits.

Carrot

Carrots are rich in nutrients, have a bright color, are crisp and juicy, and have a fragrant and sweet taste. They have many health benefits and are widely loved by people, hence the nickname "little ginseng".

Carrots are rich in carotene, vitamins B₁, B₂, C, D, E, and K, folic acid, calcium, and dietary fiber, making them almost comparable to multivitamin pills. They also contain a large amount of phosphorus, which is essential for brain and bone marrow cells; every 500 grams of carrots contains 140 grams of phosphorus, 305 milligrams of calcium, and 35 grams of sugar.

Carrots are neutral in nature and sweet in taste. They have the effects of lowering qi, relieving asthma, eliminating phlegm, aiding digestion, relieving bloating, and alleviating qi pain. Therefore, they are often used for weight loss and slimming.

Carrots are rich in vitamin A, which can promote normal growth and reproduction, maintain epithelial tissue, prevent respiratory infections, maintain normal vision, and treat night blindness and dry eye syndrome.

Carrots contain potassium succinate, which helps prevent arteriosclerosis, lowers cholesterol, and has a certain effect on preventing and treating hypertension. The volatile oils that give carrots their aromatic flavor can improve digestion and have antibacterial properties.

Carotene can eliminate free radicals that cause aging, thus making it very effective for weight loss and slimming. In addition to vitamin A, carrots also contain other key nutrients such as B vitamins and vitamin C, which also have skin-moisturizing and anti-aging effects.

The pectin in carrots can bind with mercury, thus accelerating the elimination of mercury ions from the body. Some departments at home and abroad have already included carrots as a health food for people who are frequently exposed to mercury.

The most nutritious part of a carrot is in its skin. When washing or eating carrots, there's no need to peel them; just wipe them gently.

Carrots contain a potent vitamin C-containing compound called benzoyl peroxide, which, when cooked for extended periods, can cause the vitamin C in other vegetables to be completely lost. To prevent this, a suitable amount of vinegar and oil should be added, but excessive heat should be avoided.

Carotene and vitamin A are fat-soluble substances. They should be cooked in oil or stewed with meat before consumption to facilitate absorption.

[Expert Advice] Excessive consumption by women can lead to menstrual irregularities or even infertility, so it is not advisable to eat too much.

mung bean sprouts

Mung bean sprouts, also known as silver sprouts, are a popular food choice in recent years. Among sprouts, mung bean sprouts are the most convenient and nutritious. They are also a favorite among natural food enthusiasts. During the sprouting process, the vitamin C content of mung beans increases significantly, and some proteins are broken down into various essential amino acids, reaching up to seven times the original content of mung beans. Therefore, the nutritional value of mung bean sprouts is higher than that of mung beans.

During the germination process of mung beans, the abundant amino acids in the protein can recombine, significantly increasing the levels of amino acids that are relatively lacking in mung beans, and making the amino acid ratio more suitable for the needs of people trying to lose weight.

Mung bean sprouts are very rich in vitamins and dietary fiber, and are characterized by their high water content, low sugar, and low fat content, making them a good choice for weight loss.

Regularly eating mung bean sprouts can cleanse the stomach and intestines, relieve heat and toxins, promote diuresis and remove damp heat, clean teeth, and has a good slimming effect.

Mung bean sprouts are perfect for everyday cooking, whether in salads or stir-fries. Regular consumption of mung bean sprouts can help reduce greasiness and lower cholesterol.

[Expert Tip] When cooking mung bean sprouts, avoid using too much oil and salt. Try to maintain their light flavor and refreshing texture to aid in weight loss. Since mung bean sprouts are cooling in nature, add a little ginger during cooking to neutralize their cooling properties. Adding a little vinegar while stir-frying can prevent the loss of vitamin B and enhance their slimming and weight-loss effects.

**Yam**

Yam, also known as sweet potato, is rich in nutrients. Since ancient times, it has been regarded as a high-quality, inexpensive, and nourishing food, and a protector of one's figure. Ancient books also record that eating more yam can "sharpen hearing and vision, prevent hunger, and prolong life." "As autumn nights grow longer, hunger strikes; a cup of yam is the perfect remedy," is a line from a poem by the Southern Song Dynasty poet Lu You praising yam, referring to its less-than-appealing appearance but its excellent internal quality; simply scrape off the tender skin with a bamboo sliver to reveal the snow-white flesh.

Yam contains various vitamins, as well as starch, mucilage, bile, allantoin, 16 kinds of amino acids, protein, fat, sugar, and various minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Yam contains mucin, amylase, saponins, free amino acids, polyphenol oxidase, and other substances in relatively rich amounts. It has nourishing properties and is an excellent food for post-illness recovery.

Yam contains very little fat, almost none, making it an excellent choice for those trying to lose weight. Furthermore, the mucoprotein it contains can prevent fat deposits in the cardiovascular system and prevent premature hardening of the arteries.

The mucopolysaccharides in yam combine with inorganic salts to form bone tissue, giving cartilage a certain degree of elasticity. Yam can also enhance immune function and delay cell aging.

Modern experiments have found that yams contain amylase, a digestive enzyme that can break down proteins and sugars, thus aiding in weight loss. For those who are underweight, yams offer a dual regulatory function due to their rich protein content. Therefore, yams have earned the nickname "body shape protector."

[Expert Advice] Excessive consumption of yams by women can lead to menstrual irregularities.

**Large** Soybeans

Potatoes, scientifically known as Solanum tuberosum, are hailed by nutritionists as the "perfect" food. Along with barley, wheat, rice, and sorghum, they are considered one of the world's five major crops.

Potatoes are known as the "second bread" in Europe and America because they are rich in nutrients and easily digested and absorbed by the human body.

The above-mentioned beans are rich in starch, sugar, fat, cellulose, nitrogenous substances, B vitamins, vitamin C, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and potassium. The sugar content is twice that of apples, and the protein content is several times that of apples. Additionally, beans contain a small amount of serotonin.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that ten beans have the effects of harmonizing the stomach and regulating the middle jiao, invigorating qi and strengthening the spleen, strengthening the body and benefiting the kidneys, detoxifying and reducing inflammation, reducing fat, and promoting blood circulation and reducing swelling.

It is worth noting that the small amount of solanine in potatoes can relieve stomach cramps and reduce gastric juice secretion, thus providing some protection for the gastrointestinal tract.

The balance of potassium and calcium in potatoes has a significant effect on myocardial contraction, can prevent high blood pressure and maintain myocardial health, making it a good medicine for heart disease patients.

The crude fiber in soybeans promotes gastrointestinal motility and accelerates the metabolism of cholesterol in the intestines, thus relieving constipation and lowering cholesterol. It can help remove fat and calories from the body, treat habitual constipation, and prevent high cholesterol.

Potatoes were once viewed negatively and considered a major enemy of obesity. However, potatoes are actually a low-calorie, high-protein food rich in various vitamins and trace elements. They contain only 0.1% fat. While potatoes contain starch, their water content is over 70 kcal, and they also contain dietary fiber that creates a feeling of fullness. Using potatoes as a staple food can have slimming and weight-loss effects, making them an ideal weight-loss food.

Therefore, people who want to lose weight should especially eat potatoes.

[Expert Advice] There are two types of potatoes that should never be eaten: sprouted potatoes and potatoes with green skin. These two types of potatoes develop a toxic substance called solanine in their skin and near the eyes. This toxic substance is not destroyed even after the potatoes are cooked. Eating them can cause poisoning and endanger life.