Among the wild vegetables commonly consumed in summer, purslane is a must-have.
It is a great ingredient for clearing heat, eliminating dampness, and promoting urination, and regular consumption in summer can effectively prevent common summer ailments such as eczema and urinary tract infections.
But did you know? Purslane is also a good source of nutrition.
Purslane Has Five Benefits01Antibacterial
Modern pharmacological studies have found that purslane has an inhibitory effect on dysentery bacillus, and also has a certain inhibitory effect on typhoid bacillus, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, which aligns with traditional Chinese medicine’s use of purslane to treat dysentery.
02Blood Sugar Reduction
Purslane contains norepinephrine, which can promote insulin secretion and help lower blood sugar levels.
Additionally, the polysaccharides in purslane mucilage also help slow down the rise in blood sugar levels.
03Calcium Supplementation
Purslane is rich in calcium, containing about 87 mg of calcium per 100 grams, and is also rich in potassium and magnesium, which can promote calcium deposition in bones, making calcium supplementation more effective.
04Skin Care
Purslane has a high vitamin content, with about 23 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, comparable to citrus fruits, and is 16.4 times higher than prunes, 7.7 times higher than apples and dragon fruit, and 5.8 times higher than apricots.
Vitamin C, as a powerful antioxidant, not only helps prevent various diseases but is also beneficial for maintaining healthy skin.
05Strong Immunity
The omega-3 fatty acids abundant in purslane are crucial for human growth, development, prevention of various cardiovascular diseases, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
Generally, this component is mostly found in meat, especially in seafood, and is relatively rare in plants.
However, the omega-3 fatty acid content in purslane is even twice that of hairtail fish, so vegetarians should not miss out.
Tip
It is best to choose artificially cultivated purslane to avoid picking toxic vegetables contaminated by car exhaust or heavy metals.
Additionally, purslane contains a high level of oxalic acid, so it should be blanched in boiling water before consumption to ensure dietary safety.
Purslane Recipes01Cold Tossed Purslane
Ingredients: 150g dried purslane, 15g minced garlic, salt, soy sauce, MSG, sesame oil to taste.
Method: Take dried purslane, remove impurities and old roots, soak in water overnight, steam until cooked, cut into small sections, place in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, add garlic, soy sauce, MSG, sesame oil, and mix well, let it marinate slightly before serving.
Effect: This medicinal dish has the effect of clearing heat and dampness, and is suitable for people with damp-heat in the large intestine and prone to diarrhea.
02Purslane Stir-Fried Eggs
Ingredients: 120g fresh purslane, 3 eggs, salt, yellow wine, oil, soy sauce, MSG to taste.
Method: Remove impurities from purslane, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, wash with clean water, and cut into sections. Beat the eggs, mix with purslane, add salt, yellow wine, soy sauce, and MSG for seasoning. Heat oil in a frying pan, pour in the purslane egg mixture, stir-fry until cooked, and serve.
Effect: This medicinal dish has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, and is suitable for people with weak spleen and stomach, especially those prone to diarrhea in summer and autumn. This is a traditional famous dish from Zhejiang, with a yellow-green color and a tender, crisp texture, deliciously salty and fresh.
03Purslane and Job’s Tears Porridge
Ingredients: 60g fresh purslane, 30g Job’s tears, 150g japonica rice, salt, chopped green onion, oil to taste.
Method: Wash purslane, blanch in boiling water, remove and chop. Heat oil in a pan, sauté chopped green onion until fragrant, add purslane, and stir-fry with salt until flavored, set aside. Wash japonica rice and Job’s tears, cook in a pot with appropriate water until done, add purslane, and cook until it becomes porridge, then serve.
Effect: This medicinal porridge has the effect of clearing heat and eliminating dampness, suitable for people with damp-heat accumulation manifested as bad breath, stomach pain, and loose stools.
04Purslane and Lotus Root Porridge
Ingredients: 30g purslane, 150g lotus root, 150g japonica rice, appropriate amount of brown sugar.
Method: Wash purslane, add appropriate amount of water in a clay pot, boil, strain to extract the juice. Wash and dice lotus root. Wash japonica rice and soak for 1 hour. Add japonica rice to the medicinal juice, boil, add diced lotus root, and simmer until it becomes porridge, then mix in brown sugar before serving.
Effect: This medicinal porridge has the effect of cooling blood and stopping bleeding, suitable for people with damp-heat accumulation causing hemorrhoidal bleeding and yellow urine.
05Purslane Buns
Ingredients: 300g dried purslane, 600g flour, 120g tofu skin, 6g yeast, salt, soy sauce, oil to taste.
Method: Soak purslane in warm water, remove impurities, wash with cold water, squeeze out excess water, chop finely with tofu skin, mix with salt, soy sauce, and oil to make the filling. Add yeast and water to flour, knead into a dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled. Remove the dough, punch down, roll into a log, divide into pieces, shape into buns, and steam until cooked.
Effect: This medicinal dish has the effect of clearing heat and transforming dampness, suitable for people with damp-heat in the large intestine, soft stools, and burning sensation in the anus.
06Fresh Purslane Pancakes
Ingredients: 120g fresh purslane, 180g flour, 1 egg, chopped green onion, salt, five-spice powder, edible oil to taste.
Method: Chop washed purslane and green onion, place in a bowl. Beat the egg and add it, then add flour, appropriate water, salt, and five-spice powder, and mix into a batter. Brush a thin layer of oil in a frying pan, heat until hot, pour in an appropriate amount of batter, rotate the pan to form a round shape. Once one side is set and golden, flip to cook the other side until golden brown.
Effect: This medicinal dish has the effect of clearing heat and transforming dampness, suitable for people with damp-heat constitution.
This article is compiled from the China Traditional Chinese Medicine News, Science Popularization China, and others.