There are many ways to utilize fruits for health care. Besides eating them fresh, drying, making smoothies, you can also cook them.
Healthy Cooked Fruits
Each fruit has its own flavor and contains unique nutrients, making them suitable for various cooking methods. Some fruits are better eaten raw, while others double their nutritional value when cooked, making them healthier. Cooking methods can vary from steaming and boiling to more elaborate preparations.
Here are 6 common fruits that can be simply boiled or steamed, transforming them into valuable remedies that enhance nutrition and are easier to absorb:
1. Oranges
Cooked oranges are also considered easier to eat and have fewer side effects for children.
An important note when cooking oranges is to keep the peel on. The peel contains anti-inflammatory substances similar to indomethacin, often used to reduce fever, relieve pain, and combat inflammation. Many studies have shown that orange peel is effective in supporting asthma treatment and thinning mucus. Additionally, beta-cryptoxanthin found in orange peel may help in treating lung cancer.
Notably, these beneficial compounds can only be released from the orange peel after cooking. The simplest way to extract them is by steaming the oranges, often with salt. Cooked oranges are believed to be easier to eat and have fewer side effects for children.
2. Apples
Experts suggest that the simpler the cooking method for apples, with less oil and spices, the better. For example, boiling, steaming, or microwaving while preserving the apple’s skin is recommended.
The pectin in apples, which helps with weight loss, lowers blood fat, and reduces blood sugar, increases ninefold after cooking, making it easier to absorb. The polyphenols in cooked apples are also higher, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health, provides antioxidant effects, and helps prevent cancer. Eating cooked apples is more effective in increasing albumin levels, cleansing blood vessels, and reducing blood clots. Moreover, cooking apples reduces sugar content while increasing fiber and water content, making them easier to digest.
3. Grapefruits
Grapefruits are rich in protein, organic acids, vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and other essential elements for the human body. Cooked grapefruits are beneficial for the stomach, help regulate qi, relieve phlegm, keep the lungs moist, promote digestion, and boost blood circulation.
They can speed up the healing process and provide good support for septic infections. Eating grapefruits may reduce anger and inhibit mouth ulcers. Furthermore, the hesperidin and naringin in grapefruit peel can reduce blood viscosity and decrease the formation of blood clots. The most common method to cook grapefruits for medicinal purposes is to steam them with honey or sugar. Grapefruit tea can also be made from fresh grapefruits.
4. Hawthorn Berries
Hawthorn berries, when cooked, are known for their ability to enhance taste and aid digestion. They contain a large amount of organic acids and glycolic acid, which stimulate the appetite, strengthen the spleen, reduce bloating and gas, and support digestion.
Cooking hawthorn berries makes them easier to eat and better for digestion, as consuming them raw can irritate the digestive tract and may be difficult for many people. The simplest methods are to boil or steam them, or brew them as tea. For treating constipation or for nourishment, steaming with rock sugar is recommended.
5. Bananas
The resistant starch in cooked bananas helps lower blood sugar levels.
For this fruit, boiling or steaming is the best way to achieve health benefits and weight loss. After cooking, the fiber and pectin content in bananas increase significantly. Moreover, the vitamin and mineral content does not disappear and becomes easier to absorb due to the heat reaction. Cooked bananas also have laxative effects, nourish the lungs, and are easier to digest.
The resistant starch in cooked bananas helps to lower blood sugar levels. Eating boiled bananas with the peel can treat constipation and both internal and external hemorrhoids. Additionally, consuming cooked bananas is beneficial for heart health, supports sleep, and aids in weight loss. It is advised not to eat more than three boiled/steamed bananas per day and to choose ripe but not overly ripe bananas.
6. Pears
Cooked pears have a cooling effect, a slightly sour taste, and function to clear heat, moisten the lungs, relieve phlegm, and reduce cough…
Pears are commonly eaten fresh; however, there are two drawbacks to consuming them raw: their fiber is quite hard to digest and their cold nature can easily harm the spleen. Cooking pears, especially steaming, is a popular remedy in traditional medicine that addresses the aforementioned drawbacks.
Cooked pears have a cooling effect, a slightly sour taste, and help to clear heat, moisten the lungs, relieve phlegm, reduce cough, calm the mind, nourish blood, generate body fluids, moisten the intestines, and detoxify. They are often steamed with rock sugar, honey, sugar cane, or other expectorant herbs. Not only do they reduce cough, but steamed pears are particularly suitable for individuals with asthma, chronic lung disease, and chronic cough.
Of course, pears can also be boiled on low heat or steamed alone. They are also an ingredient used to cook porridge or nutritious soups. After cooking, the fiber content in pears becomes easier to absorb. Cooked pears are believed to enhance detoxification and promote healthy nails and hair.
