How to Eat Loquat
As a unique golden fruit of Jiangnan, loquat not only tastes sweet but is also rich in nutrition. This fruit, covered with a fuzzy exterior, is praised as the "sacred remedy for moistening the lungs" in traditional Chinese medicine. But how to eat it properly to achieve maximum benefits? What is the relationship between its cold-hot properties and health benefits? Let's fully understand this from a scientific perspective.
Three Classic Ways to Enjoy Loquat
1. Raw Consumption to Preserve Nutrition
Eating loquat directly is the best way to maintain its nutrients. Choose fruits with intact skin and a golden color, soak them in light salt water for 10 minutes, then rinse under running water to remove the fuzz and surface impurities. Ripe loquat flesh is delicate and juicy, rich in vitamin B17 and amygdalin. It is recommended to limit daily consumption to 200 grams.
2. Creative Juice Combination Rules
Combine the seedless flesh with apples and pears in a 2:1:1 ratio, add 200ml of warm water, and juice. This can balance the slightly sour taste of loquat. The added pear juice can enhance the effect of moistening the lungs, making this combination especially suitable for people with dry throat and cough.
3. Traditional Loquat Syrup Making Tips
Traditional loquat syrup should follow the "three removals" principle: remove the fuzz, inner membrane, and pit. Slowly simmer with rock sugar in a 5:1 ratio. The ursolic acid in the flesh can be better extracted. Eating it chilled can relieve sore throat and swelling, but diabetics should use it with caution.
Unlocking the Cold Nature of Loquat
The "Compendium of Materia Medica" clearly records that loquat is a cool fruit, with its cold nature mainly due to the rich tannins and malic acid. People with a deficiency of Yang should combine it with warm ingredients like longan and red dates to neutralize the cold nature and enhance the tonic effect. Pregnant women should not consume more than 5 loquats a day, and women during their period should temporarily stop eating.
Modern research has confirmed that the oleanolic acid component in loquat has significant anti-inflammatory effects. Combined with its cool nature, it has special therapeutic effects on symptoms such as wind-heat cough and stomach heat. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the taboos of combining with warm herbs, avoiding consumption with cinnamon and ginger.