How many steps are needed to “eat” a dragon?

The dragon has a special meaning in my country. In ancient legends, the dragon is a magical animal, one of the symbols of the Chinese nation, and a symbol of auspiciousness. As a unique cultural cohesion and accumulation of China, it has taken root and is deeply hidden in everyone's subconscious. The arrival of the Year of the Dragon makes people full of expectations for the new year.

Since it’s the Year of the Dragon, let’s talk about foods that have the word “dragon” in their names, take stock of what they are, and see if their nutritional value is as great as the dragon.

Animal foods

1. Crayfish and lobster

Their names are similar, but they are not the same species. There are some differences. Crayfish is an animal of the family Crayfish, also known as Procambarus clarkii, red crayfish, and crayfish; while lobster is an animal of the family Hominidae, also known as prawn, dragon head prawn, shrimp king, and sea shrimp. Crayfish has two "big claws", while lobster does not.

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Nutritionally, they are both low-calorie, low-fat, high-protein crustaceans. The protein, potassium, zinc and cholesterol content of lobster is higher than that of crayfish.

2. Longli fish

Longli fish is very popular among fish. It is very convenient to eat. It has only one main bone and big thorns, no small thorns, and the meat is tender, especially suitable for the elderly and children. In addition, the mass fraction of umami amino acids in the muscle of longli fish is higher than that of basa fish, tilapia, and tuna, which means that the taste and flavor of longli fish are more delicious. In terms of nutrition, longli fish is rich in high-quality protein, low in fat, and rich in n-3 series unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial to cardiovascular health.

Vegetables

1. Agaricus balsamifera

The name "gracilis" is widely used. There is a large seaweed plant called gracilis, which is rich in polysaccharides and is beneficial in controlling blood sugar, improving immunity, and maintaining the balance of intestinal flora. In addition, the tender shoots of asparagus, pea tips, and chayote plants are also called gracilis.

2. Dragon head vegetable

Dragon head vegetable is fern, originally a natural wild vegetable, but now there are many artificially cultivated fern on the market. The nutritional advantage of fern is that it is rich in mineral potassium and carotene. The former helps control blood pressure, while the latter can be converted into vitamin A in the body, which is good for the health of eyes and skin.

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There is a rumor among the people that eating bracken can cause cancer. Indeed, studies have shown that bracken can cause tumors in multiple parts of many animals, and bracken has been found to be closely related to upper digestive tract cancer in humans in countries such as Japan. Eating bracken can increase the incidence of esophageal cancer and gastric cancer by 5.1 to 8.1 times.

However, there is no need to worry. The main carcinogen in bracken is prototaxol, which belongs to Class 3 carcinogens, which means that there is currently insufficient evidence to show that the substance is carcinogenic to humans and animals. Moreover, prototaxol is mainly concentrated in the head, which is also relatively afraid of heat. After removing the head of fresh bracken, blanching it in water above 90°C for 30 seconds can reduce the content of prototaxol to zero; bracken can also be pickled and eaten, pickled with a salt concentration of more than 5% for more than 3 days or fermented with lactic acid bacteria for 3 days or more, which can also greatly reduce the content of prototaxol, or even reduce it to zero.

Therefore, when eating bracken, you must blanch it in boiling water for more than 30 seconds, or you can pickle it before eating, so you don’t have to worry about cancer.

3. Dragon Horn

Dragon horn is actually the aquatic plant water chestnut that we are familiar with. Although it belongs to the category of aquatic vegetables, its carbohydrate content is not low, up to 21.4g/100g, which is higher than the potatoes we usually eat. It can completely replace part of the staple food. Water chestnuts are also good in dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium and other nutrients. The potassium content is 437mg/100g, which is nearly 1.3 times that of potatoes. It is still very helpful for controlling blood pressure. However, it should be noted that it must be heated and cooked thoroughly before eating. Eating it raw may cause infection with ginger worms.

Fruit

1. Dragon Fruit

This fruit is very familiar to everyone. It belongs to the cactus family. Because the peel looks a bit like dragon scales, it is called "dragon fruit". It is often regarded as a "dung pusher". Its dietary fiber is quite good among fruits, higher than the apples, tangerines, oranges, peaches, etc. that we often eat, especially the small black seeds inside, which are the main contributor of dietary fiber.

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2. Dragon fruit

In fact, it is a kind of apple produced in California, USA. The skin of this apple is darker and harder, and tastes sweet and sour. It is not particularly nutritious, but it looks very good.

3. Longan

Longan, also known as longan, is a fruit unique to southern my country. It is a food that is both medicinal and edible. It has been regarded as a tonic since ancient times and is known as the "small ginseng of the south". In terms of nutrition, the content of vitamin C and potassium in fresh longan is quite good, 43mg/100g and 248mg/100g respectively, which is better than lychee. At the same time, the calorie content of longan is the same as that of lychee, both are 71kcal/100g, which is higher than the tangerines, oranges, apples, strawberries, etc. that we often eat. Those who want to lose weight should control their intake!

Staple foods, sugars

1. Longxu Noodles

Longxu noodles are thin noodles with a low GI value, which is more friendly to blood sugar than dried noodles. However, in order to balance nutrition, it is recommended to eat them with some vegetables and protein, such as rapeseed fried egg noodles, tomato and egg noodles, chicken and green vegetable noodles, cabbage and tofu noodles, etc.

2. Meat Dragon

Roulong is a traditional noodle dish that is quite popular in Beijing. Roll the fermented dough into thin slices, spread the meat filling evenly, roll it up into a long strip of meat roll, steam it, cut it into pieces and eat it. If you eat Roulong as a staple food, remember to pair it with vegetables!

3. Dragon Beard Crisp

Dragon's Beard Pastry is a traditional Chinese snack. It is white or yellowish in appearance, as thin as a dragon's beard, with distinct layers, melts in the mouth, and is sweet and crispy. It is usually made of white sugar and maltose syrup, which are repeatedly stretched and folded until each strand of sugar is as thin as a hair. At the same time, it is coated with raw materials such as bean flour, and auxiliary materials such as crushed peanuts and crushed sesame seeds can also be added.

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Although dragon beard crisps are delicious, they also contain a lot of added sugar. Eating too much can not only cause tooth decay, but also may make you fat, and it is not conducive to blood sugar control. So you have to control your diet!

After taking stock, there are quite a few foods with the word "dragon" in their names! Which one do you like best? Share them with your family! The auspicious rabbit bids farewell to the old and the dragon soars into the new year. I wish everyone a prosperous and bright future in the Year of the Dragon!

This article is a work of Science Popularization China-Starry Sky Project

Produced by: Science Popularization Department of China Association for Science and Technology

Producer｜China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd., Beijing Zhongke Xinghe Culture Media Co., Ltd.

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered nutritionist

Reviewer: Ruan Guangfeng, Director of Science and Technology Department, Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center