When were cucumbers and tomatoes introduced to China?

Cucumber was originally called Hugua, which was brought back by Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty when he was on an envoy to the Western Regions. Hugua was renamed cucumber, which started in Hou Zhao.

Shi Le, the founder of the Later Zhao Dynasty, was originally a member of the Jie tribe who entered the fortress. After he ascended the throne as emperor in Xiangguo (now Xingtai, Hebei Province), he was very angry that the people in his country called the Jie people Hu people. Shi Le formulated a law: no matter whether speaking or writing, the word "Hu" is strictly prohibited, and offenders will be beheaded.

One day, Shi Le summoned local officials in Shan Yuting. When he saw Fan Tan, the governor of Xiangguo County, wearing patched rags to see him, he was very dissatisfied. He asked immediately: "Fan Tan, why did you come to see me disheveled?" Fan Tan was in a panic and didn't know how to answer, so he casually replied: "It's all because the barbarians have no morals and robbed all the clothes. I have no choice but to come to court in tatters." As soon as he finished speaking, he realized that he had violated the prohibition and hurriedly knelt down to plead guilty. Seeing that he was aware of his sin, Shi Le stopped blaming him. When it was time for the routine "imperial lunch" after the summons, Shi Le pointed to a plate of courgettes and asked Fan Tan, "Do you know the name of this thing?" Fan Tan saw that Shi Le was deliberately questioning him, so he respectfully asked. He replied: "Purple table delicacies, silver cups of green tea, gold bottles of nectar, jade plates of cucumbers." After hearing this, Shi Le smiled with satisfaction.

Since then, courgette has been called cucumber, and it has spread among the government and the public. By the Tang Dynasty, cucumbers had become a common vegetable in the north and south. There are many types of cucumbers now, which are roughly divided into spring cucumbers, rack cucumbers and dry cucumbers. The varieties that are famous throughout the country are Beijing thorn melon and Ningyang thorn melon with beautiful appearance, thin skin, thick flesh and small flesh.

Cucumber (huanggua) (Cucumisativus), Cucurbitaceae, genus Cucumber. Annual creeping or climbing herb with slender stems, longitudinal ribs, and short bristles.

The root system of cucumber is shallow and its regeneration ability is weak. The stems are vine-like, up to 3 meters long and branched. The leaves are palmate, large and thin, with finely serrated edges. Flowers are usually unisexual, monoecious. Gourd fruit, several centimeters to more than 70 centimeters long. The color of young fruits ranges from milky white to dark green. The fruit surface is smooth or has white, brown or black knobs and spines. Some fruits have a bitter taste from cucurbitacins. The seeds are flat, oblong, with light yellow seed coat. The main types of cucumbers cultivated in China are: North China type, mainly distributed in the provinces north of the Yangtze River; South China type, mainly distributed in the southeastern coastal provinces; British greenhouse type, European and American cold salad raw food type and pickled processed type. Cucumber is a temperature-loving crop. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 25-30℃, and the suitable temperature for growth is 18-32℃. Cucumbers have strict requirements on soil moisture conditions. Sufficient water needs to be supplied during growth, but the roots are not tolerant of hypoxia and high concentrations of soil nutrients. The optimal soil pH value is 5.5 to 7.2. Cucumbers can be cultivated in all seasons. During winter and spring cultivation, seedlings are often used for planting. Cucumbers are often cultivated on supports, and cucumbers without supports are called ground cucumbers. The growth period is long and the amount of fertilizer is large. In China, basal fertilizer is mainly used, and top dressing is applied many times during the growth period. Water appropriately in areas with little rain, and pay attention to drainage and waterlogging prevention in areas with heavy rain. Harvesting is carried out in stages. Tender fruits are generally harvested 7 to 15 days after the female flowers bloom. The main diseases include downy mildew, powdery mildew, fusarium wilt, blight, angular spot and anthracnose. The main pests are: cotton aphids, red spider mites, greenhouse whiteflies, polyphagous mites, yellow cucumbers and seed flies. Cucumbers are often outcrossed crops and should be collected in isolation. The young fruits are eaten as vegetables. The pulp can be eaten raw. The protease contained in it helps the body digest and absorb protein, and the fruit can be pickled in sour or pickled sauce.

The genus is the fruit of the cucumber, a plant in the Cucurbitaceae family.

Also known as courgette, thorn melon, and king melon.

Nature, flavor and efficacy: Cool in nature and sweet in taste; enters the lung, stomach and large intestine meridians.

Effects: Clear heat and diuresis, detoxify and reduce swelling, produce body fluids and quench thirst. It is mainly used to treat diseases such as body heat and polydipsia, sore throat, eye diseases caused by wind-heat, jaundice due to damp-heat, and difficulty in urination.

Nutritional content: 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per 100 grams, 0.2 grams of fat, 1.6 to 2.0 grams of carbohydrates, 0.4 to 0.5 grams of ash, 15 to 19 mg of calcium, 29 to 33 mg of phosphorus, Iron 0.2 to 1.1 mg, carotene 0.2 to 0.3 mg, thiamine 0.02 to 0.04 mg, riboflavin 0.04 to 0.4 mg, niacin 0.2 to 0.3 mg, ascorbic acid 4 to 11 mg. In addition, it also contains glucose, rhamnose, galactose, mannose, xylose, fructose, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, a variety of free amino acids, volatile oils, cucurbitacins, cucumber enzymes, etc.

Therapeutic effects

1. Anti-tumor Cucurbitacin C contained in cucumber can improve the body's immune function and achieve anti-tumor purposes. In addition, this substance can also treat chronic hepatitis and persistent hepatitis, and can prolong the survival of patients with primary liver cancer.

2. Anti-aging Cucumber is rich in vitamin E, which can prolong life and resist aging. The cucumber enzyme in cucumber has strong biological activity and can effectively promote the body's metabolism. Apply cucumber juice to the skin to moisturize and relax wrinkles.

3． Prevent alcoholism: The alanine, arginine and glutamine contained in cucumbers have certain auxiliary therapeutic effects on liver patients, especially those with alcoholic cirrhosis, and can prevent and treat alcoholism.

4. Hypoglycemic: The glucoside and fructose contained in cucumbers do not participate in normal sugar metabolism. Therefore, if people with diabetes eat cucumbers instead of starchy foods to satisfy their hunger, their blood sugar will not rise but may even decrease.

5． Lose weight and strengthen body. The propanedioic acid contained in cucumbers can inhibit the conversion of carbohydrates into fat. In addition, the fiber in cucumbers has a certain effect on promoting the elimination of putrefactive substances in the human intestine and lowering cholesterol, and can strengthen the body.

6． Cucumber, which strengthens the brain and calms the nerves, contains vitamin B1, which is beneficial to improving the function of the brain and nervous system, calming the mind and helping to treat insomnia.

Healthy recipes

1. Sweet and sour cucumber slices: 500 grams of cucumber, appropriate amounts of refined salt, white sugar, and white vinegar. First remove the seeds from the cucumber, wash it, cut it into thin slices, and marinate it with salt for 30 minutes; wash away some of the salty taste of the cucumber with cold boiling water. After the water is dry, add salt, sugar, and vinegar and marinate it for 1 hour. This dish is sweet and sour, has the effects of clearing away heat and appetizing, producing body fluids and quenching thirst. It is suitable for polydipsia, greasy mouth, epigastrium and other diseases, especially in summer.

2. Seaweed and Cucumber Soup: 150 grams of cucumber, 15 grams of seaweed, and appropriate amount of dried shrimps. First wash the cucumber and cut it into diamond-shaped slices, wash the seaweed and dried seaweed; add clear soup to the pot, and after it boils, add the cucumber, seaweed, refined salt, and soy sauce. After boiling, skim off the foam, add the seaweed, and pour on top. sesame oil, sprinkle in MSG and mix thoroughly. This soup has the effect of clearing away heat and nourishing the kidneys, and is suitable for menopausal women suffering from kidney deficiency and heat.

3． Mix hawthorn juice with 5 cucumbers, 30 grams of wild vegetables, and 50 grams of sugar. First, peel the core and both ends of the cucumber, wash and cut into strips; wash the hawthorn, add 200 ml of water to the pot, cook for about 15 minutes, and take 100 ml of juice; put the cucumber strips into the pot, add water to cook, and remove the hawthorn. Add sugar to the juice and simmer over low heat. When the sugar melts, add the dried cucumber strips and mix well. This dish has the functions of clearing away heat, lowering fat, losing weight and eliminating accumulation. It is effective for people with obesity, high blood pressure, and sore throat.

4. Cucumber and Dandelion Porridge: 50 grams each of cucumber and rice, and 30 grams of fresh dandelion. First wash and slice the cucumbers, wash and chop the dandelions; wash the rice and put it into the pot first, add 1000 ml of water, and cook the porridge as usual. When the porridge is cooked, add the cucumbers and dandelions, cook for a while, and then it is ready to eat. This porridge has the effects of clearing away heat, relieving summer heat, diuresis and reducing swelling. It is suitable for symptoms such as excessive heat and poison, swelling and pain in the throat, eye diseases due to wind-heat, short and red urine.

Precautions: Cucumber is cool in nature, and eating it may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea in patients with cold stomach.

The disease is characterized by body heat, thirst, and burns. "

"Southern Yunnan Materia Medica": "Relieves spasm and heat poison, and clears up polydipsia."

"Materia Medica for Truth": "Smells sweet. Cold, it can clear away heat and promote water circulation."

Cultural Appreciation

Prince Zhanghuai of the Tang Dynasty. "Huangtai Melon Ci": "'Grow melons under the yellow platform, and the ripe seeds will separate. One pick will make the melons good, another pick will make the melons thin. Three picks will still be good, and four picks will return with vines."

Su Wu of Song Dynasty. "Selling Cucumbers": "Jujube flowers are falling in the clusters of clothes, and nest carts are ringing in the south and north of the village. Cows and old willows are selling cucumbers, but they are sleepy after a long road. The people in Rigao are thirsty and think about tea. They knock on the door and ask questions about the wild people. ”

Qing Dynasty Wu Weiye. "Ode to the King of Melons": "Who can wait when we pick melons together? The car will be full when we leave early, the weak vines will lead to the beetles, and the bows will fall in love with the yellow flowers. The drunken guests should feel refreshed, and the cold pillows will easily tilt. The people of Qi compiled the moon order, and the melon road "Respecting the Wang Family", Huang Zhijun of the Qing Dynasty. "King of Plants, Melons, Fences, Beans and Vegetables": "In the end, I hugged the urn body, and the five tripods did not form a feast. If you know the melon urn, it is my roots and vines. The vines cover the field, and the roots lead to the underworld. To tell my parents , poor and humble people are pitiful."

Historical legend: Cucumber is originally from India. It was brought back to China by Zhang Sai when he was on a mission to the Western Regions. It was called courgette at that time. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Shi Le, a member of the Jie tribe, became the king of Later Zhao. He was dissatisfied with the Han people calling the northern ethnic minorities "Hu people", so in order to avoid the taboo word "Hu", he changed their name to Hugua. Some southerners have difficulty distinguishing the pronunciation of the words "黄" and "王", so they also call it "Wang Gua".

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is also known as persimmon, tomato, and tangerine honey. English name: Tomato, love apple. The natural production period is from January to May, and the peak production period is from October to November.

Solanaceae, subgenus Tomato. It is an annual or perennial herb with a plant height of up to 1.5 to 2 meters; the plants are of two types: dwarf and creeping. The whole plant has sticky glandular hairs and a strong smell. The leaves are pinnately compound or pinnately deeply lobed, with irregular serrated or lobed edges. The leaflets are oval or oblong and even-pinnate. They bloom in summer and autumn. Racemes or cymes are epiaxillary, with 3 to 7 flowers. Each flower is yellow, with 5 to 7 lobes in the calyx and corolla, 5 to 7 stamens, and the anthers are combined into a long cone shape. The berries are oblate, round or cherry-shaped, red, yellow or pink. The seeds are flat, hairy, and grayish-yellow. Sex likes warmth. It is native to South America and is widely cultivated in my country. Generally, seedlings are raised in protected areas in winter and spring, with spring cultivation mainly and winter greenhouse cultivation. The fruit is rich in nutrients and contains many vitamins. As vegetables or fruits. It can also be made into canned food.

Nature and flavor: sweet, sour, cool in nature.

Ingredients This product is rich in vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, organic acids and a small amount of protein. It has the functions of promoting digestion, diuresis and inhibiting various bacteria. Vitamin D in tomatoes can protect blood vessels and treat high blood pressure. Tomatoes contain glutathione, which can delay cell aging and increase the body's anti-cancer ability.

Carotene in tomatoes can protect skin elasticity, promote bone calcification, and prevent and treat rickets, night blindness and xerophthalmia.

Functions: Clear away heat and promote fluid production, nourish yin and cool blood, strengthen stomach and digestion.

[Hypertension, chronic hepatitis] 250 grams of fresh tomatoes, washed and cut into pieces; 100 grams of beef cut into thin slices, seasoned with a little oil, salt, and sugar and cooked together for serving. Once a day.

[Weakness and blood deficiency, malnutrition, dizziness] 100 grams of tomatoes, 100 grams of pork liver, 100 grams of japonica rice, and 3 slices of ginger. First wash and slice the pork liver, mix it with salt, soy sauce, cornstarch and rice wine; wash the tomatoes and cut them into pieces; wash the ginger, peel and shred it; wash the japonica rice and put it into the pot, add an appropriate amount of water and simmer Simmer for 20 minutes, add tomatoes and ginger, cook for 10 minutes, then add pork liver, boil for a few minutes until the liver is just cooked, season and serve.

[Febrile disease damages body fluids, dry throat, and polydipsia during summer heat] 250 grams of tomatoes, 200 grams of grass carp meat, an appropriate amount of tofu, 1 pinch of Nostoc, and 1 green onion. First, wash the grass carp meat, dry it and chop it into pieces. Add the seasoning, nostrils, chopped green onion and mix well to make fish balls. Put the tofu into the pot, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, add tomatoes, boil again, add fish balls and cook, season and serve.

[Gastric ulcer disease] Mix 150 ml of tomato juice and 150 ml of potato juice, once in the morning and once in the evening.

[Bleeding gums] Eat tomatoes instead of fruits. Eat 4 pieces (about 250 grams) a day. Take it for more than 2 weeks to see the effect.

[High temperature heat stroke] Wash and slice 200 grams of tomatoes, decoct them into soup instead of tea, either hot or cold.

[Hypertension, fundus bleeding] Eat 2 raw fresh tomatoes on an empty stomach every morning, for half a month as a course of treatment.

Nutritionists believe that as long as 100-200 grams of fresh tomatoes are eaten raw every day, you can ensure the vitamins and minerals needed by the human body. However, you should pay attention to the following points when eating raw foods:

1. It is not advisable to eat immature tomatoes. Immature raw tomatoes contain solanine, which can cause bitterness in the mouth and upset stomach after eating. Eating too much can lead to poisoning.

2. It is not advisable to eat a large amount of tomatoes on an empty stomach, because tomatoes contain a lot of gum, pectin, persimmon phenol and other components, which can easily combine with gastric acid to form massive stones, causing stomach distension and pain.

3. Patients suffering from acute gastroenteritis and acute bacillary dysentery should not eat tomatoes to avoid aggravation of the condition.

4. Do not eat rotten tomatoes to prevent poisoning.

Taboos People with weak spleen and stomach should not take more.

The word "fan" for tomato is sometimes also written as "fan" starting with the prefix grass. Native to Central and South America, it is now widely grown as an edible fruit and vegetable throughout the world. There are different opinions about where tomatoes originally grew. It is generally believed that the first people to cultivate tomatoes were Peruvians. From the 16th to the 17th century, Europeans introduced it as a precious ornamental plant. It began to be cultivated as a vegetable in southern Europe in the 18th century. It was not until the mid-20th century that experts and scholars discovered that the tomato was native to the forests of Peru and Mexico in South America. The indigenous people in South America saw that the fruits of tomatoes were clusters of small and bright red fruits and suspected that they were highly poisonous, so they named it It is called "wolf peach" to warn others not to eat it. This fruit has a history of 2,000 years in South America. In the 16th century, a British Duke traveled to the Americas. He fell in love with this fruit when he first saw it, so he brought tomatoes back to England as a tribute to his lover, Queen Elizabeth. Europeans call it the "apple of love". But at that time, it was only planted in my own garden as a precious ornamental plant. (See also the last paragraph)

There are many stories about eating tomatoes. For example, in the 18th century, a French painter was so attracted to tomatoes that he risked "death" by eating them. He had two or three tomatoes and found them delicious. After his publicity, more and more people ate tomatoes. (See also the last paragraph)

Tomatoes were introduced to China around the Ming Dynasty, and were called "Persimmons" at that time. Because they were popular with persimmons, were red in color, and came from the West, the name "tomatoes" name. It was introduced to Japan from China, and Japan also calls it "Tang persimmon". Historically, the Chinese people were accustomed to adding the word "fan" to things introduced from abroad, so they also called them "tomatoes". It is commonly known as "stinky persimmon" in northern Taiwan, and "ganzai honey" (Taiwanese) in the south.

Nowadays, tomatoes are mainly eaten as vegetables. Due to the acidic content, tomatoes are easy to can and preserve, and tomato paste and tomato juice are also common processed products. Tomato seeds contain fat that can be used to refine cooking oil. It also contains nutrients such as sugar, organic acids, and vitamins. The sugars are mainly glucose and fructose, and the acids are mainly citric acid and malic acid.

According to the classification method of American botanist Charles Rick, the genus Tomato can be divided into the following nine species:

Common tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Gooseberry Tomato (L. pimpinellifolium)

Chessmanii tomato (L. cheesmanii)

Parviflorum (L. parviflorum)

Kmeliuski tomato (L. chmeilewskii)

Hairy tomato (L. hirsutum)

Chilean tomato (L. chilense)

Peruvian tomato (L. peruvianum)

Pennellii tomato (L. pennellii)

Among them, common tomatoes are mainly cultivated in agriculture.

Note: Green tomatoes contain solanine, which has a strong stimulating effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa, paralyzes the central nervous system, and can cause vomiting, dizziness, salivation and other symptoms. Raw food is more harmful.

The genus is the fresh fruit of tomato, a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family.

Also known as tomato, persimmon, sweet plum and fire persimmon.

Meridian distribution of nature and flavor is slightly cold, sweet and sour in taste; it enters the spleen, stomach and kidney meridians.

Efficacy: It mainly treats the production of body fluids and quenching thirst, strengthening the stomach and digestion, cooling blood and calming the liver, clearing away heat and detoxifying. It is mainly used to treat symptoms such as thirst, loss of appetite, hyperactivity of liver yang, heat in the stomach, bitter taste in the mouth, and irritability due to fever.

Nutritional information: Each 100 grams contains 0.6 grams of protein, 0.2 grams of fat, 3.3 grams of carbohydrates, 22 mg of phosphorus, 0.3 mg of iron, 0.25 mg of carotene, and sulfur. Amine 0.3 mg, riboflavin 0.03 mg, niacin 0.6 mg, ascorbic acid 11 mg. In addition, it also contains vitamin P, tomato j, glutathione, malic acid, citric acid, etc.

Therapeutic effects

1. Promote digestion: The citric acid, malic acid and sugar in tomatoes can promote digestion. Lycopene has an inhibitory effect on a variety of bacteria and also has the function of aiding digestion.

2. Protect skin elasticity and promote bone development. Tomatoes contain carotene, which can protect skin elasticity and promote bone calcification. It can also prevent and treat rickets, night blindness and xerophthalmia in children.

3． Prevent and Treat Cardiovascular Diseases The biological salts produced by cholesterol can be combined with tomato fiber and excreted from the body through the digestive system. The human body needs biological salts to decompose intestinal fat, and the human body needs to supplement biological salts with cholesterol, which reduces the cholesterol content in the blood and causes To prevent and treat atherosclerosis; vitamin B in tomatoes can also protect blood vessels and prevent and treat high blood pressure.

4. Anti-cancer and anti-aging Tomatoes contain a substance called glutathione. When the content of this substance in the body increases, the incidence of cancer decreases significantly. In addition, this substance can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, make people's hypopigmentation disappear, reduce freckles, and play a beauty role.

5． Anti-fatigue, liver protection: The vitamin B1 contained in tomatoes is beneficial to brain development and relieves brain cell fatigue; the mercury chloride contained in tomatoes has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on liver diseases.

Healthy recipes

1. Milk tomatoes: 200 ml of fresh milk, 250 g of tomatoes, 3 fresh eggs. Wash the tomatoes first and cut them into pieces for later use; make starch into juice with fresh milk and fry the eggs into poached eggs for later use; boil the fresh milk juice, add tomatoes and poached eggs and cook for a while, then add refined salt, sugar, peanut oil and pepper and mix thoroughly. become. This soup is delicious, rich in nutrients, has the effect of strengthening the spleen and stomach, and tonifying the middle and replenishing qi. It is suitable for the elderly and infirm, and is suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach.

2. Stir-fried pork slices with tomatoes: 200 grams each of lean meat and tomatoes, 50 grams of kidney beans, and appropriate amounts of onions, ginger, and garlic. First, cut the pork into thin slices and cut the tomatoes into chunks; remove tendons from the kidney beans, wash them, and cut them into segments; put 50 ml of oil in the wok and heat it until it is 70% hot. Add the sliced ??meat, green onions, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry them first. Stir-fry until the meat turns white, then add tomatoes, beans and salt and stir-fry lightly. Add an appropriate amount of soup to the pot, simmer for a while, add a little MSG when you put it in the pot, stir well. This dish has the effects of strengthening the stomach, digesting food, and replenishing the middle and replenishing qi. It is especially suitable for patients with spleen and stomach disharmony and loss of appetite.

3． Tomatoes mixed with sugar: 4 tomatoes, 100 grams of soft white sugar. First wash the tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water, remove the stems and skin, cut them in half, then cut them into crescents, put them on a plate, add sugar and mix well. This dish has the effects of producing body fluids, quenching thirst, strengthening the stomach and calming the liver. It is suitable for fever, dry mouth and thirst, high blood pressure and other diseases.

4. Tomato and tofu soup: 200 grams each of tomatoes and tofu, 50 grams of edamame, and a little sugar. Slice the tofu, blanch it in boiling water, drain and set aside; wash the tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water, peel them, chop into fine pieces, stir-fry in oil, add refined salt, sugar and MSG, stir-fry for a few times and set aside; wash the edamame rice ; Add clear soup, edamame, refined salt, sugar, monosodium glutamate, pepper, and tofu to the pan and bring to a boil. Thicken the gravy with wet starch, add tomato sauce, mix evenly, and serve. This soup has the effects of tonifying the spleen and stomach, replenishing qi and neutralizing qi, producing fluid and quenching thirst. It is suitable for diseases such as spleen and stomach deficiency, poor diet, indigestion, abdominal distension and other symptoms. Ordinary people eat it to strengthen the body and prevent and resist diseases.

Notes: Tomatoes are cold in nature and people with loose stools and diarrhea should not eat too much.

"Lu Chuan Materia Medica": "Produces fluid to quench thirst, strengthens the stomach and eliminates food, cures thirst and loss of appetite."

"Food, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Recipes": "clears away heat and detoxifies, cools blood and calms liver".

Cultural Appreciation Historical Legend: Tomatoes are native to South America, and the locals gave them a terrible name - Wolf Peach. For a long time, people have changed their minds when talking about "wolf peach" and were intimidated by it. In the 16th century, the British Duke Oudari traveled to America and bravely picked a "wolf peach" as a gift when he returned home. His lover Queen Elizabeth. Since then, the wolf peach has been dubbed the "Love Apple" by Europeans.

In the 18th century, when a French painter was sketching tomatoes, he saw its beautiful hibiscus color and bright berries. He was tempted to taste tomatoes and took the risk to eat one. Not only did he not have any symptoms after eating Discomfort, feeling sweet and sour. From then on, the way to eat tomatoes was created.