Article 73: Foods for Lowering Lipids and Losing Weight: Apples, Hawthorn, Grapefruit, Strawberries, Lemons, Arborvitae Seeds, Pine Nuts, Lotus Seeds, Jujubes, Papaya, Plums

Apples are neutral in nature and sweet and sour in taste. They have the effects of nourishing the heart and replenishing qi, enhancing memory, promoting body fluid production and quenching thirst, stopping diarrhea and moistening the lungs, strengthening the stomach and spleen, relieving irritability, relieving summer heat, and sobering up. Modern research shows that apples contain a lot of malic acid, which can break down fat accumulated in the body and prevent obesity. Malic acid can lower cholesterol and has an anti-atherosclerotic effect. Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol. Clinical observations have found that for patients with fatty liver and hyperlipidemia, eating two apples a day can effectively prevent cholesterol from increasing and help lower blood pressure and reduce blood sugar levels. Apples are also rich in dietary fiber, which can absorb a lot of water, slow down the body's absorption of sugar, and stimulate intestinal peristalsis to promote defecation. The occurrence of hypertension is often related to the accumulation of sodium in the body, and apples contain a certain amount of potassium salt, which can replace sodium salt in the blood and help lower blood pressure. Therefore, patients with hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and coronary heart disease should eat apples year-round without interruption, as this will greatly benefit their health.

Hawthorn is slightly warm in nature and has a sour and sweet taste. It possesses various health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and lipids, aiding digestion, promoting blood circulation, expelling parasites and stopping diarrhea, resolving phlegm and detoxifying, and refreshing the mind. It is suitable for coronary heart disease, hypertension, indigestion, phlegm retention, diarrhea, intestinal bleeding, lower back pain, hernia, postpartum lochia retention, and infantile food stagnation. Modern research shows that hawthorn mainly contains hawthorn acid, citric acid, vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, and other effective components, which have the effects of dilating blood vessels, improving microcirculation, lowering blood pressure, and promoting cholesterol excretion, thereby reducing blood lipids. Hawthorn has a lipid-lowering effect and is of great significance in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. Different extracts of hawthorn have a definite lipid-lowering effect on various hyperlipidemia models induced in different animals. It can not only lower blood cholesterol but also reduce lipid deposition in the liver, thus having a liver-protective effect. Hawthorn berries can be decocted in water and drunk as a tea substitute, or eaten as snacks such as hawthorn leather and hawthorn jam. This method can lower lipids without side effects and is a good way to treat hyperlipidemia and fatty liver. Regular consumption of hawthorn is beneficial for patients with hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, or hypertension. However, because hawthorn is acidic, long-term consumption may cause side effects such as acid reflux, stomach discomfort or pain, nausea, and mild diarrhea. Therefore, it is best to eat hawthorn after meals, not on an empty stomach. Patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers should be cautious as long-term consumption of hawthorn may worsen their ulcers.

Grapefruit is cold in nature and has a sour and sweet taste. It possesses antispasmodic, expectorant, stomach-strengthening, digestive, qi-regulating, hangover-relieving, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar-lowering, and lipid-lowering effects, making it suitable for indigestion, chronic bronchitis, hangovers, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hyperlipidemia. Modern research shows that high cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart disease by 60%, while grapefruit pectin can lower LDL cholesterol levels and reduce damage to arterial walls. Research by American scientists indicates that pectin extracted from natural grapefruit can not only lower LDL cholesterol levels but also reduce damage to arterial walls. Researchers claim that the pectin from eight grapefruit peels is sufficient to interfere with the absorption of LDL cholesterol in the small intestine. This pectin is a viscous substance that, when mixed with soy protein powder, is more easily utilized by the small intestine, thus enhancing its cholesterol-lowering effect.

Strawberries are cool in nature and sweet and sour in taste. They have the effects of moisturizing the lungs and promoting body fluid production, clearing heat and cooling the blood, and strengthening the spleen and relieving hangovers. The nutrients in strawberries are easily absorbed by the human body, making them a nourishing fruit suitable for the elderly, children, and those who are weak or ill. The vitamins and pectin in strawberries have certain effects on hypertension, hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, cerebral hemorrhage, constipation, and hemorrhoids.

Lemons are neutral in nature and have a sweet and sour taste. They have the effects of promoting saliva production, quenching thirst, relieving summer heat, and calming the fetus. Modern research shows that lemons contain a relatively high amount of citric acid, which can promote the secretion of gastric juice, promote intestinal peristalsis, and facilitate bowel movements. Lemon juice can also cleanse and beautify the skin, prevent and eliminate skin pigmentation, and regular use of cosmetics containing citric acid can make the skin smooth and delicate.

Arborvitae seed kernels are neutral in nature and have a pungent and sweet taste. They are effective in dispelling wind and dampness, nourishing the heart qi, and moistening kidney dryness. Modern research has found that arborvitae seed kernels are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol and soften blood vessels. They can help prevent and treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and obesity.

Pine nuts are neutral in nature and sweet in taste, possessing the effects of nourishing the intestines, moistening the intestines, and replenishing yin and fluids. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) states that pine nuts can "lighten the body, prevent aging, and prolong life." Pine nuts are sweet and delicious, containing a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids, as well as protein, carbohydrates, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and other components. Therefore, they have anti-aging and body-lightening effects.

Lotus seeds are neutral in nature and sweet and astringent in taste. They nourish the heart, benefit the kidneys, strengthen the spleen, and astringe the intestines. According to the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica), lotus seeds "nourish the middle and calm the spirit, boost energy, eliminate various diseases, and prolonged consumption leads to a lighter body, longevity, and reduced hunger." The *Bencao Shiyi* (Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica) states that they "blacken hair and prevent aging." The *Tu Jing Bencao* (Illustrated Compendium of Materia Medica) also says that "lotus seeds, when pounded and mixed with rice to make porridge, lighten the body, boost energy, and make one strong and healthy."

Sour jujube is neutral in nature and has a sour and sweet taste. It has the effects of nourishing the liver and calming the mind. The *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica) lists sour jujube as a superior herb, stating that "long-term consumption calms the five internal organs, lightens the body, and prolongs life." For obese individuals, patients with cardiovascular diseases, and the elderly, drinking sour jujube powder mixed with water as a tea substitute can be beneficial. Sour jujube kernel is neutral in nature and has a sweet and sour taste. It has the effects of nourishing the heart and calming the mind, astringing yin and stopping sweating. It is suitable for symptoms such as insomnia due to deficiency and restlessness, palpitations and forgetfulness, easy startling, dry mouth and throat, dizziness and blurred vision, dry eyes, night sweats, weakness and excessive sweating, hot palms and soles, and scanty and dark yellow urine. Modern research shows that total saponins from sour jujube kernel and sour jujube kernel pulp can significantly reduce the increase in blood lipids in experimental animals induced by a high-fat diet, and can significantly reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in normally fed rats, and significantly increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; it can also significantly reduce triglycerides and significantly increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in high-fat fed rats. This indicates that total saponins from jujube seed can inhibit the formation and development of atherosclerosis and fatty liver by lowering blood lipids and regulating serum lipoproteins.

Papaya is warm in nature, sour in taste, and non-toxic. It has the effects of calming the liver and stomach, removing dampness and relaxing muscles, clearing heat and detoxifying. It is suitable for rheumatic pain, sprains and contusions, muscle spasms, and coughs and excessive phlegm caused by lung diseases. Modern research shows that the latex of unripe papaya contains two biological enzymes: papain, which can break down proteins into amino acids; and lipase, which has a strong ability to break down fats. Therefore, regular consumption can have a certain therapeutic effect on weight loss for obese people.

Plums are warm in nature, sour in taste, and non-toxic. They possess various medicinal properties, including astringing the lungs and relieving cough, astringing the intestines and stopping diarrhea, harmonizing the stomach and expelling roundworms, consolidating the uterus and stopping bleeding, and promoting body fluid production and quenching thirst. They are suitable for treating chronic cough due to lung deficiency, chronic diarrhea and dysentery, hematochezia, hematuria, metrorrhagia, feverish thirst, abdominal pain due to roundworm infection, and vomiting. Modern research shows that plums are an alkaline food rich in organic and inorganic acids, especially citric acid, which has a very good effect on energy metabolism. Experts consider them a top choice for weight loss. Reports indicate that in countries like Japan, people use plums and their products, such as "concentrated plum juice" and "preserved plums," for weight loss, a practice that is currently very popular.