Loquat Nutritional Ways to Eat, Benefits and Effects, Selection, and Boiled Loquat Leaves for Cough Relief

Loquat, also known as lu ju, jin wan, and lu zhi. A plant of the Rosaceae family and the genus Eriobotrya, the loquat is native to southeastern China. It is named for its leaves, which resemble the pipa instrument, and its flowers can be used as medicine. How much do you know about the benefits and effects of loquat? How should loquat be eaten to be nutritious? How do you select loquats? How do you boil loquat leaves to relieve a cough? Let me answer these for you.

I. Benefits and Effects of Loquat

1. Promotes digestion

The organic acids contained in loquat can stimulate the secretion of digestive glands, and have a considerable effect on increasing appetite, helping digestion and absorption, and quenching thirst and relieving summer heat.

2. Moistens the lungs and relieves cough

Loquat contains amygdalin, which can moisten the lungs, relieve cough, and remove phlegm, treating various kinds of cough.

3. Prevents colds

The fruit and leaves of loquat have the effect of inhibiting influenza viruses, and eating them regularly can prevent seasonal colds.

4. Prevents vomiting

Loquat leaves can be dried to make tea, which has the effects of clearing heat and directing qi downward and harmonizing the stomach to descend rebellious qi. It is an excellent remedy for stopping vomiting and can treat various kinds of vomiting and hiccups.

II. How Should Loquat Be Eaten to Be Nutritious?

Loquat has a very good effect on relieving cough, reducing phlegm, and calming asthma. Not only is the loquat fruit delicious, but eating loquat appropriately is also very helpful for the health of the body. So how should loquat be eaten? Follow the steps below to eat loquat in a healthier way.

1. Wash: Wash off the dirt on the peel. The key point is that the loquat fruit also has a layer of fuzz, and if it is not washed clean, it is easy to swallow it.

2. Remove the head and peel: The head of the loquat is the end with the stem, which is easy to remove. Ripe loquats peel very easily; just tear the skin off directly.

3. Remove the tail: The tail is more troublesome. You need to peel it first, then pinch it with two fingers and pull upward, and the whole tail comes off. Because the tail also has fuzz and some dirt, it must be removed.

III. How Do You Select Loquats?

The loquats on the market now are all yellow-skinned and large, very tempting. Although they look similar, the taste is different. Some taste very sweet, but some are bland and tasteless! So how do you pick loquats that taste good?

1. When selecting loquats, observe the appearance. Ripe loquats have a slightly glossy golden-yellow skin, while unripe loquats appear pale yellow or greenish-yellow. Lack of sunlight will also cause them to appear pale yellow or greenish-yellow.

2. When selecting loquats, look at the shape of the fruit. Delicious, sweet loquats are generally oval, and the closer the shape of the base is to a five-pointed star, the tastier it is. If the base gathers to a single point, it generally has little juice and a bland taste.

3. Because there are many varieties of loquat, they are generally divided into the major red-fleshed and white-fleshed groups according to the color of the peel and flesh. White-fleshed loquat has good quality, with thin skin, abundant juice, thick flesh, fine texture, and sweet taste; although red-fleshed loquat has thicker flesh and more juice, its taste is sweet with a slight sourness.

IV. How Do You Boil Loquat Leaves to Relieve a Cough?

1. Buy a few loquat leaves from the pharmacy, about 6-8 leaves is enough.

2. Wash them with clean water, and brush off the fuzz on the back of the leaves. The fuzz on loquat leaves must be removed completely, otherwise it will directly irritate the mucous membranes and produce the side effect of causing coughing. You can use a brush to brush off the fuzz directly.

3. Soak them in water for more than ten minutes, then brush them again, and remember to rinse them clean.

4. Cut the loquat leaves into segments and put them into a pot.

5. Add water to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. At this point, add a piece of rock sugar and boil for 20 minutes.

6. Pour out the boiled loquat leaf water and use it as a daily tea drink.

Special note: Boiling loquat leaves alone in water has no taste. Adding rock sugar is to make it easier to drink, so the taste is easier to accept. However, loquat leaf water should not be drunk in large amounts. Drinking it 2-3 times a day is enough, and not too much at one time, so as to avoid symptoms such as diarrhea and loose stools. It is best to drink it after meals, and children under 1 year old should not drink it. Boiled loquat leaves are mainly used to treat heat cough. For cold cough, dietary therapy methods such as onion water and roasted oranges can be used.