Analysis of Common Aquatic and Vegetable Foods for Nutritional Benefits: The Health Benefits of River Shrimp, Shiitake Mushrooms, Tofu, Celery, Spinach, and Radishes

River shrimp is a popular aquatic product. It is rich in nutrients, primarily containing protein, fat, vitamins A, B₁, B₂, and E, nicotinic acid, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. River shrimp is warm in nature and sweet in taste, possessing kidney-tonifying and aphrodisiac properties, dispelling wind and phlegm, and supplementing calcium. It can be used to treat impotence and erysipelas. Studies have shown that river shrimp is high in protein and rich in vitamin E, which has a good effect on anti-aging and preventing calcium deficiency. However, shrimp is considered a "trigger food" in traditional Chinese medicine. About one-fifth of patients with allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, allergic dermatitis, and eczema may experience flare-ups due to food irritation, with the figure reaching as high as one-half among children and adolescents. River shrimp is the most common irritant.

Shiitake mushrooms are among the best of mushrooms, not only for their unique flavor but also as a valuable anti-cancer health food. They contain protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, carotene, and various vitamins and trace elements. Particularly valuable are the 18 amino acids and over 30 enzymes they contain, along with provitamin D, which is lacking in most vegetables. This provitamin D converts into vitamin D upon sunlight exposure, enhancing the body's immunity and aiding in the growth and development of children's bones and teeth. Shiitake mushrooms are sweet and neutral in nature, possessing the effects of replenishing qi and nourishing the stomach. They can be used to treat conditions such as weakness in the elderly, spleen and stomach deficiency, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, anemia, and high blood pressure. Regular consumption of shiitake mushrooms can delay aging, lower cholesterol, and strengthen the body, making them especially suitable for middle-aged and elderly people. Studies have also found that shiitake mushroom powder contains an interferon inducer, which can induce the synthesis of interferon in the body, thereby interfering with viral protein synthesis and improving the body's immunity. In recent years, scientists in Japan and the United States have discovered a substance called 1,3-β-glucosidase in shiitake mushrooms. Experiments have shown that this substance does indeed have the ability to inhibit tumor growth. Experts suggest that consuming shiitake mushroom soup can be an adjunct treatment for stomach cancer and cervical cancer; after surgical removal of cancer cells, eating shiitake mushrooms can help reduce the metastasis of cancer cells.

Tofu is rich in nutrients, containing protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins B₁ and B₂, nicotinic acid, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and more. Cooked soybeans have a digestibility of only 65%, while tofu, made from soybeans, has a digestibility of 92%–96%. Tofu is sweet and cooling in nature, possessing properties that clear heat and detoxify, promote body fluid production and moisturize dryness, prolong life, and aid in weight loss and beauty. It can be used to treat fatigue, insomnia, forgetfulness, dizziness, and weakness after illness. Modern medical research has proven that tofu contains no cholesterol, only phytosterols, which can inhibit the body's absorption of cholesterol from animal foods, helping to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases. Regular consumption of tofu can also help treat coughs with excessive phlegm. Furthermore, tofu contains five substances that inhibit the growth of cancer cells; eating a moderate amount of tofu daily can reduce the incidence of stomach cancer. However, while tofu is beneficial, it is not suitable for everyone. Because tofu contains a relatively high amount of purines, patients with gout and those with elevated blood uric acid levels should consume it with caution due to abnormal purine metabolism.

Celery comes in two varieties: dry celery and water celery. Dry celery is more commonly consumed. It is rich in nutrients, especially vitamin P, and also contains coriander glycosides, volatile oils, and mannitol. Celery is cool in nature and has a sweet and bitter taste. Its aromatic properties can refresh the mind, moisten the lungs and relieve coughs, reduce swelling and detoxify, and lower blood pressure. It can be used for hypertension, diabetes, headaches, and hematuria. Studies have shown that the abundant vitamin P in celery can enhance the effects of vitamin C, resulting in blood pressure and lipid-lowering effects, and it is particularly effective for primary, gestational, and menopausal hypertension. However, people with low blood pressure should not eat too much celery. Because of its cooling nature, people with weak spleen and stomach, indigestion, or peptic ulcers should also eat less celery.

Spinach, also known as Persian vegetable or red vegetable, has thick, soft, and vibrant green leaves, making it arguably a top-quality vegetable. Spinach primarily contains protein, fat, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B₂, vitamin C, nicotinic acid, vitamin E, calcium, phosphorus, iron, as well as oxalic acid, saponins, glycosides, cholesterol, and spinach leaf extract. Spinach is sweet and cooling in nature and can be used to treat anemia, hematochezia, constipation, urinary retention, tuberculosis, hypertension, diabetes, and night blindness. The abundant vitamins in spinach play a role in human growth and development and maintaining normal physiological functions. Its high iron content, coupled with vitamin C which promotes iron absorption, makes it beneficial for treating anemia and various bleeding symptoms. The dietary fiber in spinach is also helpful for those suffering from constipation. However, it should not be consumed excessively. Spinach contains a relatively high amount of oxalic acid, which can bind with zinc and calcium from other foods and be excreted from the body. Furthermore, spinach should not be eaten with foods rich in calcium, as this can easily lead to the formation of calcium oxalate, reducing calcium absorption and utilization, and affecting gastrointestinal digestion. Spinach is cooling in nature, so those with weak spleen and stomach should eat it sparingly, and patients with kidney stones should avoid it altogether. In addition, some patients with nephritis have observed casts or crystals in their urine after consuming spinach, which may be due to the combination of calcium and oxalate to form insoluble calcium oxalate.

Radishes contain saccharifying enzymes and mustard oil, which are highly beneficial to human digestion. This digestive and absorption-promoting function has earned radishes the nickname "little ginseng." Traditional Chinese medicine believes that radishes are sweet, pungent, and cool in nature, possessing the functions of lowering qi and relieving asthma, stopping coughs and resolving phlegm, aiding digestion and relieving bloating, promoting urination and defecation, and clearing heat and detoxifying. For those suffering from chronic bronchitis or cough with excessive phlegm and wheezing, washing white radishes, slicing or shredding them, marinating them with maltose, and then eating them can help lower qi, resolve phlegm, and relieve asthma. For nausea and vomiting, radishes can be mashed, boiled with honey water, and chewed slowly; this can help soothe the stomach, stop vomiting, and aid digestion. Modern pharmacological research shows that raw radish juice has a slow blood pressure-lowering effect. For patients with hypertension and arteriosclerosis, raw radish juice with honey is a good supplementary dietary therapy. Appropriately adding radishes to food can stimulate the synthesis of vitamin B₁ in the intestines. Medical researchers have also found that radishes have a good anti-cancer effect. This is because radishes contain lignin, a type of fiber that enhances the ability of macrophages to engulf bacteria, foreign objects, and necrotic cells, thereby strengthening the body's anti-cancer ability. Additionally, the saccharifying enzymes in radishes can also break down the carcinogen nitrosamine.