Qianlong lived nearly 90 years old thanks to a cheap vegetable, especially women love it?

As medicine becomes more and more advanced, it is understandable that human life expectancy is increasing compared to ancient times. In ancient times, medical technology was not yet developed, a person who could live to over 70 years old was considered quite rare.

However, the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong lived to be 88 years old and the famous Japanese general Tokugawa Ieyasu lived to be 75 years old.

Both of these famous historical figures lived far beyond the average life expectancy of their time. According to some historical documents, they both had something in common in their diet, which was a particular fondness for eating eggplants.

The ancients often praised eggplant as the emperor's longevity food. Today, according to experts, some nutrients in eggplant can be said to be anti-aging superfoods, helping to control blood pressure, lower blood sugar and prevent cardiovascular disease. Below are the benefits that eggplant brings to your health.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the components in eggplant can help blood circulation smoothly. This may be related to the fact that eggplant is rich in rutin. Rutin is a bioflavonoid, also known as vitamin P. Experiments on mice have found that rutin can help improve blood circulation, control blood pressure, prevent arteriosclerosis, and even delay aging.

Excessive oxidative stress can damage blood vessels, promote arteriosclerosis and even increase the risk of cancer. Kiji Igarashi, professor emeritus at the Faculty of Agriculture at Yamagata University (Japan), said that eggplant skin contains nasunin and anthocyanin, while eggplant flesh contains chlorogenic acid. These substances have antioxidant effects, counteracting the harmful effects of oxidative stress on the body.

Since these substances can effectively repel reactive oxygen species, it can also prevent wrinkle formation.

Eggplant is rich in alkaloids and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins have the ability to fight lipid peroxidation, helping to protect brain membranes.

The substances in eggplants can help stimulate the brain to increase dopamine levels. In addition, American scientists have found that eating eggplants twice a week can help reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease by about 30%. Japanese nutritionist Chihiro Hirota said that the potassium content in eggplants is 1.1 times that of cucumbers and 3.2 times that of bean sprouts. Vegetables with high potassium content can help the body eliminate excess sodium and prevent high blood pressure.

Eating eggplants brings many health benefits, so how to eat them to help keep all the nutrients intact. According to nutritionist Chihiro Hirota, we should eat the skin, because the eggplant skin contains flavonoid glycosides that are beneficial to health. When processing eggplants, you can add a little cooking oil. The oil will coat the eggplants to form a protective layer, preventing the loss of antioxidant nutrients.

As a king, eating and drinking is of course not as simple as that of ordinary people. The process is so complicated that it is hard to believe. According to historical records, the eating and drinking of ancient emperors was considered a secret matter of the royal court. Each dynasty had its own rules regarding eating and drinking. For example, during the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang required that every meal must have large pieces of meat. Regardless of whether the country was prosperous or declining, the king's meals would always be as lavish and elaborate as possible.

According to records, the Qing Dynasty spent an average of 4 million taels of silver per year (about more than 70 billion VND) on food for Qianlong. Every day, the emperor usually ate 3 main meals and many snacks. Wherever the emperor went, food and drinks were prepared.

A meal of Qianlong had to have at least 120 dishes, each dish touched with chopsticks no more than 3 times. Meanwhile, his concubines also had equally elaborate eating rules. The Empress ate 96 dishes, the Imperial Concubine ate 64 dishes. The concubines were also only allowed to touch their chopsticks 3 times, eating within 8 minutes. Why were such strict rules made? The reason was said to be to avoid revealing the emperor's preferences, which could be exploited by bad people.

Among the countless delicacies he had tasted, Qianlong was particularly fond of one dish. Legend has it that he ordered someone to cook it every day. Although this dish was very common, the preparation method was not simple at all. The dish in question was egg tarts.

Don't underestimate this dish just because of its name. It's not as simple as many people think. To make egg tarts, the chefs of the imperial kitchen use eggs, flour, sugar, water, sesame oil, and lard, then use a special processing technique to make it taste extremely delicious. When you eat egg tarts, they won't stick to your teeth, chopsticks, or plates.

Historical documents call the egg tart Qianlong liked to eat Osmanthus. It was originally a specialty of the Henan region of China. During a trip south of the Yangtze River, Qianlong tried this pastry and fell in love with it. The imperial kitchen chefs were then ordered to transform this humble dish into a royal dish. They eventually found a different way to prepare it, making it more special.

Although it was once a favorite dish of Qianlong, egg tarts are no longer cooked by many chefs. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to find an egg tart in the style Qianlong ate. In addition, the secret to making that egg tart is still considered a family secret.