Pork is a food we eat almost every day, but do you know which foods should not be eaten with pork?
1. Pork and Beef
"The Essentials of Dietetics" states: "Pork should not be eaten with beef." This is mainly from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Firstly, from the perspective of medicinal properties of food, pork is sour and cold, while beef has a sweet and warm nature, with the effect of stabilizing the middle burner and replenishing qi. One is warm, the other is cold; one tonifies the spleen and stomach, the other is greasy and weakens the body. Their properties are in conflict, so they should not be eaten together.
2. Pork and Sheep Liver
Traditional Chinese Medicine says: "Eating pork with sheep liver causes heart stuffiness." From the perspective of medicinal properties, the combination is not suitable. Sheep liver has a gamey smell; when stir-fried with pork, it easily produces a strange flavor. From a culinary perspective, it is also not advisable.
3. Pork and Soybeans
From the perspective of modern nutrition, soybeans and pork are not a suitable combination because soybeans contain a high amount of phytic acid, with 60%-80% of phosphorus existing in the form of phytic acid. It often forms complexes with proteins and mineral elements, affecting their bioavailability and reducing their utilization efficiency. Because minerals in soybeans bind with those in lean meats like pork (such as calcium, iron, and zinc), they can interfere with and reduce the body's absorption of these elements.
4. Pork and Cilantro
Cilantro is pungent and warm, consuming qi and harming the spirit. Pork is greasy, promoting damp-heat and producing phlegm. One consumes qi, the other provides no nourishment. Therefore, consuming them together is harmful to the body. Cilantro, also known as coriander or Chinese parsley, can remove gamey smells and is suitable to eat with mutton.