As the saying goes, "Eat three jujubes a day, and you'll never grow old." The most prominent feature of red dates is their high vitamin content. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that jujubes can tonify the middle jiao, replenish Qi, nourish the blood, and promote the production of body fluids. Experiments have shown that drinking jujube water daily for one week by people with poor liver function can increase human serum protein, thereby achieving the effect of protecting the liver and detoxifying. Six ways to eat red dates.
Red Date and Peanut Porridge
Soaking Red Dates in Water to Nourish the Liver and Detoxify
A detail in the preparation of jujube water determines its effectiveness. The skin of the jujube is tough and difficult to digest. If soaked whole, it is hard to fully extract its active ingredients. Therefore, it is best to break them open before soaking.
It should also be noted that fresh red dates are not suitable for soaking or boiling. This is because their vitamin C content is extremely high, and boiling or steeping in hot water will severely destroy it.
Jujube Tea to Tonify Qi and Protect the Throat
Drinking tea made from roasted black jujubes can treat coldness and pain in the stomach. If longan is added, it becomes a blood and Qi tonifying tea, suitable for people who use their voices frequently, such as teachers and salespeople.
Jujube Soup to Relieve Coughs and Moisturize the Lungs
The "Bi Xiao Fang" (Effective Prescriptions), written by Meng Shen in the Tang Dynasty, records a soup made by boiling red dates, tremella (snow fungus), and rock sugar together to relieve coughs and moisturize the lungs.
Boiled Eggs with Red Dates to Nourish Blood and Beautify the Skin
Use red dates and longan to simmer brown sugar water. When the dates are soft and the longan are tender, crack an egg into the mixture; continue to cook over low heat until the egg is cooked. Red dates, longan, and brown sugar all have the effect of nourishing the blood, and the resulting egg is very nourishing.
Jujube Congee to Calm the Mind and Aid Sleep
In TCM, for women experiencing irritability, anxiety, and an unsettled mind, an appropriate amount of lily bulbs and lotus seeds can be used with red dates for conditioning. If cooked with millet, the calming effect of the red dates can be enhanced.
Jujube-Infused Wine for Vascular Health
During the steeping process, the nutrient-rich organic substances in red dates are more easily dissolved in the wine, which has a certain effect on keeping blood vessels clear.