Tremella has functions such as nourishing yin and tonifying the kidney, moistening the lungs, reducing fire, promoting fluid production to relieve cough, strengthening essence, benefiting the heart and brain, refreshing the mind and enriching blood, and tonifying qi. It has excellent preventive, therapeutic, and regulatory effects on conditions like hypertension, arteriosclerosis, fundus hemorrhage, tuberculosis, and cough. It is a very good nourishing and beauty food. Researchers have also found that tremella can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and promote the hematopoietic function of bone marrow, making it a nutritional supplement for cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.
Tremella is also a weight-loss food containing crude fiber, making it very suitable for women and overweight individuals to eat regularly. Especially during winter and spring, you can make homemade rock sugar tremella soup, red date tremella porridge, tremella dishes, etc. Regular consumption helps promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and reduce fat absorption. In addition, the gelatin in tremella has the effect of moisturizing the skin, removing facial chloasma, and freckles. Furthermore, according to the "Compendium of Materia Medica," tremella is also very effective in regulating irregular menstruation in women.
In addition, it should be noted that tremella can clear lung heat, so people suffering from external wind-cold should consume it with caution.
There is a proper way to soak tremella. Most families use hot water to soak tremella because it is fast and can be eaten quickly. However, this method is actually not advisable, as it affects the amount of tremella that can be soaked and also affects its texture (tremella soaked in hot water has a sticky and soft texture). The correct method for soaking tremella is: use cold water (warm water can be used in autumn and winter) to soak it. After soaking, the unopened light yellow base should be removed.
Tremella Porridge: Soak 10 grams of tremella until it expands, chop it, and cook it with 50 grams of rice to make porridge. This porridge can nourish yin and moisten the lungs, nourish the stomach and strengthen the body. It is suitable for middle-aged and elderly people who are physically weak or suffer from hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and chronic bronchial diseases.
Citrus and Tremella Soup: Ingredients: 1 citrus, 1 dried tremella (10 grams), 30 grams of dried lotus seeds, 50 grams of rock sugar. Instructions: ① Place the dried tremella in a small basin, add an appropriate amount of cold water and soak for 30 minutes until it expands. Once fully expanded, tear it into small pieces. ② Peel the citrus, break it into small segments, wash the citrus peel, and cut it into fine shreds for later use. ③ In a pot, add 800 ml of cold water, then add rock sugar, dried lotus seeds, and tremella. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 20 minutes. ④ Finally, add the citrus segments and citrus peel shreds to the soup and continue to simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.