Many health-conscious people are particularly fond of drinking soups and congee. A wide variety of soups and broths are not only nutritious but also add color to life. The soups and broths consumed at different times of the day also vary.
Soups, congee, thick soups, and juices, as important components of Chinese medicinal cuisine, have been valued by health experts since ancient times. They are simple to prepare, nutritious, and easy to digest and absorb, making them especially suitable for young children, the elderly, and those who are physically weak. If one pays attention to the timing and chooses the most appropriate broth at the best time, it can further enhance the benefits, turning daily meals into "medicinal cuisine for health preservation."
Drink water in the early morning
There is an old saying in Chinese medicine, "Salt water in the morning, honey soup at night." Drinking a glass of plain boiled water or light salt water after waking up in the morning can replenish the fluids lost by the body overnight and help "awaken" it. Furthermore, people tend to engage in more mental work in the morning, so drinking a glass of milk with breakfast can enhance intestinal peristalsis and meet the body's nutritional needs for calcium and protein. For the elderly with poor digestion, light congee is also a good choice.
Drink soup at noon
Drinking some soup before lunch can not only have a health-preserving effect but also allow the food in the stomach to fully adhere to the stomach wall, nourishing it and increasing the feeling of fullness, thus avoiding overeating. This is particularly beneficial for those who are overweight or wish to lose weight. Turnip soup, winter melon soup, tomato soup, kelp soup, and seaweed soup are all good choices.
Drink congee at dinner
Li Shizhen, a medical scientist of the Ming Dynasty, praised congee in his book "Compendium of Materia Medica," saying it is "extremely smooth and gentle, compatible with the stomach and intestines, and the most wonderful secret of diet." In Chinese medicine, congee is believed to nourish yin fluids, promote gastric fluid, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and replenish deficiencies, making it the most nourishing food. Drinking congee at night can replenish the vital energy consumed throughout the day and is also easy to digest and absorb. When cooking congee, you can add ingredients such as Chinese yam, lily, sesame, red beans, and walnuts according to your own physical condition to enhance its health benefits.
Drink honey before bed
Honey is sweet and neutral in nature and has been a treasured product since ancient times for nourishing the body, detoxifying, and enhancing beauty. Its glucose and fructose are easily absorbed by the body and have significant effects on moistening the lungs and relieving coughs, lubricating the intestines and promoting bowel movements, and detoxifying and beautifying the skin. Taking 10-20 ml of honey with warm water before bed provides a "sweet ending" to a busy day, helps harmonize the stomach and moisten the intestines, and improves sleep quality.
Drinking soup this way can harm your health!
Soup holds an important position in the Chinese diet, and drinking soup is a healthy habit. However, some people often fall into misconceptions when drinking soup, which not only fails to preserve health but can also harm the body and cause illness. Do you have any of the following misconceptions about drinking soup?
Drinking soup but not eating the solids
In soups simmered for more than 2 hours, 95% of the nutrients remain in the "solids" (the meat and vegetables). Therefore, only drinking the soup and not eating the solids merely satisfies the palate, while a large amount of nutrients remains in the solids. In fact, although the "solids" in a soup that has been cooked for a long time may not have the best texture, the peptides and amino acids in them are more easily digested and absorbed by the body.
Simmering soup for too long
After prolonged simmering, many nutrients in old soups are destroyed. The longer the soup is simmered, the less protein, sugar, and minerals it contains, offering only slightly more nutrition than plain water. Therefore, the simmering time for soup should generally be within 2 hours.
Drinking soup only at the end of the meal
The Chinese custom is to drink soup at the end of the meal. By this time, one is often already full, and drinking more soup can easily lead to excess nutrition and obesity. Moreover, soup can dilute gastric juice, affecting the digestion and absorption of food. Therefore, drinking soup before a meal is healthier and aids in weight loss.
Loving to drink very hot soup
The maximum temperature the human oral cavity, esophagus, and gastric mucosa can tolerate is around 60°C. Exceeding this temperature can easily damage the mucosa. Drinking very hot soup increases the risk of esophageal cancer, so it is healthier to let the soup cool slightly before drinking.
Drinking several bowls at once
If the soup is high in calories and salt, it should not be consumed in large quantities. People suffering from gout, kidney disease, and hypertension should avoid such soups. Generally, one should drink soup slowly and in small amounts during a meal, guided by the principle of stomach comfort.
Eating rice soaked in soup
When eating rice soaked in soup, the rice becomes soft and easy to swallow, often leading to the habit of swallowing quickly without much chewing. This increases the digestive burden on the stomach and can lead to stomach problems over time. Therefore, eating rice soaked in soup is not healthy.