Using japonica rice to cook congee for health and longevity has a history of 2000 years in China. The layer of congee oil on top of japonica rice congee can replenish fluids and nourish essence, greatly benefiting the nourishment of the body's yin fluids and kidney essence. It is most suitable for patients, postpartum women, and the elderly.
Red Brown Rice and Longan Congee
The most nourishing is japonica rice
The common rice used daily for cooking is also known as japonica rice or polished rice. It is semi-transparent and oval or elliptical in shape, with a high rice yield rate, low grain expansion, but high stickiness. As a daily staple, japonica rice contains essential nutrients for the human body, such as starch, protein, fat, vitamin B1, niacin, vitamin C, and calcium and iron, providing the necessary nutrition and calories.
Gu Wanli introduced that using japonica rice to cook congee for health and longevity has a history of 2000 years in China. The layer of congee oil on top of japonica rice congee can replenish fluids and nourish essence, greatly benefiting the nourishment of the body's yin fluids and kidney essence. It is most suitable for patients, postpartum women, and the elderly. Japonica rice has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, tonifying the middle qi, nourishing yin and promoting body fluids, relieving vexation and thirst, and stopping diarrhea by astringing the intestines. It can be used for conditions such as weak spleen and stomach, vexation and thirst, malnutrition, and post-illness weakness. However, diabetic patients should note that it should not be consumed in excess.
The most digestible is brown rice
So-called brown rice is the "light yellow rice" that has had its coarse chaff husk removed during the milling process while retaining the germ and inner skin. The protein, fat, and vitamin content in brown rice are all higher than in white rice.
The crude fiber molecules in the bran layer help with gastrointestinal motility and are effective for digestive tract diseases such as stomach ailments, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice and can lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Brown rice is suitable for the general population, but due to its coarse texture and dense nature, it takes longer to cook. Gu Wanli suggests washing it, soaking it in cold water overnight before cooking, then putting it in a pressure cooker with the soaking water and cooking for at least half an hour.
Tip: Eating brown rice is especially beneficial for diabetics and the obese.
Because its starch is wrapped in coarse fiber, the human body digests and absorbs it more slowly, thus helping to control blood sugar. At the same time, trace elements in brown rice such as zinc, chromium, manganese, and vanadium are beneficial for improving insulin sensitivity and are very helpful for people with impaired glucose tolerance. Japanese research has shown that the glycemic index of brown rice is much lower than that of white rice. When eaten in the same quantity, it provides a greater sense of fullness, helping to control food intake and thus aiding weight loss for obese individuals. Therefore, countries like Japan, South Korea, and Singapore have long been caught up in the trend of eating brown rice to control weight.
Red Bean and Coix Seed Soup
The most kidney-nourishing is black rice
Black rice is rich in nutrients, containing protein, fat, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and other substances, with a nutritional value higher than ordinary rice. It can significantly increase the levels of human hemoglobin and hemoglobin, is beneficial for the health of the cardiovascular system, is good for the development of children's bones and brains, and can promote the recovery of postpartum women and those who are weak after illness, making it an ideal nutritional health food.
Gu Wanli pointed out that black rice has the effects of nourishing yin and kidneys, replenishing qi and strengthening the body, strengthening the spleen and whetting the appetite, nourishing the liver and improving eyesight, and nourishing essence and securing astringency. It is a nourishing treasure for anti-aging, beauty, disease prevention, and health strengthening. Regular consumption of black rice has a good nourishing effect on chronic patients, patients in recovery, and young children. Because black rice is not easy to cook soft, it should be soaked overnight before cooking. Young children and the elderly with weak digestive function should not eat it.
The most detoxifying is glutinous rice
Glutinous rice, also known as sticky rice, is often used to make snacks because of its fragrant, sticky, and smooth texture, and is loved by many. Glutinous rice contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B2, a large amount of starch, and other nutrients.
Glutinous rice has the effects of tonifying the middle qi, nourishing the stomach and strengthening the spleen, securing the exterior to stop sweating, stopping diarrhea, calming the fetus, and detoxifying sores. It can be used for cold-deficiency stomach pain, stomach and duodenal ulcers, polydipsia and polyuria, qi deficiency and spontaneous sweating, and pox, sores, and carbuncles. Gu Wanli also reminded that glutinous rice is not easy to digest and should not be eaten in excess. The elderly, children, and those with a weak spleen and stomach should pay special attention.
The most beautifying is coix seed
Coix seed, also known as coix seed kernel or Job's tears. The nutritional value of coix seed is very high, known as the "king of world grass plants." Coix seed kernel is rich in nutrients, containing coix seed oil, coix seed fat, sterols, various amino acid components such as arginine, and nutritional components such as vitamin B1 and carbohydrates. It has the effects of promoting urination to drain dampness, strengthening the spleen to stop diarrhea, and clearing heat and detoxifying.
Gu Wanli introduced that according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, coix seed is sweet and bland in taste, slightly cold in nature, and enters the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. It has therapeutic and preventive effects on symptoms such as spleen deficiency and diarrhea, muscle soreness and heaviness, and joint pain.
The beauty effect of coix seed is also very significant. It can make the skin smooth, reduce wrinkles, eliminate pigment spots, and has a significant effect on facial acne and rough skin. However, it should be noted that those with dry stools, insufficient semen, and frequent urination, as well as pregnant women, should not eat it in excess.
The most stomach-nourishing is millet
Millet, also known as Liang rice, foxtail millet, or millet grain. It is rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamin B2, niacin, and nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Because millet is very easily digested and absorbed by the human body, it is called "health rice" by nutrition experts.
Millet has the effects of strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the middle, benefiting kidney qi, clearing deficiency heat, promoting urination, and treating vexation and thirst. It is a good nutritional remedy for treating weak spleen and stomach, body deficiency, damaged essence and blood, postpartum deficiency, and poor appetite. Gu Wanli pointed out that because millet is slightly cool in nature, those with qi stagnation and those with a constitution that is slightly deficient and cold or with clear and long urination should not eat too much of it.
Caramel banana pie
Five tofu clots