In a few days, it will be "La Ba" (the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month). At supermarket checkout counters, it was observed that almost all customers in line were carrying La Ba rice for making congee or ready-made La Ba congee. A supermarket official stated that La Ba rice has been selling particularly well these past few days, and to prevent stockouts, the supermarket is fully prepared with its inventory. Li Xuefang, a nutrition expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine, noted that this congee, which is a mixture of various rices, beans, grains, and dried fruits, is highly beneficial for the general population, especially for the elderly.
According to Chinese folklore, the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month is called "La Ba," and on this day, it is a custom to eat La Ba congee. It is a special congee made with rice or glutinous rice, along with various beans and dried fruits such as lotus seeds, red dates, chestnuts, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, lily bulbs, and longan pulp. Various other ingredients and seasonings can also be added.
In the past, besides being eaten by the family, La Ba congee was also shared with neighbors and relatives, symbolizing good fortune and health. As La Ba approaches again this year, Li Xuefang, the TCM nutrition expert, says that the variety of ingredients in La Ba congee can better meet the body's diverse nutritional needs compared to congee made from a single ingredient. Therefore, selecting the ingredients for La Ba congee is particularly important, especially those with therapeutic properties, which should be chosen according to one's physical condition.
1. Hypertension: Job's tears can help prevent hypertension
Common ingredients include japonica rice, glutinous rice, and Job's tears. Japonica rice contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other components, and has functions such as tonifying the middle jiao, replenishing qi, nourishing the spleen and stomach, harmonizing the five organs, relieving vexation and thirst, and benefiting essence. Glutinous rice has the effect of warming the spleen and replenishing qi, making it suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach function, and it has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect for deficient-cold diarrhea, vexation and thirst, and urinary difficulty. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that Job's tears has the functions of strengthening the spleen, replenishing the lungs, clearing heat, and promoting urination. Regular consumption has a good effect on chronic enteritis, indigestion, and other conditions. Job's tears, rich in dietary fiber, has the effect of preventing hyperlipidemia, hypertension, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases.2. Kidney Deficiency: Chestnuts can tonify the kidneys and replenish qi
Peanuts and walnuts are indispensable ingredients for making La Ba congee. Peanuts are known as the "long-life fruit" and have multiple functions such as moistening the lungs, harmonizing the stomach, stopping coughs, promoting urination, and increasing lactation. Walnut kernels have the effects of tonifying the kidneys and securing qi, benefiting intelligence and strengthening the brain, and strengthening muscles and bones. They can also increase appetite, darken hair, and promote its growth. The vitamin E in walnut kernels is recognized in the medical field as an anti-aging agent. For patients with frequent insomnia, adding longan pulp and sour jujube seeds to the congee will have a good effect of nourishing the heart and calming the mind. Lotus seeds can replenish qi and strengthen the spleen. Goji berries have the effect of prolonging life and also have a regulatory effect on blood lipids, making them an excellent therapeutic food for the elderly. Red dates are also a therapeutic food that replenishes qi and blood, and strengthens the spleen, with certain therapeutic effects for weak spleen and stomach, blood deficiency with a sallow complexion, and lung deficiency with cough. Pine nut kernels can moisten the heart and lungs, and regulate the large intestine. Chestnuts can tonify the kidneys and replenish qi, and treat soreness in the waist and weakness in the legs.3. Diabetes: Oats can lower cholesterol concentration
Oats have the effect of lowering blood cholesterol concentration. After consuming oats, the rise in blood sugar can be slowed. When oats are added to carbohydrate foods, they can inhibit the rise in blood sugar. Therefore, for patients with diabetes and diabetes complicated by cardiovascular diseases, it is advisable to add some oats to the congee. The various beans in La Ba congee are excellent as they can complement proteins and are high in fiber. Many studies have confirmed that foods rich in dietary fiber can lower blood sugar. In particular, the soluble fiber found in oats, barley, and some beans can form a viscous substance in the stomach, affecting the absorption and utilization of glucose and preventing a sudden post-meal rise in blood sugar. Certain nuts, such as peanuts, hazelnuts, and almonds, are also high in dietary fiber and contain unsaturated fatty acids that can regulate and lower blood lipids. Even chestnuts, lotus seeds, and Euryale ferox seeds, which are relatively high in starch, have a dietary fiber content between 1.2% and 3%, and their glycemic index is much lower than that of refined rice and flour. Buckwheat contains chromium, which enhances the effect of insulin, and is used clinically in the nutritional treatment of diabetes. Therefore, diabetic patients can choose oats and buckwheat as the main ingredients. When diabetic patients drink La Ba congee, it is best not to add sugar. If they want something sweet, they can use sweeteners like stevia or xylitol.4. Cardiovascular Diseases: Soybeans can lower blood cholesterol
Soybeans are rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, crude fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and other nutrients, making them extremely nutritious. They also have multiple health benefits, such as lowering blood cholesterol, preventing cardiovascular diseases, inhibiting various malignant tumors, and preventing osteoporosis. Adzuki beans contain protein, fat, carbohydrates, crude fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and other nutrients. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that adzuki beans have the function of strengthening the spleen, drying dampness, promoting urination, and reducing swelling, and have a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect for spleen deficiency diarrhea and edema. Mung beans, on the other hand, have a supplementary therapeutic effect on hypertension. 5. Congee Oil: Drink more congee oil for beauty
Many black foods are excellent for beauty. For example, black rice contains various vitamins and nutrients such as zinc, iron, and selenium. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that black rice can nourish yin and benefit the kidneys, and also brighten the eyes and invigorate blood. Black beans have a high protein content of good quality, and are also rich in unsaturated fatty acids, calcium, iron, carotene, and B vitamins. The ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids in edible oils greatly affects human health and beauty. Walnut kernels contain vitamin E, which is essential for beauty, and can be called the king of beauty foods. Pine nuts also have excellent beauty effects.
Many women like to drink La Ba congee for beauty, but there is another beauty secret: do not discard the congee oil. Congee oil is actually the thick, viscous liquid that forms on the surface of the congee when it is repeatedly boiled, also known as rice oil. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that congee oil is sweet in taste and neutral in nature, and its nourishing effect is superior to that of rehmannia root. If one can drink a bowl of rice congee daily, a thin person will become plump and fair in less than a hundred days.6. Expectant Mothers: Soft and Cozy La Ba Congee is Most Suitable
In the early stages of pregnancy, women often experience severe morning sickness. At this time, easily digestible foods should be chosen to reduce vomiting, and congee is a very good option, especially the soft, glutinous, and mushy La Ba congee. In the second trimester, the fetus grows rapidly, requiring an increase in energy and iron intake. In the third trimester, the need for calcium supplementation increases. Therefore, for expectant and new mothers, the following foods can be considered more often: Brown rice contains more than 100 mg/kg of calcium. Peanuts, soybeans, black beans, green beans, and dates are relatively rich in calcium. Soybeans and nuts are also high in iron.7. The Elderly: Can add more soybeans
The elderly should have a diversified diet and eat more soybeans and their products, which La Ba congee meets. Moreover, La Ba congee is often eaten in the evening, which also fits the eating habits of the elderly. The rich bioactive substance in soybeans, soy isoflavones, can inhibit lipid peroxidation in the body and prevent osteoporosis. The digestive function of the elderly weakens, and La Ba congee is soft and easy to digest. Coupled with a mix of coarse and fine grains rich in dietary fiber, it can increase intestinal peristalsis and has a certain effect in preventing senile constipation. In addition, because congee contains a lot of water, thin foods can easily cause excessive secretion of stomach acid, irritating the stomach and causing pain. Therefore, people with poor stomach function can cook the La Ba congee a bit thicker, and it is best to eat some dry food, such as sesame cakes or steamed buns, at the same time.
Although La Ba congee is a festive food, because all its ingredients are available year-round, is easily absorbed by the body, and is suitable for all ages, it does not have to be saved only for the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. It can be a delicious part of daily nutritional meals and a way to diversify one's diet, especially suitable for the elderly, the weak, or those with a weak spleen and stomach after recovering from an illness.