It is currently springtime, characterized by windy weather, little rain, and a dry climate, which can easily lead to "heatiness." Unlike the "damp-heat" of summer, springtime heatiness is more of a "dry-heat," with symptoms such as a sore and dry throat, dry eyes, a burning sensation in the nose, chapped lips, and poor appetite.
Professor Yang Li from Xiyuan Hospital of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences stated that bean sprouts, which the ancients called "planting life," are the most suitable food for spring. They help the five organs transition from winter storage to spring growth. Bean sprouts also have a heat-clearing effect, which is beneficial for soothing liver qi, strengthening the spleen, and harmonizing the stomach. Taking mung bean sprouts as an example, they contain only 18 kilocalories per 100 grams and have the effect of clearing heat and promoting urination.
Traditional bean sprouts refer to soybean sprouts. Later, the market gradually developed new varieties such as mung bean sprouts, black bean sprouts, pea sprouts, and broad bean sprouts. Although all bean sprouts are cool in nature and sweet in taste, they have different effects. Mung bean sprouts are easily digestible and have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting urination, and removing dampness. They are suitable for people with damp-heat retention, dry mouth and thirst, dark and hot urine, constipation, and red, swollen, and painful eyes. Soybean sprouts strengthen the spleen and nourish the liver, with a high content of Vitamin B2. Eating soybean sprouts appropriately in spring helps prevent inflammation at the corners of the mouth. Black bean sprouts nourish the kidneys and are rich in minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and potassium, as well as various vitamins, in higher amounts than mung bean sprouts. Pea sprouts protect the liver and are rich in nutrients such as Vitamin A, calcium, and phosphorus. Broad bean sprouts strengthen the spleen and have the effects of supplementing iron, calcium, and zinc.
Yang Li suggests that the best way to eat bean sprouts is to blanch them with minced meat in a soup. After they are cooked, just add salt and monosodium glutamate. This helps to maintain their light nature and refreshing taste. Additionally, a disadvantage of bean sprouts is that they should not be left overnight. It is best to eat them on the day of purchase. If you need to store them, place them in a sealed plastic bag and refrigerate them, but no longer than two days.