Chinese jujube, also known as jujube fruit or red dates. Since ancient times, it has been listed as one of the "Five Fruits" and is a traditional fruit loved by the Chinese people, earning it the reputation of a "woody food." The Chinese jujube has a cultivation history of over 3,000 years in China.
In the book "Beimeng Suoyan" by Sun Guangxian of the Song Dynasty, there is a story: a long time ago, in a small village in Qi County, Henan, there was an old maid over fifty years old named Qinggu, who was still as slender and graceful as a virgin. The reason was that she usually loved to eat a local seedless jujube, which was particularly rich in nutrition, with thick flesh, thin skin, fine texture, and sweet taste. This shows the extraordinary effects of jujubes. Therefore, there is a folk saying, "Three jujubes a day keeps old age away."
According to modern scientific analysis, Chinese jujubes are rich in protein, fat, carbohydrates, organic acids, carotene, vitamins, and some minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Every 100 grams of fresh jujube pulp contains 300-600 milligrams of vitamin C, about 15 times higher than that of apples, thus earning it the nickname "fresh vitamin pill." The sugar content in fresh jujube pulp reaches 23%, while in dried jujube pulp it is as high as 70%, which is higher than the sugar content of sugarcane and sugar beets, which are raw materials for sugar.
Chinese jujube is also a good medicine for treating diseases. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that it is sweet in taste, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It enters the spleen and stomach meridians. It has the effects of tonifying the middle jiao, replenishing qi, nourishing blood and calming the mind, regulating the ying and wei, promoting the production of body fluids, and detoxifying. It can be used for weakness of the spleen and stomach, poor appetite, loose stools, fatigue, weakness, deficiency of qi and blood, deficiency of body fluids, disharmony of ying and wei, palpitations, insomnia, etc. Modern medicine also uses jujubes to treat allergic purpura, chronic bronchitis, anemia, hypertension, etc. In addition, when combined with some medicines and foods, Chinese jujube becomes an effective therapeutic and dietary remedy. A brief introduction is as follows: [China Cuisine]
1. Jujube Congee: Wash the Chinese jujubes and japonica rice, then put them in a pot with an appropriate amount of water. Cook until thick and ripe into a congee, then add rock sugar and stir to eat. This congee has the effect of tonifying the middle jiao, replenishing qi, nourishing blood and calming the mind. It is suitable for people with weakness of the spleen and stomach, lack of middle qi, fatigue, poor appetite, diarrhea, blood deficiency and visceral dryness, and mental uneasiness.
2. Jujube, Longan, and Lotus Seed Congee: Wash the glutinous rice, Chinese jujubes, and lotus seeds, then put them in a pot with an appropriate amount of water. First, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and cook until thick. Add longan pulp and an appropriate amount of rock sugar, and cook for a while longer before eating. This remedy has the effects of promoting fluid production to moisten dryness, calming the mind, and nourishing blood. It is suitable for deficiency of both heart and spleen, deficiency of qi and blood, poor appetite, weakness of limbs, insomnia, and dream-disturbed sleep. It also has a good effect on impotence, spermatorrhea, and premature ejaculation.
3. Jujube, Fungus, and Astragalus Soup: Mash Astragalus and peony into coarse powder and put them in a cloth bag. Soak black fungus in water until soft, wash it clean, and wash the Chinese jujubes. Put them in a pot with the medicine bag, add an appropriate amount of water, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the medicine bag, add rock sugar to taste, and take in three doses for several consecutive days. This remedy has the effects of nourishing blood and replenishing qi, nourishing yin and promoting fluid production. It is suitable for symptoms such as qi deficiency and weakness, night sweats, spontaneous sweating, vexation, insomnia, neurasthenia, and anemia.
4. Stewed Rabbit with Jujubes: Cut the rabbit meat into pieces and marinate with cooking wine and salt for 20 minutes. Place the Chinese jujubes at the bottom of the pot, then put the rabbit meat on top. Add seasonings such as fresh ginger slices and scallions, and a little water. Stew until tender and serve as a side dish. This remedy has the functions of nourishing yin and tonifying the middle jiao, replenishing qi and strengthening the spleen, nourishing blood and replenishing blood, and nourishing the skin and beauty.