An increasing number of people are now discovering the health benefits of Chinese yam. Among its many health benefits, there are 8 types of people who are particularly suitable. Today, I will introduce them to you one by one.
Chinese yam belongs to the potato family, rich in carbohydrates and dietary fiber, various vitamins including carotene, vitamins B1, B2, and multiple minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper.
There are many varieties of Chinese yam, with the more famous ones being Tiegun yam and Huai yam. Tiegun yam is mainly produced in areas like Henan and Shandong. Compared to common yams, it has more hairs, a whiter color, less moisture, greater stickiness, a firm and heavy texture, and does not disintegrate even after being boiled in water for a long time. Huai yam, also known as water yam, is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Anhui and other places, and its stems are often purplish-red. Fine-haired yam roots are cylindrical, with thin skin, fine hairs on the surface, and are yellow with yellow-brown spots; the flesh is fine and white. In addition, there are also hemp yam, Ganoderma yam, and the Yamato long yam introduced from Japan.
4 Ways to Prepare Chinese Yam to Promote Salivation, Relieve Cough, and Nourish the Spleen and Stomach
1. Four Treasures Sweet Soup
Ingredients: Half a pound of peeled Chinese yam, diced; 2 taels of white fungus; 3 taels of lotus seeds; 2 taels of dried longan; 4 taels of rock sugar (or fine sugar); 8 cups of water.
Method: Soak the lotus seeds and white fungus in water first. After preparation, cook the lotus seeds in water until soft, then add the Chinese yam, white fungus, and rock sugar and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Finally, add the dried longan and bring to a boil before serving.
2. Chinese Yam Hand Rolls
Ingredients: 4 taels of Chinese yam; 1 egg; 300 grams of mixed vegetable dice; 6 slices of ham; 3 tablespoons of salad dressing.
Method: After preparation, wash the Chinese yam, cut it into small dice, and blanch it with the vegetable dice, then set aside. Boil the egg and cut it into small dice. Finally, roll all the ingredients with a slice of ham, secure with a toothpick, and drizzle with salad dressing before serving.
3. Health-Nourishing Sweet Soup
Ingredients: 10 grams of white fungus; Chinese yam, peeled and mashed into a paste; 20 red dates; appropriate amount of rock sugar; one can of fruit dice.
Method: After preparation, soak the red dates and white fungus in water until they expand. Then, put the white fungus into a blender with 500cc of water and blend until smooth. Place the white fungus pulp, red dates, and an appropriate amount of rock sugar in a pot, add 1 liter of water, and bring to a boil. While stirring, add the Chinese yam paste. Finally, add the fruit dice and serve.
Chinese Yam and Lotus Seed Soup
4. Chinese Yam and Tofu Soup
Ingredients: Chinese yam, tofu, egg, shiitake mushrooms, coriander, salt, MSG, chicken essence, white pepper, starch.
Method: Peel the Chinese yam, cut into small dice, and blanch. Cut the tofu into dice of the same size as the yam. Wash and chop the coriander, wash and dice the shiitake mushrooms. Add broth to a pot, then add the Chinese yam dice, tofu dice, and shiitake mushroom dice. Season with salt, MSG, chicken essence, and white pepper. When the soup comes to a boil, thicken with starch until it reaches a creamy consistency. Drizzle in the beaten egg and sprinkle with chopped coriander before serving.
People Suitable for Dietary Therapy
1. People planning to nourish themselves in winter
Eating some Chinese yam before taking nourishing supplements in autumn and winter is more conducive to their absorption. Chinese yam is a Qi-tonifying and Qi-benefiting medicine that helps to strengthen the spleen and stomach, making it especially suitable for those with a weak spleen and stomach before taking supplements. A good choice is to cook a congee with Chinese yam, 20 grams of red dates, and rice (half japonica rice and half glutinous rice).
Steamed Chinese Yam with Chopped Chili
2. Ladies who plan to lose weight
Chinese yam is a great helper for weight loss because it contains few calories but is rich in nutrients, especially coarse fiber, which easily increases satiety and helps control the desire to eat. Moreover, the fat content of Chinese yam is very low, containing only 0.2 grams of fat per 100 grams, thus achieving the goal of weight loss.
3. Women with cold hands and feet
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, cold hands and feet are closely related to a weak constitution. Chinese yam and black chicken soup, as well as longan and Chinese yam soup, have excellent effects in tonifying the middle, replenishing Qi, and nourishing blood, making them especially suitable for people with cold hands and feet.
4. Patients with recurrent "chronic stomach problems"
Among patients with "chronic stomach problems," a considerable number suffer from ulcers, and autumn and winter are seasons when ulcers are prone to occur or recur. Modern pharmacological research has confirmed that the allantoin in Chinese yam helps repair the gastric mucosa. Fresh Chinese yam can be made into Chinese yam and hyacinth bean cake, or millet and Chinese yam cake, which can be steamed and eaten.
5. Elderly people who are prone to colds
Chinese yam has the effect of strengthening the spleen and replenishing Qi. Therefore, patients with Qi deficiency who sweat a lot and catch colds repeatedly should moderately increase their intake of Chinese yam in autumn and winter. Chinese yam can be stir-fried, steamed, candied, or cooked into a congee with rice, millet, and red dates.
6. People with indigestion
Chinese yam contains substances such as amylase and polyphenol oxidase, which are beneficial to the digestive and absorption functions of the spleen and stomach. It is a medicinal and edible product that gently tonifies the spleen and stomach. It can be eaten by those with either spleen Yang deficiency or stomach Yin deficiency. Clinically, it is often used to treat conditions such as weak spleen and stomach, poor appetite, fatigue, and diarrhea.
7. Men and women with kidney deficiency
Chinese yam contains various nutrients that can strengthen the body and nourish the kidneys and essence. It is suitable for conditions such as kidney deficiency with spermatorrhea, excessive leukorrhea in women, and frequent urination.
8. People with lung deficiency and coughing
Chinese yam contains mucilage, which has a lubricating and moisturizing effect. Therefore, it can benefit lung Qi, nourish lung Yin, and treat conditions such as chronic cough due to lung deficiency and phlegm.
The potion soup
Precious steam