Tremella, hailed as "the poor man's bird's nest," is a food known for its beautifying effects. It can be prepared in many ways and is very popular. However, sometimes you can't finish it all at once, and those unfamiliar with tremella might leave it for the next day. In fact, tremella should not be eaten overnight. What are some of the taboos related to tremella? Let's find out below!
Some dietary taboos for tremella
1. Don't eat if it's too white
You need to master certain methods when selecting tremella. Choosing high-quality tremella is healthier for you. The best quality is dry, slightly yellowish-white, large, glossy, and thick with gelatin. If it's unnaturally white, it is often chemically bleached. If it's dull yellow and cloudy, it has been stored for too long. Neither should be purchased.
Thai Fresh Shrimp and Tremella Salad
2. Soak it completely before eating
Tremella must be soaked in cold water until fully rehydrated before use, then soaked in hot water for about half an hour. It should then be rinsed repeatedly with clean water before consumption. After soaking, remove any parts that haven't fully rehydrated, especially those that are pale yellow.
3. Eating it overnight is like arsenic
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4. Be cautious if you have a wind-cold cough
Tremella is moist and rich, so those with wind-cold coughs or an excess of phlegm should consume it with caution. It is also unsuitable for those who experience diarrhea after eating. Tremella with rock sugar is high in sugar and should not be eaten before bed, as it can increase blood viscosity.
5. Be cautious when eating fresh tremella
Fresh tremella should not be eaten, as it can cause poisoning. Fresh tremella contains a photosensitive substance called porphyrin. After consumption, exposure to sunlight can cause solar dermatitis. Exposed parts of the body are prone to itching, swelling, pain, and even necrosis. If the swelling occurs in the pharyngeal mucosa, it can lead to difficulty breathing. Dried tremella is a product that has been sun-dried, during which most porphyrins are broken down. Before eating, dried tremella is soaked in water, and any remaining toxins dissolve into the water, making the rehydrated dried tremella non-toxic.
Jiangsu-style Water Chestnut, Tremella, and Jujube Soup
6. Don't eat if it's spoiled
If tremella has spoiled, it must not be eaten, as consumption can lead to severe poisoning. Spoiled dried tremella appears yellowish-brown or greenish-brown, is not fresh, the pieces are inconsistently shaped and weak, and it's brittle. The base may have black spots or orange-red patches. After soaking, it becomes sticky and has a strange odor. Furthermore, any dry product with a furry surface on its surface is at risk of being moldy.
Who should not eat tremella?
1. The elderly should eat tremella in moderation. Tremella has a certain nourishing effect for the elderly, but they must pay attention to the amount consumed. The elderly generally have poor digestive function, and tremella is not easily digested. Eating it for several consecutive days or too much at once can easily lead to intestinal obstruction. Clinically, cases of elderly people developing intestinal obstruction from eating tremella are not uncommon.
2. In traditional Chinese medicine, white tremella is associated with the lungs and skin. Therefore, eating more white tremella can also improve skin quality and increase satiety. However, those with a weak constitution who are prone to diarrhea should eat less.
3. Patients with bleeding should not eat tremella. Adenosine in tremella has an anti-platelet aggregation effect. Therefore, patients with various bleeding disorders, such as hemoptysis, hematemesis, and melena, should not eat tremella during the recovery period after bleeding has stopped, as it may cause a relapse or worsen the bleeding.
4. Tremella is moist and rich, so those with wind-cold coughs or an excess of phlegm should consume it with caution. It is also unsuitable for those who experience diarrhea after eating. Tremella with rock sugar is high in sugar and should not be eaten before bed, as it can increase blood viscosity.
5. In recent years, it has been found that patients who have been cured of hemoptysis, hematemesis, melena, bronchiectasis with hemoptysis, or duodenal ulcer complicated by hematemesis and melena may experience a relapse if they consume tremella after recovery.
Tremella and Pineapple Soup
How is tremella best eaten?
1. Radix Glehniae and Tremella Soup
Ingredients: 10g tremella, 5g lily bulb, 5g Radix Glehniae, appropriate amount of rock sugar.
Method: Decoct the ingredients twice, using two bowls of water each time to reduce to one bowl, simmering for about 40 minutes each time. Combine the liquid, heat it before serving, and add a little rock sugar. Take in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Efficacy: Nourishes yin, moistens the lungs, relieves cough, and transforms phlegm.
2. Jasmine and Tremella Soup
Ingredients: 3g jasmine flowers, 25g tremella, appropriate amount of rock sugar.
Method: Soak and clean the tremella, then stew it until soft. Add rock sugar and jasmine flowers, and bring to a boil.
Efficacy: Can nourish yin and moisten the lungs. Suitable for dry cough with little sputum, dull pain in the chest, dizziness, and dry eyes.
3. Tremella and Snow Pear Syrup
Ingredients: 10g tremella, 1 snow pear, 15g rock sugar.
Method: Core and slice the pear. Add an appropriate amount of water and cook with the rehydrated tremella until the soup thickens. Then, add rock sugar to dissolve. Take twice daily, eating the pear and tremella and drinking the soup.
Efficacy: Nourishes yin, clears heat, and moistens the lungs to relieve cough.
4. Tremella, Lily, and Autumn Pear Soup
Ingredients: 10g tremella, 10g lily bulb, 1 autumn pear, appropriate amount of rock sugar.
Method: Wash, core, and dice the autumn pear. Add it to a bowl with the rehydrated tremella, lily bulb, and rock sugar. Steam for 1 hour, then eat the pear and drink the soup.
Efficacy: Has the effects of nourishing yin, moistening dryness, relieving cough, and transforming phlegm. Suitable for those with a dry cough and little sputum.
You may also like:
4 Major Benefits of Tremella That Will Make You Fall in Love with It
Four Steps to Selecting High-Quality Tremella
Eight Ways to Eat Tremella for a Sense of Well-being!
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