As the seasons shift from summer to autumn, the function of the spleen and stomach can weaken, especially in those with a weak constitution. Wang Jingshun, Director of the Nutrition Department at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, explains that congee is the best food to regulate the spleen and stomach during this time. Drinking a bowl of congee in the morning after the Start of Autumn can help dispel the autumn chill and prevent autumn dryness.
The most suitable congee for autumn is cornmeal and sweet potato congee. Cornmeal is rich in nutrients such as unsaturated fatty acids, and sweet potatoes have the effect of preventing illness and prolonging life. The specific method is: Take 100 grams of cornmeal and first mix it with cold water to form a paste. After the water boils, add the paste, then add the diced sweet potatoes. Stir gently to prevent the cornmeal from sticking to the bottom of the pot. When simmering, use low heat, and you can add a little cold water a few times in the middle. The cornmeal and sweet potato congee should be neither too thin nor too thick.
In addition, Wang Jingshun also recommended other types of congee that you can try making and tasting:
Sweet Potato Congee: Sweet potatoes and japonica rice are cooked together. Regular consumption can help prevent hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and excessive obesity.
Sesame Congee: Crushed sesame seeds are cooked with rice. It can help with dizziness, memory loss, and premature graying of hair.
Lotus Seed Congee: After soaking the lotus seeds until they swell, rub off the skin with a brush in water, remove the cores, and cook them until soft in clear water. Then, cook them with japonica rice. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen to stop diarrhea, benefiting the kidneys to secure essence, and nourishing the heart to calm the spirit. It is suitable for those with a weak spleen and poor appetite, leukorrhea due to deficiency, spermatorrhea and frequent urination, vexation, insomnia, and forgetfulness with many dreams.
Red Date and Glutinous Rice Congee: Yam, coix seed, water chestnut, jujubes, and glutinous rice are cooked together with an appropriate amount of sugar. It has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, benefiting qi and blood, promoting urination to stop diarrhea, and generating fluids to quench thirst. It is suitable for patients recovering from illness, as well as those with anemia, malnutrition, loss of appetite, and chronic enteritis.