Although red beans and mung beans are both "guardians" of human health, their "natures" are not entirely the same. Only by better understanding the characteristics of these "beans" can we use them both as medicine and food according to our own physical conditions to achieve a multiplier effect.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that red beans are neutral in nature, sweet and sour in taste, and non-toxic. They have the functions of nourishing and strengthening, strengthening the spleen and nourishing the stomach, promoting urination to remove dampness, clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting milk secretion, and nourishing the blood. They are especially suitable for dietary therapy for patients with various types of edema. Modern research has found that red beans also contain a type of saponin substance that can promote bowel movements and urination, and has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on edema caused by heart or kidney disease.
Mung beans, on the other hand, are sweet in taste and cold in nature, and have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, relieving summer heat and quenching thirst. Modern medical research has shown that mung beans are rich in protein. The protein content in raw mung bean milk, made by soaking and grinding raw mung beans, is quite high. When taken orally, it can protect the gastrointestinal mucosa. In addition, the phytosterols in mung beans can help reduce serum cholesterol levels by reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines and inhibiting its synthesis. Therefore, they are especially suitable for patients with hyperlipidemia.
Although these two types of beans each have their own "advantages," it is especially worth noting that for women, red beans are particularly suitable. Red beans are rich in iron and have a blood-nourishing effect, making them an excellent tonic for women during their menstrual period. According to Japanese tradition, when a daughter gets her first period, her mother will cook a pot of red bean rice. Besides the symbolic meaning of blessing the girl's transition to womanhood, it also has the practical effect of replenishing menstrual nutrients and preventing iron-deficiency anemia.
Many young mothers often worry desperately about insufficient milk production or a complete lack of it after childbirth. In traditional Chinese food therapy, there are many folk recipes and remedies for promoting lactation. For example, for insufficient milk caused by insufficient qi and blood, one can take nourishing foods like pork trotter soup. However, for patients with breast distension and pain, and milk retention caused by qi and blood stagnation, red beans can also help. Red beans have the effect of reducing bloating and promoting milk secretion. Boiling 120 grams of small red beans into congee twice a day in the morning and evening for 3 to 5 consecutive days can be effective.