Introduction: The nourishment from the five grains is a quintessential part of Chinese dietary culture. The classic Chinese medical text "Huangdi Neijing" (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) contains the saying, "The five grains are the foundation of nourishment." Today, the wisdom of our ancestors has been confirmed by modern scientific research, and the scientific consumption of these grains is indeed of great significance to health. In this issue, I will introduce the medicinal value of several coarse grains.
Oats lower blood lipids. The most highly valued health component of oats is beta-glucan, a water-soluble fiber that gives oats their viscous texture. Studies have shown that beta-glucan in oats can reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol) in the blood without affecting the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ("good" cholesterol). Therefore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and relevant agencies in many European countries have stated that as long as a food contains a sufficient amount of beta-glucan, it can claim to have functions such as "preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases" or "lowering cholesterol." Additionally, oats have a low glycemic index, which helps in blood sugar control. Oats also have the effect of preventing constipation and colon cancer.
It should be noted that the beta-glucan in oats only works when it is dissolved, and the stickier the oat, the stronger its health benefits. Therefore, it is recommended to eat oats cooked whenever possible. For example, oat groats can be cooked with rice to make a mixed rice, or you can cook oatmeal. Oat flakes are best cooked for 3-5 minutes before consumption, which is more effective than just soaking them.
Buckwheat lowers blood sugar. Buckwheat is rich in dietary fiber and flavonoids. Especially in tartary buckwheat, a specialty of China, the content of flavonoids and rutin is very high. Rutin is a main ingredient in drugs for preventing and treating diabetes and controlling postprandial blood sugar spikes. Therefore, buckwheat and tartary buckwheat are particularly suitable for diabetics. The main buckwheat food products on the market are buckwheat noodles, but the buckwheat content in many buckwheat dried noodles is very low (possibly only a few percent). Therefore, diabetics need to carefully check the ingredient list when choosing and try to select products with a high buckwheat content. Diabetics are best advised to choose instant buckwheat noodles, which are darker in color, have a lustrous appearance, and are similar to cold noodles, requiring a long soaking time before eating. Common tartary buckwheat products today include tartary buckwheat tea and tartary buckwheat instant powder, which diabetics can choose according to their own situation.
Corn kernel (Job's tears) prevents cancer. Corn kernel oil has been found to have a good function in controlling the growth of cancer cells, making it an ideal anti-cancer food. Corn kernel also has a whitening and beautifying effect, which is why it is a common ingredient in high-end cosmetics. Corn kernels are quite hard, so it is recommended to soak them before cooking into a porridge.
Millet protects the stomach. The nutritional content of millet is relatively balanced, with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals in relatively high amounts. The biggest characteristic of millet is that it is easy to digest and absorb, so it does not place a heavy burden on the stomach, which is why there is a saying that "millet protects the stomach." Millet can not only be used to make porridge, but also can be cooked with rice to make "mixed rice" (erfanmi).
Black rice and purple rice protect the eyes. Purple-black coarse grains like black rice and purple rice are generally rich in anthocyanins, which have antioxidant effects, can prevent lipid oxidation, and maintain the health of eye blood vessels. Black rice and purple rice also contain relatively rich dietary fiber and minerals, but their texture is hard and they absorb water slowly, so they need to be soaked for a long time before cooking, preferably for up to 12 hours. Cooking black rice and purple rice into a porridge is more beneficial for human digestion and absorption.