Introduction: Drinking congee is one of the traditional health-preserving methods in China. As long as you drink it wisely, it can not only help overweight people lose weight and help patients with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids control their condition, but also help people with diarrhea and indigestion recover their health.
First, congee helps replenish water, making it suitable for the dry autumn and winter in the north and the sweaty summer in the south. The water content of congee is usually as high as 90% or even more. Moreover, the water and starch in congee combine and pass through the digestive tract more slowly, staying in the body for a longer time, making people feel more hydrated than drinking water alone.
Second, congee helps reduce dietary energy, which is beneficial for weight control. Congee is large in volume but low in energy density, with relatively little "solid food". 100 grams of cooked rice contains over 100 kilocalories, while 100 grams of thick congee contains only about 30 kilocalories. The large volume of congee makes people feel full more easily, which helps prevent excessive energy intake. If you don't drink plain white congee but a mixed grain and bean congee, the feeling of fullness is even stronger. Therefore, people who want to lose weight can drink mixed grain and bean congee to effectively reduce the energy of their staple food without feeling hungry or reducing nutrient intake, thus losing weight easily.
The third benefit of congee is that it is good for the stomach and intestines. Especially when gastrointestinal function is low, or when there is an intestinal infection or diarrhea, it is best to drink some congee. Even without gastrointestinal diseases, if you eat too much greasy food and high-protein food, you may lose your appetite. In this case, drinking congee for two meals can give the stomach and intestines a temporary rest. However, plain white congee is not recommended. Although it is easy to digest, it has low nutritional value and is extremely unfavorable for controlling blood sugar and weight. It is best to cook congee with mixed grains and beans.
The fourth benefit of drinking congee is that it helps people diversify their staple foods. Although mixed grains and beans are very nutritious, many people find them hard to swallow when cooked as rice. However, after being cooked into congee, their texture becomes more pleasant.