Pork belly is not only delicious but also highly nutritious.

Introduction: Pork belly, also known as square meat or three-layer pork, is located in the pig's abdomen. This area has a lot of fat tissue interspersed with muscle tissue, hence the name "pork belly" (literally "five-flower meat"). The lean meat in this part is also the most tender and juicy. The best quality pork belly comes from the front part of the abdomen near the front legs, where the layers of fat and lean meat are perfectly interwoven, with a pink color and high nutritional value.

Pork belly is cooked with its skin on. The skin helps thicken the gravy and gives the meat a glossy appearance, creating different flavor variations. Pork belly has always been the star of many representative Chinese dishes, such as Steamed Pork Belly with Preserved Vegetables, Braised Pork Belly in Fermented Red Bean Curd, Dongpo Pork, Twice-Cooked Pork, Braised Pork Rice, Stewed Pork with Pickled Vegetables, and Steamed Pork with Rice Flour. Even in small snacks like zongzi (rice dumplings), the absence of the rich fat from pork belly would make them lose their essential character.

Nutritional Value:

1. Rich in copper, an essential micronutrient for human health, which has a significant impact on the development and function of the blood, central nervous system, immune system, and internal organs like the kidneys.

2. Rich in fat, which helps maintain body temperature, protect internal organs, provide essential fatty acids, promote the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and increase satiety.

3. Pork is rich in high-quality protein.

4. Provides heme iron (organic iron) and cysteine, which promotes iron absorption, and can improve iron-deficiency anemia.

Sliced Pork Belly with Green Chili

Health Benefits:

1. Nourishes the blood and replenishes qi: Pork is rich in high-quality protein and essential fatty acids, and provides heme iron (organic iron) and cysteine, which can improve iron-deficiency anemia.

2. Promotes urination and reduces swelling: It helps remove toxins and excess water from the body, promotes the metabolism of blood and fluids, and has a diuretic effect. Its diuretic components can eliminate water and sodium retention in the body, promoting urination and reducing swelling. It can be used to treat difficult urination.

3. Tonifies kidney deficiency: For kidney yang deficiency, symptoms include "coldness," lower back pain, cold limbs, and aversion to cold. For kidney yin deficiency, symptoms include "heat," mainly lower back pain, restlessness, night sweats, spontaneous sweating, dizziness, and tinnitus.

4. Relieves constipation: B vitamins can promote the secretion of digestive juices, maintain and promote intestinal peristalsis, which is beneficial for bowel movements. Drinking pork soup can quickly relieve constipation caused by insufficient body fluids.

5. Resolves phlegm and stops coughing: Suitable for cough and other symptoms. It has a good moisturizing and physical therapeutic effect on the throat, which is beneficial for the healing of local inflammation and can relieve local itching, thereby interrupting the cough reflex.

6. Promotes the production of body fluids and quenches thirst: Moistens the throat and relieves dryness, making people feel refreshed and comfortable.

7. Nourishes yin and tonifies deficiency: Replenishes deficiency, benefits vital energy, moistens the lungs and kidneys, and is suitable for lung and kidney yin deficiency. It is beneficial for tonifying deficiency and fatigue.

Braised Pork Belly with Dried Bamboo Shoots

Those with internal damp-heat and phlegm stagnation should use it with caution; obese people and those with high blood lipids should not eat too much.

Consumption Tips:

1. Pork belly can be cut into small cubes or thick slices, suitable for braising, stewing, simmering, and also for making meatballs.

2. Pork should be cut diagonally. The meat is relatively fine with less tendon. If cut horizontally, it will become messy and broken after cooking. If cut diagonally, it will not break and will not get stuck in your teeth. Pork should not be soaked in water for a long time.

3. Do not wash pork with hot water before cooking, as pork contains a substance called myosin, which is easily soluble in water above 15°C. Soaking it in hot water will cause a loss of many nutrients and the taste will also be inferior.

4. Pork should be cooked thoroughly, as pork can sometimes contain parasites. If eaten raw or not fully cooked, it may lead to the parasitism of tapeworms in the liver or brain.

Braised Pork Belly with Spring Bamboo Shoots