Introduction: Leguminous plants are quite common in daily life and frequently appear in people's diets. Is Chixiaodou the same as Hongdou? Many people call Chixiaodou Hongdou, but in fact, there are differences between them. Chixiaodou is generally used as a medicinal food, while Hongdou is mainly for daily consumption.
In an ancient poem "Xiangsi" by Wang Wei, "Hongdou sheng nan guo, chun lai fa ji zhi, yuan jun duo cai jie, ci wu zui xiangsi," which describes Hongdou. Hongdou, also known as Xiangsidou (love pea), is a plant that grows in the Lingnan region, and its fruit is bright red. Chixiaodou, also called Xiaohongdou, although differing from Hongdou by only one character, has significant differences.
Hongdou, also known as Xiangsidou, is slightly larger in size and appears cylindrical. When boiled, it becomes sticky after a short time and is often used to make delicacies like bean paste buns and red bean sugar water. Chixiaodou, on the other hand, is smaller and slender in shape. It is generally difficult to cook and is usually used in soups or congee. It has the effect of promoting urination and reducing edema, making it very suitable for postpartum consumption. Additionally, Chixiaodou is mild in nature, with a sweet and sour taste, and is a nutritious small legume. In every 100 grams of Chixiaodou, it contains 20.7 grams of protein, 0.5 grams of fat, 58 grams of carbohydrates, 4.6 grams of crude fiber, 67 milligrams of calcium, 5.2 milligrams of iron, as well as phosphorus, vitamins B1, B2, niacin, and saponins. Because Chixiaodou contains saponins, it has the effects of relieving constipation, promoting urination, and reducing swelling. Therefore, regular consumption of Chixiaodou can purify the blood, relieve internal organ fatigue, and is especially beneficial for patients with heart and kidney diseases. This bean is also said to "make people thinner with long-term consumption," and has a certain weight loss effect on senile obesity.
Rose Red Bean Paste
Classic Dampness-Removing Food Therapy - Job's Tears and Chixiaodou Soup
Method:
Wash Job's tears and Chixiaodou, and soak for 2 hours; put the ingredients into a rice cooker and bring to a boil; after boiling, continue to cook for 2 hours; add rock sugar and cook for 2 more minutes; let it sit for another 10 minutes before serving.
Effects: Job's tears are sweet, bland, and slightly cold in nature, with effects such as promoting urination to reduce swelling, strengthening the spleen to remove dampness, relaxing muscles to relieve pain, and clearing heat to discharge pus; Chixiaodou is sweet and neutral in nature. It can strengthen the spleen to promote dampness dispersion, disperse blood, and detoxify. It contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, phosphorus, calcium, iron, vitamins B1, B2, niacin, saponins, and other components. It is used for edema, beriberi; postpartum lactation deficiency, diarrhea, jaundice, or difficulty urinating; hemorrhoids, and intestinal abscesses.
Is Job's tears and Chixiaodou soup suitable for everyone? Are there any contraindications? Actually, this soup is a health food with no side effects, but for different people, some adjustments can be made. For example, for people with a cold constitution, you can add some warming foods like longan and red dates; for those with insomnia and a significant feeling of internal dampness and stickiness, add some lotus seeds and lily; if a woman has menstrual pain, you can remove the Job's tears, cook a Chixiaodou soup, and add some ginger slices, red dates, and brown sugar to warm the lower abdomen and relieve pain. For joint pain, add some raw white peony root and raw licorice root, which combine sourness and sweetness to nourish yin and blood, and expel pain.
Job's Tears, Chixiaodou, and Lotus Seed Soup
Say Goodbye to a Big Belly - Tangerine Peel Red Bean Paste
Method: Soak the red beans until soft, then steam them separately. Add water and sugar to cook into a bean paste, then strain the bean skins through a fine sieve. Add chopped tangerine peel and cook for ten minutes. The sweet red bean paste has a hint of the fresh fragrance of tangerine peel when chewed.
Effects: Reduces abdominal fat accumulation, helping you say goodbye to a big belly. It can unblock the small intestine, promote urination, and reduce swelling. Additionally, this soup has the effect of regulating menstruation and promoting lactation, and is effective for women with irregular menstruation or poor milk flow during lactation. Furthermore, tangerine peel has the effects of resolving phlegm, stopping cough, and aiding digestion. It has a good therapeutic effect on indigestion and food stagnation.
Tangerine Peel Red Bean Paste
tangerine peel red bean paste
Flybird couple cake