Introduction: In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), all the body's fluids are considered to belong to the "Yin" category. "Yin" is like water, possessing the characteristics of softness, coolness, and downward flow, nourishing all things to grow. The "Huangdi Neijing" (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states, "Deficiency of Yin leads to internal heat." Therefore, a person with Yin deficiency is like cooking rice without enough water, experiencing problems such as irritability and "heatiness," dry mouth and throat, excessive thirst, aversion to heat and preference for coolness, and constipation. Here, we introduce 10 common foods with the effect of nourishing Yin.
1. Duck
Duck is a common household dish. Ancient medical texts have discussed duck as a nourishing food. The "Ming Yi Bie Lu" (Famous Physicians' Manual of Materia Medica) refers to duck meat as a "wonderful medicine" and a superior nourishing product. There is also a folk saying, "An old duck is better than a tonic." Duck is an ideal food for gentle nourishment. When simmered over low heat for a long time, its nutritional components are more fully released. It is especially suitable for people with a Yin-deficient constitution, particularly menopausal syndrome patients with symptoms such as soreness in the lower back and knees, vexing heat in the palms and soles, and irritability and irritability.
TCM believes that duck meat is sweet and salty in taste, slightly cool in nature, and enters the Kidney, Spleen, Stomach, and Lung meridians. It has the effects of nourishing Yin and clearing heat, strengthening the Spleen and benefiting the Stomach, promoting urination and reducing edema. It is indicated for cough with little phlegm, dry throat, dizziness, and headache. As a waterfowl, duck has a cool nature. From the TCM therapeutic principle of "treating heat with cold," it is especially suitable for people with internal heat and "heatiness."
Western nutrition, on the other hand, considers that duck contains about 16% to 25% protein, which is higher than that of livestock like pork. Furthermore, the more nitrogen extractives in meat, the more delicious its taste. Duck meat contains more nitrogen extractives than livestock meat, so it is delicious. The fat content in duck is moderate, lower than that of pork, easy to digest, and is more evenly distributed throughout the body's tissues.
Therefore, you don't have to worry too much about gaining weight from eating duck meat or drinking duck soup.
Winter Melon and Duck Soup
2. Pork Skin
In daily life, pork skin is often made into meat jelly, which is delicious. The collagen protein in pork skin is also very beneficial to our health. Collagen protein can enhance the physiological metabolism of our body's cells, effectively improving the body's physiological functions and providing excellent moisture to the cells.
Pork skin is sweet in taste and cool in nature. It has the effects of nourishing Yin, tonifying deficiency, nourishing blood, and benefiting Qi. It can be used to treat vexation, sore throat, anemia, and various bleeding diseases, and has the effect of nourishing Yin and moistening dryness. The Qing Dynasty physician Wang Mengying said: "Pork skin supplements kidney fluid, fills stomach juice, nourishes liver Yin, moisturizes the skin, and quenches thirst." The effects of pork skin in supplementing Yin, moistening dryness, and nourishing the skin are even more significant, and it is better to eat it during the spring and autumn seasons.
Generally suitable for all people:
① Suitable for people with Yin deficiency who have vexation, sore throat, or diarrhea; suitable for women with blood deficiency and irregular menstruation; also suitable for hemophiliacs with bleeding.
② Those with external contraction with sore throat, cold-type diarrhea should avoid it. Patients with liver disease, arteriosclerosis, and hypertension should consume it in moderation or not at all.
Processed normal pork skin has the following characteristics: white and shiny skin, with fine and deep pores; completely dehaired, with no residual hair or roots; no skin damage or skin diseases; no subcutaneous tissue, with fat removed cleanly; well-shaped; after cooking, it has normal color, aroma, and taste, with a soft texture and good resilience. The broth is transparent and clear, forming a colorless jelly when chilled.
Colorful Pork Skin Jelly
3. Milk
Milk is sweet in taste and slightly cold in nature. The high-quality protein, fat, calcium, and vitamins it contains are incomparable to other foods, so it is known as a "complete nutritional food."历代医家对牛奶的滋阴作用颇多赞誉，称牛奶“润肌止渴”、“润皮肤”、“润大肠”、“滋润五脏”、“滋润补液”。 Milk is very suitable for those with Yin deficiency who suffer from insomnia, excessive dreaming, fatigue, and migraine headaches.
Traditional medicine believes that milk can exert a "fire-extinguishing" effect by nourishing Yin and clearing heat toxins. Moreover, milk contains about 70% water, which can replenish the water lost by the body due to excessive sweating. Milk nourishes the Lungs and Stomach, promotes the production of body fluids and moistens the intestines, promotes development, moisturizes the skin, increases skin elasticity, calms the mind, and relieves fatigue. It also has anti-inflammatory, anti-swelling, and skin-moisturizing effects. It can not only improve the body's immune system but is also a main tonic for people with diabetes, constipation, long-term illness, deficiency of Qi and blood, and disharmony of the Spleen and Stomach.
According to TCM practitioners, in terms of its nature, taste, composition, and effects, there is no difference in the seasonality of milk consumption, nor will it produce the so-called "heatiness" or "internal fire." In the "Bencao Gangmu" (Compendium of Materia Medica) by the great Ming dynasty pharmacologist Li Shizhen, there are records that cow's milk can treat vomiting due to heat, supplement exhaustion, moisten the large intestine, treat Qi dysentery, and eliminate jaundice.
It should be noted that milk should not be frozen into ice cubes for consumption, as many of its nutrients will be destroyed.
Milk and Walnut Paste
4. Soft-shelled Turtle
A soft-shelled turtle is not a fish. It is also known as a terrapin, soft-shell turtle, water turtle, or yuan fish. It belongs to the Trionychidae family. From the perspective of TCM dietetics, the soft-shelled turtle is sweet and neutral in nature, and enters the Liver and Spleen meridians. It has the effects of nourishing Yin, cooling the blood, clearing heat, dissipating nodules, and tonifying the Kidney. The carapace of the soft-shelled turtle is called Biejia (Carapax Trionycis), which is a quite famous Chinese medicinal material with the functions of nourishing Yin and suppressing Yang, and softening hard masses and dissipating nodules.
Soft-shelled Turtle for Nourishing Yin and Qi: For deficiency of both Qi and Yin, and insufficiency of the Liver and Kidney, manifested as shortness of breath, fatigue, soreness in the lower back and knees, heat in the palms and soles, and decreased white blood cells. One soft-shelled turtle (about 500g), remove the head and internal organs, cut into pieces. 50g each of Goji berries and Shayuanzi, wash and wrap in a gauze bag. Cook together until the turtle meat is tender. Remove the herbs, add seasonings, and eat the meat and drink the soup. It can nourish Yin and cool the blood, being an excellent food for gentle nourishment. It can nourish the Yin of the Liver and Kidneys, and clear the deficiency-heat from overstrain. It is suitable for those with Yin-deficiency fire caused by prolonged illness consuming fluids, mental strain injuring fluids, or old age with Yin deficiency. It is even more suitable for those with deficiency-heat with steaming bones, tidal fever, night sweats, and weak and soft bones.
Dried Fig and Soft-shelled Turtle Soup
5. Dried Scallop
Many people know about dried scallops. Dried scallops are very nutritious; they are the adductor muscle of the sea scallop, rich in protein and a small amount of iodine. Regular consumption can supplement some trace elements that the body lacks.
Dried scallops are the dried product of scallops. Their taste, color, and form are on par with sea cucumber and abalone. An ancient saying goes: "Three days after eating it, you still find chicken and shrimp tasteless." This shows that the deliciousness of dried scallops is extraordinary. It is made from the dried skirt of the scallop. Dried scallop meat is tender and delicious, and can nourish Yin and tonify the Kidney. The "Ben Cong Xin" (New Compilation of Materia Medica) says that dried scallops "treat thirst." Diabetics often have a dry mouth and tongue, drink and eat a lot, and urinate frequently with weight loss. It is recommended to often drink soup made with dried scallops, but those with high uric acid should use it with caution.
Dried scallops are rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamin B2, and various nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. The protein content is as high as 61.8%, three times that of chicken, beef, and fresh shrimp. They are rich in minerals, with content far exceeding that of shark fin and bird's nest. Dried scallops are rich in glutamic acid, making their taste extremely umami, and they have a much reduced fishy smell compared to fresh scallops.
The nutritional value of dried scallops is very high. They have the effects of nourishing Yin, tonifying the Kidney, regulating the stomach, and harmonizing the middle. They contain a variety of essential nutrients for the human body. Generally suitable for all people. Suitable for those with a weak Spleen and Stomach, insufficient Qi, and malnutrition.
Lowering Blood Pressure and Cholesterol: Dried scallops have the function of nourishing Yin and tonifying the Kidney, can treat dizziness and vertigo, dry throat and thirst, deficiency cough with blood, and a weak Spleen and Stomach. Regular consumption can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and replenish health.
Softening Blood Vessels: Dried scallops also have anti-cancer, blood vessel-softening, and arteriosclerosis-preventing effects.
Dried Scallop and Fresh Shrimp Congee