Introduction: Early winter has arrived as scheduled with light snow, and the weather is getting colder. It is the perfect time for nourishment, but to truly nourish your stomach, you must first warm and strengthen it. Here are four recommended foods.
Chinese yam strengthens the spleen and benefits the stomach. Chinese yam is sweet and neutral in nature, and can strengthen the spleen and benefit the stomach. It is suitable for people with a weak spleen causing chronic diarrhea and poor appetite. Chinese yam also contains nutrients such as amylase, polyphenol oxidase, and diosgenin, which are beneficial for gastrointestinal digestion and absorption, making it suitable for those with chronic gastritis, enteritis, or post-illness weakness. You can cook Chinese yam with rice, millet, red dates, etc., to make a mixed grain porridge, or steam it and make blueberry yam. However, Chinese yam has an astringent effect, so people with dry stools should not eat too much.
Chinese Yam and Carbon Beef Stew
Sugarcane strengthens the spleen and eliminates vexation. Winter is dry and can easily lead to "heatiness." Sugarcane has the effects of nourishing yin, moistening dryness, harmonizing the stomach, and stopping vomiting. It is more suitable for indigestion due to a lack of stomach acid. Sugarcane is rich in juice and can be added to congee or soups. The Ming Dynasty pharmacologist Li Shizhen believed that "while sugarcane juice is good, chewing it is even better," showing that chewing is the best way to eat it. Sugarcane is cold in nature, so people with a weak spleen and stomach and diabetics should eat less of it.
Lotus root nourishes the stomach and nourishes yin. Lotus root is known as the "king of Eastern vegetables." When processed until cooked, its nature changes from cool to warm. Although it loses its heat-clearing properties, it becomes beneficial to the spleen and stomach, with effects of nourishing the stomach and yin, enriching the blood, and stopping diarrhea. Especially when stewed with pork ribs, it can also nourish the blood and strengthen the spleen.
Lotus Root and Pork Bone Soup
White radish strengthens the stomach and aids digestion. White radish is known as "little ginseng" and has the effects of promoting qi circulation, strengthening the stomach, and aiding digestion. In "Compendium of Materia Medica," white radish is called "the most beneficial among vegetables." Shredded radish salad can aid digestion, while white radish tofu soup and white radish stewed with lamb ribs can strengthen the spleen and warm the stomach. It is generally suitable for everyone, but patients with gastric ulcers, threatened abortion, etc., should avoid it. In addition, shredded and juiced white radish can relieve indigestion caused by eating too much meat.
Finally, I recommend a soup for you. The main ingredients include Poria, Chinese yam, lotus seeds, and coix seed, which can tonify the spleen, expel dampness, and promote urination. It is called "Four Gods Soup." "Four Gods Soup" is a famous recipe in traditional medicine for strengthening the spleen, suitable for all ages. In addition to its spleen-strengthening effects, it can be paired with goji berries to nourish the liver, and chestnuts can be added to the soup to also tonify the kidneys. Adding a little minced meat when making congee can boost qi and improve immunity.
White Radish and Chicken Thigh Stew