Call it traditional wisdom, but Chinese women have always known the importance of a nourishing and beautifying diet
Since the onset of COVID-19, many of my friends have been feeling anxious. Some are even suffering from insomnia. Long-term mental stress can affect the body’s immunity, but there are foods that can relieve stress, nourish the blood, calm the nerves, calm the emotions and protect the stomach. There is no need to get fancy or expensive ingredients: just make porridge. Here are two nourishing beauty porridge recipes that you can easily prepare yourself:
- Brown sugar longan porridge
Longan, or the “dragon-eye fruit” is rich in glucose, sucrose and protein. It has the effects of nourishing the mind and calming nerves, nourishing yin and nourishing blood. It is especially beneficial for those with palpitations, insomnia, and pale complexion.
Ingredients:
Millet 100 grams
20 longan
A little brown sugar
How to prepare:
- Cook millet and longan meat together into porridge.
- When the porridge is cooked, add brown sugar. It is recommended to enjoy this on an empty stomach.
Efficacy: Nourish the blood and calm the nerves, regular consumption can calm emotions.
Note: Longan is a “hot” and “humid” food according to traditional Chinese categorization. Overeating may cause irritation, so remember to control your portions when eating.
- Lotus seed black rice porridge
Lotus seeds are a common nourishing product and have a good nourishing effect. The ancients believed that regular consumption of lotus seeds could cure all diseases. Eating lotus seeds is said to prevent depression and is suitable for people who are in a bad mood and have insomnia. It can also cure sluggishness, forgetfulness, upset and thirst.
Black rice, also called forbidden rice, is rich in nutrition and can be used as medicine in meals. It has the effects of nourishing yin and kidney, invigorating the spleen and liver, replenishing the spleen and stomach, replenishing qi and blood, and nourishing the liver and eyesight. At the same time, it is also rich in dietary fiber, which can promote gastrointestinal motility. Thai Riceberry Rice is a form of black rice that is particularly nutritious.
Ingredients:
30 grams of lotus seeds
100 grams black rice
How to prepare:
- Wash the black rice and soak it in water overnight; wash the lotus seeds, remove the lotus core, and soak for 40 minutes.
- Add appropriate amount of water to the pot, add black rice and lotus seeds, boil the water over a low fire, and simmer it into porridge.
Efficacy: soothe the nerves, help induce sleep, nourish the stomach and hydrating for the body.
The lotus seed core is the green germ in the center of the lotus seed, and it can be very bitter. Here is how to remove it:
- The most direct way is to break the lotus seeds directly to remove the heart of the lotus seeds.
- If you want to keep the original shape, just tap a toothpick to quickly remove the lotus core.
If you think the taste of black rice lotus seed porridge is too bland for your taste, you can add a little brown sugar. I usually don’t, as I enjoy the light fragrance of the rice and the sweet taste of the lotus seeds.
(Edited and translated by Leslie Yip)
