The cold season has arrived. Not only is the temperature lower, relative humidity has also plummeted. You may start to feel a bit coarse in your mouth, and may have frequent coughs, a dry throat, breathing problems and even headaches. Traditional Chinese wisdom calls for nutritious soups to rehydrate the body and soothe internal dryness.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, internal dehydration may trigger different symptoms in different people. Although this type of dehydration can happen year round, it is most common in the fall. Frequent coughing taxes your energy, affects your general well-being and can lower your defence against external stimuli such as chilling temperatures, dust or sharp fumes. All these symptoms can have a negative effect on your health, so it is more important than ever to strengthen your internal system right now.
Nutritious soups are said to be able to prevent the above symptoms of internal dehydration. Ingredients such as dried lily bulds, snow fungus and yùzhú (rhizomes of scented Solomon’s seal) are traditionally used to hydrate the lungs, calm coughing and promote restfulness, so they are particularly beneficial for those with chronic sleeping problems. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, snow fungus has a sweet and mild taste, and is beneficial to the lungs, stomach and kidneys. It has the effect of nourishing the yin and moisturizing the lungs. It is suitable for yin deficiency in the respiratory system, emphysema, and coughs due to fatigue, shortness of breath and constant thirst. Snow fungus is not only rich in nutrients, but also its plant-based proteincontains 17 kinds of amino acids, seven of which are essential amino acids for the human body, helping to promote metabolism.
Apple soup with dried lily bulbs, snow fungus and yùzhú
Nutritious effect：nourishing the yin of the lungs, cooling effect on the lungs and rehydrating
Best for dry weather, lack of sleep, dryness in the throat and when your surrounding air is heavily polluted.
Ingredients：
25 grams yùzhú
2 apples
1 snow fungus
10 grams each lily seeds and dried lily bulb
2 sugared dates
10 to 15 cashew nuts
Method：
- Rinse all the ingredients. Soak the snow fungus in water for 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Cut the apple in half and remove the core; tear the snow fungus into smaller pieces.
3. Boil all the ingredients for approximately 1.5 hours. Add salt to taste.
TIPS:
I like it better when the snow fungus are crispier, but if you prefer a smoother texture, you can soak it for a full hour before cooking.
Cold-brewed chrysanthemum tea（makes 1 cup）
If you think making soup is too tedious, you can also make a detoxifying tea which helps clear the lung and brighten the eyes. It tastes slightly sweet and is really simple to make.
Luo Han Guo is sweet in taste, cooling in nature, and it can help nourish the liver and invigorate the spleen. It is said to have the ability to relieve internal heat symptoms, reduce phlegm, relieve coughs, cool the blood, relieve bone aches, clear the lungs and intestines, promote the flow of body fluids and quench thirst. It is a fragrant and sweet drink that can enjoyed year round to refresh the body and promote beauty. Dried white chrysanthemum is said to relieve wind and heat from the body, calm the liver, improve eyesight and detoxify.
Ingredients︰
3 grams dried white chrysanthemum
1/4 luo han guo
2 grams dried liquorice
Method：
– break the ingredients into smaller pieces and brew in water for one to two hours.
The colour of your tea will darken after approximately 20 minutes, indicating that it is ready to be drunk.
Benefits：clear the lungs, detoxify, improve eyesight and strengthen immunity. It can also be brewed in hot water.
Tips: prepare a whole week’s supply in advance using small fillable tea bags so you can brew a cup anytime you wish.
