What foods are good for people with a cold constitution?Preferably not medication. First: Women absolutely must not let themselves get cold. Cold is the root of all troubles. Cold women suffer from poor blood circulation, cold hands and feet, and painful periods. Poor blood flow causes spots on the face; the body's energy cannot nourish the skin, leaving it lifeless. That's why many women have skin as flawless as fine porcelain yet lack any youthful vitality, appearing fake; while some young women, even with acne, still radiate vitality.>Even more alarming is that our reproductive system fears cold the most. Once our constitution becomes excessively cold, it will accumulate more fat for insulation, causing fat deposits below the navel. However, when qi and blood are abundant and warm, this fat becomes unnecessary and will naturally disappear.
Cold constitution, cold hands and feet, and painful periods are common among women. Nowadays, they are even more prevalent:
First: Ladies diet, eating only vegetables and fruits, which are mostly cold in nature. They fear fat and avoid red meat. In truth, red meat is a blessing for women—especially beef and lamb, rich in iron that effectively prevents anemia. Anemic ladies naturally have pale complexions.
Second,Most women are office workers, sitting at computers all day, then watching TV after work. Wearing high heels isn't exactly conducive to movement. When going out on dates, their boyfriends drive them, and that gym membership card gets used maybe twice a year. Sitting too much causes blood to pool in the lower abdomen.Stagnant water breeds disease. When blood constantly pools in the pelvic cavity, inflammation inevitably follows. Once inflammation occurs, the face naturally turns sallow and develops spots. Even without inflammation, stagnant blood clogging the skin's capillaries leads to uneven skin tone.> Plus, girls obsessed with beauty cinching their waists with corsets? That's totally useless. Squeezing too tight cuts off blood flow to your reproductive organs, making them colder. And coldness just makes you gain more weight.Nowadays, skirts are popular even in winter, worn over just thin tights. This leaves the entire lower body cold—after all, cold enters the body through the feet.
Additionally, girls love eating ice and drinking cold herbal teas to prevent breakouts.Truth is, women who feel the cold should minimize exposure to cooling Chinese herbs. Many breakouts aren't caused by excess yang energy but by yin deficiency—when yin fails to nourish yang. Rather than depleting yang, nourishing yin is more appropriate (more on this later).I've observed that in southern provinces like Guangdong and Guangxi, where iced herbal teas are popular, women often develop more severe facial pigmentation after childbirth. (The weight gain postpartum isn't from postnatal nourishment—it stems from childbirth causing wounds, inflammation, and blockages in the reproductive system. The recovering system becomes more fragile, sensitive to cold, and requires extra fat for protection.) Even ancient courtesans used cold-natured herbs for effective contraception, highlighting how these medicines harm the reproductive system.Among herbal teas, some that nourish yin and replenish qi are acceptable. However, those with excessively cold properties should be avoided. For instance, the current trend among young women of consuming raw aloe vera is alarming.The most potent component in aloe vera, emodin, is extremely yin-cold. Aloe vera is used topically to treat burns (like centipede bites), which shows just how cold it is. It's best to avoid eating it unnecessarily.After all this, the point is: don't be a "cold beauty." It's actually quite simple: eat more red meat, ginger, red dates, animal blood, glutinous rice wine, cherries... basically anything rich in iron or mild in nature. Avoid good things like white fungus, lemon, and bamboo shoots during menstruation.Always stay warm. Avoid icy drinks, opt for hot beverages, and don't linger in air-conditioned rooms. Don't sacrifice warmth for style—no crop tops when autumn turns chilly. The best winter warmth comes from soaking in hot water. Don't skimp on gas—thirty minutes in a hot bath with massage will warm even the coldest body. If a full bath isn't possible, soak your feet instead.If that's not feasible, carry a cup of hot water with you all day or hug a hot water bottle. It's perfectly natural for women to feel the cold.
Of course, the best approach is to generate your own heat. Excessive strenuous exercise isn't beneficial for weight loss. The most effective methods involve stretching the waist, abdomen, and inner thighs—like morning leg stretches and forward/backward bends. Focus on waist-centered movements, but avoid rushing through them, as stopping abruptly can cause blood to pool in the waist area. Gentle yoga is highly effective, and Latin dance is also excellent.However, I recommend yoga more, as it emphasizes breathing—proper qi flow enables blood circulation. Additionally, consider taking Chinese herbal medicines or foods that promote blood circulation and dispel blood stasis. This requires caution, as not everyone has blood stasis. Over-dispelling stasis can harm the body, such as causing excessive menstrual flow.So ladies can assess based on menstrual flow volume, blood viscosity, and presence of facial spots. Herbs for promoting blood circulation and resolving stasis include: motherwort, peach blossom, peach kernel, and safflower.listed from mildest to strongest effects. Personally, I recommend sticking to the first two. They can be brewed as tea (hot tea), and peach blossoms steeped in wine are even more effective. Both teas and wines can also be used as facial toners to fade dark spots.
In winter, many women experience cold hands and feet. Prolonged coldness not only feels uncomfortable but also increases susceptibility to frostbite and other ailments.The primary cause of cold hands and feet is reduced blood metabolism during winter. Low temperatures constrict blood vessels, weakening blood return capacity. This impairs circulation in the extremities—especially fingertips and toes—due to poor peripheral nerve circulation.Fill a deep basin with warm water around 40°C (104°F), ensuring it covers your ankles. Soak for about 20 minutes until you feel warmth spreading throughout your body—this indicates improved blood circulation. Massaging your feet while soaking enhances the effect.
Aerobic Exercise
> Activities like jogging, brisk walking, skipping rope, disco dancing, or practicing Tai Chi engage the entire body, promoting blood flow. However, avoid overexertion. High-intensity exercise that causes heavy sweating can "disperse yang energy," producing the opposite effect.
Wear Cotton Socks
Pure cotton socks are not only soft and comfortable but also absorb foot sweat, keeping feet dry and comfortable all day.
Consume warming foods
In cold weather, intentionally supplement your diet to increase warmth and alleviate cold hands and feet. Northern winters call for warming foods like beef, lamb, or dog meat; southern climates suit milder, sweet-warming options such as chicken, duck, or fish. Minimize cold-natured fruits like pears and water chestnuts.
Ensure Adequate Sleep
Aim for at least 6 hours of sleep daily. Sufficient rest helps store yang energy and accumulate yin essence.
Massage Palms and Soles
Regularly rub your palms and soles to improve microcirculation in peripheral blood vessels, promoting warmth in hands and feet.
Tangerine Peel for Cold Extremities
Japanese scientists discovered that adding hesperidin extracted from orange peel to drinking water significantly improves cold hands and feet in women. In the experiment, researchers had 10 women with cold extremities drink hesperidin water, while 10 others drank plain water. Two hours later, they immersed their hands in cold water for one minute and then measured blood flow and temperature recovery.Results showed that the pure water group's hand temperature remained unchanged even after 40 minutes, while the naringin group restored hand temperature to pre-immersion levels within 30 to 35 minutes, with markedly improved capillary blood flow in fingertips.
Experiencing persistently cold hands and feet during winter is a common phenomenon.This primarily occurs because the natural environment's temperature drops, leading to insufficient yang energy. The body's own yang energy also becomes deficient, resulting in symptoms of yang deficiency. Additionally, cold weather causes blood vessels to constrict, weakening blood return capacity. This impairs circulation in the hands and feet, particularly the fingertips—commonly referred to as "poor peripheral circulation"—leading to the persistent sensation of cold extremities.This condition is more prevalent among women, especially those middle-aged and older. Mental workers are more susceptible than manual laborers, while it rarely occurs in healthy young men.
Cold exposure can impair systemic or localized blood circulation, or cause peripheral circulatory disorders in the extremities, resulting in cold hands and feet. Persistent, long-term coldness in the extremities is termed "cold syndrome."Traditional Chinese medicine attributes this to qi deficiency, qi stagnation, and insufficient yang energy. Women are more susceptible during menstruation, pregnancy, and postpartum periods due to physical weakness. Without timely prevention, this can lead to poor mental state, aversion to cold, and in severe cases, varicose veins in the lower limbs.nourishing without causing dryness. It can be steeped in water for consumption. 2. Consume sesame seeds and peanuts. Rich in vitamin E and various nutrients, they aid vitamin B absorption and enhance the nervous system's resistance to cold. Vitamin E also dilates blood vessels, improving circulation in the extremities. 3. Eat foods like onions and chili peppers that help generate body heat and promote blood circulation.
Additional measures:
Regularly soak feet in hot water to warm the body and soothe fatigued nerves.
Methods to alleviate cold hands and feet in winter
Clinical manifestations of kidney yang deficiency: 1. Low back pain accompanied by coldness. 2. Cold extremities and frequent urination.
Suitable foods for those with kidney yang deficiency include seafood and Chinese chive seeds.For kidney tonification, formulas like Jinkui Shenqi Wan (Golden Chamber Kidney Qi Pills) or Wuzhi Yanzong Wan (Five Seeds to Sustain the Lineage Pills) may be selected.
In cases of kidney yin deficiency, internal heat tends to flourish. If warming, yang-tonifying herbs are used at this stage, it's like adding fuel to the fire, exacerbating the patient's heat symptoms. Conversely, if a patient has kidney yang deficiency and feels cold, administering yin-nourishing herbs would be like adding insult to injury, making the condition unbearable.
In cold climates, some individuals remain energetic despite wearing minimal clothing. Others, even at a young age, suffer from extreme cold sensitivity, bundling up completely yet still experiencing cold hands and feet.
Traditional Chinese Medicine posits that "Yang deficiency leads to external cold.". This means that when the body's yang energy is depleted, qi and blood become insufficient, and the protective yang fails to solidify. The body cannot warm the muscles to resist the invasion of external cold pathogens, making the person particularly susceptible to feeling cold. Modern research indicates that the so-called yang deficiency constitution is primarily associated with iron deficiency, low blood pressure, thin physique, and hypothyroidism. How can one transform a yang deficiency constitution and eliminate the sensation of cold?First, prioritize dietary adjustments to stoke the fire in those with deficient yang energy.
During cold weather, regularly consuming foods that warm the kidneys and strengthen yang—such as lamb, dog meat, chili peppers, dried shrimp, and walnuts—significantly enhances cold resistance.Lamb, sweet and warm in nature, is rich in fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and iron. It warms the middle burner, nourishes deficiency, benefits the kidneys and liver, stimulates appetite, and strengthens the spleen—making it an excellent, nutrient-dense winter food for cold resistance.Dog meat, sweet and warm in nature, fortifies the middle energizer, boosts kidney yang, calms the five viscera, strengthens the waist and knees, and warms the lower jiao. Rich in protein, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, and phosphorus, it provides warming and cold-resisting benefits for those with cold limbs, lower back pain, or weak constitutions.As the saying goes, "After eating dog meat, you'll feel toasty warm—no need for quilts to get through winter." Chili peppers contain capsaicin, which stimulates appetite, aids digestion, accelerates heart rate, dilates peripheral capillaries, and increases blood flow to the body's surface.Moderate chili consumption in winter provides warmth and comfort while protecting joints and muscles from cold and dampness. Dried shrimp surpasses meat, eggs, and dairy in protein, calcium, phosphorus, and iron content. It warms the kidneys, invigorates yang energy, fortifies the spleen and stomach, and promotes blood circulation. It is ideal for winter consumption by those with spleen-kidney yang deficiency, impotence, or lower back pain. Walnut kernels contain over 40% fat,primarily unsaturated fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol and prevent arteriosclerosis and hypertension. Their rich phospholipids are essential building blocks for human cells, enhancing cellular activity, promoting hematopoiesis, and stimulating appetite. Additionally, they contain abundant carbohydrates with high caloric value, increasing body heat to ward off the cold.
It is worth noting that using alcohol consumption to ward off the cold is a common misconception.Alcohol itself generates minimal heat. The sensation of warmth after drinking results from alcohol dilating blood vessels and dispersing the body's existing heat. Once the effects wear off, the body loses its stored heat, reducing its ability to withstand cold. This often causes goosebumps, commonly known as "chills after drinking.">In cold winters, besides increasing physical exercise and wearing more layers, incorporating more cold-resistant foods into your daily diet can enhance the body's ability to withstand the cold.
Common cold-resistant foods include:
Meats: Dog meat, mutton, beef, and venison are particularly effective for warmth. Rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fats, they benefit kidney function, invigorate yang energy, warm the middle and lower body, and replenish qi while promoting blood circulation.Consuming these meats accelerates metabolism in yang-deficient constitutions and enhances endocrine function, thereby providing warmth. Root vegetables: Medical research indicates that sensitivity to cold may relate to mineral deficiencies. Lotus root, carrots, lily bulbs, sweet potatoes, greens, and Chinese cabbage are rich in minerals. Incorporating these into meals is advisable.
Spicy Foods: Chili peppers contain capsaicin, ginger contains aromatic volatile oils, and black pepper contains piperine. Consuming these spicy foods can dispel wind and cold, promote blood circulation, and increase body temperature.Chinese cabbage, spinach, corn, and other iodine-rich foods stimulate thyroid hormone secretion in the human body.
Thyroid hormones possess a thermogenic effect, accelerating oxidative processes in most tissues and cells (excluding the brain, glands, and uterus), increasing heat production, elevating basal metabolic rate, enhancing skin blood circulation, and improving cold resistance.
Iron-rich foods:Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that iron deficiency in the blood also contributes to cold sensitivity. Women with anemia have a body temperature 0.7°C lower than those with normal hemoglobin levels and produce 13% less heat. Increasing iron intake significantly improves cold tolerance.
Therefore, women prone to cold sensitivity may consciously increase intake of iron-rich foods such as animal liver, lean meat, spinach, and egg yolks.
Additionally, dietary health begins with understanding "nature". "Nature" (or "qi") refers to the distinct properties of foods—cold, cool, warm, or hot—known in traditional Chinese medicine as the "Four Natures" or "Four Qi."
Cool or cold-natured foods are suitable for heat-type constitutions and conditions. Examples include watermelon for fever, thirst, and irritability;while pears, suitable for coughs, chest pain, and excessive phlegm, are cold-natured foods.
Warm or hot natures are the opposite of cool or cold. Foods suitable for cold constitutions and conditions are warm or hot.For instance, ginger, scallion whites, and cilantro are suitable for wind-cold colds, fever, chills, runny nose, and headaches; dried ginger and black tea are suitable for abdominal pain, vomiting, and a preference for warm drinks; chili peppers and alcohol are suitable for cold limbs, aversion to cold, and rheumatic joint pain. All these are warm or hot foods.
Neutral foods occupy a middle ground between cold/cool and warm/hot properties, suitable for most constitutions and generally tolerated by those with cold or heat-related conditions. They primarily serve as everyday nutritional staples, such as rice, wheat, soybeans, sweet potatoes, radishes, apples, and milk.
Analysis of over 300 commonly used foods documented in historical Chinese dietary therapy texts reveals that neutral foods predominate, followed by warm and hot foods, with cold and cooling foods being the least common. Generally, beyond their nutritional and health benefits, cold and cooling foods belong to the Yin category and possess effects such as clearing heat, purging fire, cooling the blood, and detoxifying.warm and hot foods are yang in nature, possessing effects such as dispelling cold, warming meridians, unblocking channels, and assisting yang.
Neutral and Mild Foods
From a TCM perspective, foods are categorized into five natures: neutral, cold, cool, warm, and hot. In summer, we recommend consuming more neutral, cold, and cool foods, such as common legumes and wood ear mushrooms. Common cool foods include tofu, winter melon, and loofah. Cold foods include bitter melon, tomatoes, and watermelon.>Neutral foods include:
Rice, soybeans, black sesame seeds, peanuts, potatoes, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, carrots, onions, black fungus, lemon pork, pork belly, eggs, and fish such as carp, crucian carp, loach, yellow croaker, and pomfret. Additionally, milk consumed in daily life is classified as a neutral food.
Cool-natured foods:
Buckwheat, corn, white radish, winter melon, mushrooms, celery, Chinese cabbage, mustard greens, oranges, apples, etc.
Cold-natured foods:
Millet, mung beans, kelp, mung bean sprouts, bitter melon, tomatoes, cucumbers, bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc.
Generally speaking, the nature of foods can be broadly categorized into two types: cold and hot:
Foods that feel fiery hot upon entry and warm the stomach are mostly hot in nature, such as ginger, garlic, chili peppers, cinnamon, pepper, Sichuan pepper, alcohol, etc.
Conversely, foods that feel cool upon entry and refreshing in the stomach are generally cool in nature.In summer, eating mung bean jelly—made from mung bean starch—relieves heat and clears summer heat. Southern-style chilled tofu, made from cornstarch mixed with mint and gypsum, delivers an incredibly cooling sensation upon entry.Fruits and vegetables like watermelon, water chestnuts, pears, cucumbers, raw lotus root, and persimmons also tend to be cold in nature.
However, relying solely on taste and stomach sensation to gauge a food's nature isn't entirely accurate. The cold or hot properties of most foods are determined by how they affect you after eating.Take mutton, for instance. In winter, when water freezes instantly, a family gathered around a hotpot enjoying mutton slices feels warm all over after eating. Regular consumption of mutton makes one less sensitive to cold, hence we say mutton is warming. Dog meat and yellow beef share this property.Eating warming foods like dog meat in summer often leads to dry mouth and throat, or nosebleeds. Conversely, foods that cause subtle rumbling in the stomach, loose stools, or a bland taste in the mouth are typically cold in nature.
Sometimes the initial sensation upon eating doesn't match the body's reaction afterward. Take lychees, for instance: when fresh, peeled, and juicy with sweet flesh, a single bite feels refreshingly cool. But if one truly indulged as Su Dongpo famously claimed—"three hundred a day"—it would undoubtedly cause internal heat. Oranges are similar: their juice is sweet and sour, and eating them doesn't feel hot. Yet overindulgence can lead to cracked corners of the mouth and a sore tip of the tongue, all due to their inherently warm nature.
In summary, the cold, cool, warm, and hot properties of food (known in Chinese medicine as the "Four Natures") are determined by both taste and bodily sensation.Some foods exhibit neither pronounced cold nor heat properties; these are termed neutral. Neutral foods are generally suitable for regular, long-term consumption, such as rice and pork. Nutritionist's Answer: Cold hands and feet often indicate deficiency-cold, typically treated by consuming warming foods. Deficiency-cold can stem from congenital factors or acquired lifestyle habits.Therefore, it is advisable to engage in appropriate physical exercise, maintain regular eating and sleeping habits, adjust clothing according to temperature changes, and avoid raw or cold foods. Another type of cold hands and feet is termed "Si Ni" in TCM. "Si" refers to the extremities of the limbs; "Ni" means coldness or numbness. This condition arises when blood circulation fails to reach the extremities, leading to insufficient blood supply and resulting in cold limbs.
Women may also experience cold sensitivity due to anemia during menstruation. Similarly, individuals with gastrointestinal bleeding or significant blood loss may develop anemia-related chills.
Furthermore, Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes a condition called "blood deficiency" (血枯), where anemia from depleted blood volume causes cold sensitivity. This requires blood-nourishing treatment. If blood stasis is present, the approach is to "disperse stasis and generate new blood" (破淤生新), breaking up stagnant blood to produce fresh blood—commonly known as "promoting blood circulation and resolving stasis" (活血化瘀).
However, a professional TCM practitioner must diagnose the specific type of cold sensitivity based on pulse examination and clinical manifestations.
I. Nutritional Principles
Consume more neutral or warm-natured foods that tonify qi, nourish blood, and strengthen the kidneys.
II. Recommended Foods
Foods that nourish kidney yang deficiency are recommended, such as lamb, dog meat, venison, and chicken. Following the principle of "nourishing yang in spring and summer," during the three dog days of summer, consume lamb and aconite soup once per period to strengthen the body's yang energy when celestial yang is at its peak. Additionally, chives and loach can be used for dietary supplementation. Medicinal options include Kidney Essence Pills,Cistanche deserticola, Jinkui Shenqi Pills, and Yougui Pills.
Additionally, consume more warming foods to enhance the body's cold resistance.Common warming foods include: beef, garlic, chili peppers, ginger, onions, Chinese yam, longan, and angelica root. III. Dietary Restrictions 1. Avoid cold foods like frozen beverages and ice cream. 2. When consuming warming tonics, avoid concurrently eating yin-nourishing foods to prevent counteracting their effects.
IV. Additional Considerations
Overcoming Cold Sensitivity: Cultivating Healthy Habits (For Reference)
1. Morning Routine. Establishing a regular lifestyle is the first step toward improving cold sensitivity. Morning marks the start of the day—avoid lingering under the covers. Energize yourself by rising promptly and engaging in proper physical activity.Opening your eyes with a cheerful disposition not only prevents cold sensitivity but also boosts your efficiency for the entire day.
2. Exercise. Morning physical activity thoroughly relaxes and stretches your muscles, preventing cold sensitivity caused by stiffness. After a night's sleep, blood circulation often slows down, making appropriate exercise crucial for loosening up the body.
3. Eat a substantial breakfast.A new day begins with breakfast, and good health starts with a good breakfast.
4. Mind your clothing. Avoid tight undergarments and restrictive clothing that impedes blood circulation throughout the body.
5. Walk whenever possible. Walking is the most convenient and quickest way to warm up your body.
6. Warm up with lunch. Meal timing is key to combating cold sensitivity. A high-calorie lunch can effectively warm the body. As the saying goes, "Lunch should be hearty." Eat on schedule to ensure adequate calorie intake. Consuming porridge with warming ingredients like pickled mustard greens is particularly effective for body warmth.
7. Conversations work wonders. Chatting with friends is a unique stress reliever that also has remarkable effects on preventing cold sensitivity.
8. Hydrate moderately. Water intake is crucial. It flushes waste from the body and promotes smooth blood circulation. Aim for about 2 liters daily.
9. Breathing techniques.When feeling fatigued, slow breathing offers significant relief for cold sensitivity. Place your hands on your chest and inhale deeply, allowing your abdomen to expand. This diaphragmatic breathing method delivers oxygen throughout your body, boosting circulation and alleviating cold sensitivity. It can be easily practiced while seated—give it a try.
10. Dinner.Consciously choose warming yang foods for dinner. Yang and yin properties can be identified by color. Yang foods are primarily warm-toned red items like carrots, ginger, and pickled mustard greens.Yin foods are often white or cool-toned, such as tropical fruits, so moderation is key. 11. Bathing and Foot Soaking. Bathing not only alleviates cold sensitivity but also regulates overall health, making it crucial. Maintain a nightly foot soak in hot water, ideally infused with therapeutic herbs like safflower.
Double Red Pumpkin Blood-Nourishing Soup
Ingredients:
500g pumpkin, 10g red dates, brown sugar to taste. 2000ml water.
Method:
Peel and deseed the pumpkin, wash thoroughly, then cut into chunks.Wash red dates and remove pits. Place red dates, pumpkin, and brown sugar in a pot. Add water and simmer over low heat until pumpkin is tender and mushy.Red dates nourish the spleen and stomach, boost qi, generate fluids, and nourish yin and blood. Brown sugar contains trace elements and minerals that warm the stomach, replenish blood, invigorate blood circulation, and dispel cold. Regular consumption promotes a rosy complexion and enhances skin elasticity.
Breast Enhancement & Blood Replenishment - Angelica & Astragalus Chicken Soup
[Ingredients & Preparation]
1 qian (approx. 3g) Angelica sinensis,Astragalus root 6 grams, 1 chicken leg, 4 bowls of water.
First, wash the chicken leg, cut into pieces, place in water, and bring to a boil over high heat;
Then add Astragalus root and simmer with the chicken leg until 70% cooked. Add Angelica root, boil for 5 minutes, season with salt, and serve.
[Characteristics and Benefits]
Angelica root nourishes the blood.Astragalus fortifies vital energy. Thus, this preparation promotes smooth qi and blood circulation in women, regulates menstruation, and thereby supports healthy mammary gland secretion to achieve breast enhancement. Qi-Nourishing and Blood-Replenishing Soup Peanut, Eucommia Bark, and Oxtail Soup Replenishes blood, benefits the kidneys, and strengthens tendons and bones 60g peanuts, 20g Eucommia bark, 1 oxtail, 3 slices ginger.
Wash peanuts and soak; sprinkle Eucommia bark with light salt water in a wok,stir-fry over low heat until dry; have the vendor clean the oxtail, wash it, boil in water for 10 minutes, then rinse again. Place all ingredients with ginger in an earthenware pot, add 3000ml (about 12 bowls) of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for about 3 hours. Season with salt and vegetable oil to taste. Serves 3-4 people.
Astragalus, Chinese Yam, and River Shrimp Soup
Blood-nourishing and Beauty-enhancing
30g each of Astragalus and Chinese Yam, 15g each of Angelica and Goji berries, 6g Platycodon root (all available at Chinese herbal shops), 120g river shrimp.
Rinse all herbs and soak briefly; wash shrimp, remove heads, and peel.First, place all herbs into a clay pot. Add 1500ml water (approximately 6 bowls).Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for about 40 minutes until the broth reduces to approximately 750ml (about 3 bowls). Strain the broth into a pot, discarding the herbal residue. Add the shrimp and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Season with salt to taste. Drink the broth and eat the shrimp. This quantity serves 2-3 people.
Jujube, Chinese Yam, and Beef Tendon Soup
Nourishes yang, replenishes blood, and invigorates the spirit
30g Chinese yam, 8 jujubes, 20g each of codonopsis and longan arils, 10g astragalus (available at Chinese herbal shops), 400g beef tendon, 3 slices ginger.
Rinse all herbs and soak briefly;Rinse beef brisket whole (do not cut). Boil briefly in hot water, then rinse thoroughly to remove scum ("blanching" and "cold-rinsing"). Place beef, ginger, and 3000ml water (about 12 bowls) into an earthenware pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 3 hours. Season with salt and oil to taste.Remove beef tendon, slice into strips, and serve with soy sauce as a side dish. Mushroom, Seaweed, and Oyster Soup Nourishes the kidneys and liver, replenishes blood, and improves eyesight 300g oysters, 250g mushrooms, 30g seaweed, 3 slices ginger.
Soak and rinse oysters; wash mushrooms; soak and rinse seaweed. Add 1500ml water (about 6 bowls) to a wok. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add mushrooms and ginger. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add oysters and seaweed, simmer briefly until cooked. Season with salt and oil to taste.
>Poria and Polygonatum Oyster Soup
Nourishes blood and qi, moistens heart and spleen
20g each of Poria cocos and Polygonatum sibiricum, 8 red dates, 300g fresh oysters, 350g chicken meat, 3 slices ginger.
Rinse all herbs and soak briefly. Pit the red dates. Soak and rinse the oysters. Wash the chicken meat.Briefly blanch oysters and chicken in boiling water ("blanching"). Place herbs in a soup bag. Add all ingredients and ginger to an earthenware pot. Pour in 2500ml water (about 10 bowls). Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Season with salt and a dash of vegetable oil. Discard herbs. Serves 3-4.
Lotus Root, Red Bean, and Pigeon Soup
Nourishes blood, replenishes fluids, tonifies yin, and nourishes the kidneys
750g lotus root, 50g dried squid, 50g red beans, 2 pigeons, 5 red dates, 3 slices ginger.
Wash lotus root, remove knots, and cut into chunks; soak dried squid until soft, then cut into medium pieces; wash red beans and red dates, soak, and pit the dates; slaughter and clean pigeons, remove entrails, briefly blanch in boiling water, then rinse (known as "blanching"). Place all ingredients with ginger into an earthenware pot, add 2500ml water(10 bowls' worth). Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for about 2 hours. Season with salt to taste and a little vegetable oil. Serves 3-4 people.
Polygonatum, Chinese Yam, Goji Berry, and Rabbit Soup
Nourishes blood, moistens organs, boosts qi, and generates essence
25g each of Polygonatum and Chinese yam,20g each of goji berries and longan flesh, 1/4 dried tangerine peel, 500g rabbit meat, 3 slices ginger.
Rinse all ingredients and soak briefly. Remove pith from tangerine peel. Rinse rabbit meat, cut into large chunks, and briefly parboil in boiling water befo