Spices and Vegetables used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) II

Bean Sprout – It helps to remove toxins in the blood and reduces fat intake. Bean sprout is hard to utilize in food as it has crunchy texture but not much of flavor. Therefore it is often used as a garnish to oily soup like pho. Bean sprout can be added into any oily meat broth if you are concerned about consuming too much grease.

• Lu Dou is mung bean and if it sprouts then it becomes bean sprout. In TCM it is used to clear excessive heat in the body and toxins in the blood. Here toxins hold two meanings, one is bad cholesterol and bad chemicals in the blood, and the other is the poison. Therefore consuming Lu Dou can help you with removing toxins in the body.

Sesame leaves – It helps with digestive function and helps prevent seafood poisoning. Sesame leaves have a distinct aroma and it helps to calm down the upset stomach.

• Zi Su Ye is similar to the sesame leaves but purple in color. It helps to prevent seafood poisoning, helps digestion of stomach, and opens up the chest with warmth.

Sesame seeds – It helps to lubricate the intestines and prevent constipation. Sesame seeds are used often in Asian cuisine to decorate food but also as the main ingredient as well. It can be used with any meat but better with the fish broth. Often sesame seeds are ground up in fish broth to remove the fish smell and give heavier taste. To have effects on constipation, a large quantity is required therefore you can rather substitute it with sesame oil.

• Zi Si Zi is the seed of Zi Su Ye and the functions are moistening intestines and calming wheezing.

Ginger – It helps with digestive function but too much can irritate and damage stomach lining. Ginger warms body and stomach, therefore, it is good to take it with fishes or raw meat. There is no real limit to how you can incorporate ginger into your foods.

• Sheng Jiang is the raw ginger in TCM. There are different forms of ginger such as dried and burnt. The main functions are mostly to help digestive function but how it helps are slightly different.

Goji berry – It helps with building more blood in the body. People often use it in the soup broth to add a sweet taste.

• Gou Qi Zi is the name for Goji berry in TCM.

Ginseng – It helps with increasing immune system and improving energy level. Ginseng is often used with chicken and to help build more energy.

• Ren Shen is a ginseng harvested on 3^rd year and dried. Ginseng’s age can vary and there are different processing methods.

Jujube/ red date – It increases the blood volume and energy level. It is often used with soups to help build up energy. In TCM females will often use jujube and goji berry as tea, snack, or part of a soup.

Black pepper – It helps with blood circulation and too much can irritate the stomach. Pepper is often used to mask the smell of the meat but they also promote blood circulation. Therefore eating little bit can prevent indigestion.

Huang Qi – It helps to improve immune system and energy level. Huang Qi is often used to improve general health. In TCM it is thought to be non-toxic therefore people take it as often as they wish and used as part of meat broth of any kind.

Paprika – It helps with skin complexions, digestion, and hair. Paprika is rich in vitamin and minerals. When paprika is used with the meat, it can improve nutritional value.

Citrus fruit – It helps to break fat and softens the meat. It can also give good fresh taste. Light amount of citrus fruit, zest or juice, can help to enjoy foods, help to digest better, and help to improve circulation. Too much can rather damage and irritate the stomach.

• Chen Pi is dried tangerine peel which invigorates your dormant energy, improves digestion, and reduces phlegm in a cough. Due to its digestive function, it is often incorporated into the bone broth to reduce the heavy greasiness.