Millet Paired with These Foods: Promote Sleep, Nourish Digestion, and Eliminate Dampness
Millet Paired with These Foods: Promote Sleep, Nourish Digestion, and Eliminate Dampness
One staple food stands out not only for its ability to satisfy hunger but also for its exceptional health benefits: millet.
5 Key Benefits of Millet
Millet, known as the "grain of the kidneys" in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), offers numerous health advantages. Li Shizhen noted its value in his Compendium of Materia Medica, highlighting millet's ability to nourish the body and restore vitality.
1. Replenishes Kidney Essence
In TCM, it's said that as people age, kidney essence naturally declines. Millet porridge helps replenish kidney essence and promote longevity.
2. Strengthens the Body
Millet is ideal for recovering from illness or injury, as it helps restore vitality and strengthen the body.
3. Calms the Mind and Aids Sleep
Millet porridge is known to improve sleep quality and promote relaxation. It is a key ingredient in the TCM insomnia remedy Banxia Shumi Tang.
4. Supports the Spleen and Stomach
With its sweet flavor and yellow color, millet nourishes the spleen and stomach, making it suitable for children with weak digestion or frequent diarrhea.
5. Postpartum Recovery
Millet porridge is easy to digest and supports postpartum recovery by replenishing blood and energy. Adding brown sugar enhances its nourishing properties.
Note: Millet is slightly cooling in nature, so those with cold constitutions or stagnant qi should consume it sparingly.
Millet Pairings for Enhanced Benefits
1. Millet + Longan: Improved Sleep
Longan is famous for its ability to calm the mind and improve sleep by replenishing qi and blood. When combined with millet, the two create a powerful sleep aid.
Caution: Longan can generate excessive heat in the body, so it's not recommended for pregnant women.
2. Millet + Yam: Better Digestive Health
Both millet and yam are known as "stomach-nourishing stars." Adding yam to millet porridge enhances its digestive benefits.
Note: Yam supports moisture retention, so it's unsuitable for those with digestive stagnation, bloating, or gas, as it may worsen symptoms.
3. Millet + Mung Beans: Gentle Heat Relief
Mung beans are cooling but gentle on the stomach. Combining them with millet creates a dish that clears heat while nourishing the stomach.
Caution: Avoid mung beans when taking warm herbal medicines, such as ginseng, astragalus, or cinnamon, as they may counteract the medicine's effects.
4. Millet + Atractylodes (Bai Zhu): Effective Dampness Removal
For those with weak spleens or poor digestion, Bai Zhu (especially roasted) is an excellent choice for eliminating dampness. It pairs beautifully with millet, enhancing the flavor while supporting the spleen and stomach.