Millet is good for your health and you can enjoy it as a porridge. It is rich in nutrients and it also has the reputation of being a “ginseng substitute” soup. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that whole grains are the essence of health. In this regard, millet is seen as the most natural and pure medicinal food. What makes millet so healthy is that it does not need to be refined. This allows it to preserve many of its vitamins and inorganic salts.
Millet comes in many variations that are highly variable small-seeded grasses. They are grown all over the world, but are most widely spread in developing countries, making up 97 percent of all millet production globally. The starch contained in milled is easily digested by the body, making it especially suitable for people with a weak stomach. Pregnant women and those during maternity can especially benefit from millet porridge, as it can help restore physical strength and nourish the body.
Here are seven healthy variations of millet porridge, that will surely all provide you with a healthy and tasteful meal. Depending on the ingredients you serve along with the millet, each will have a different vitalizing effect, according to TCM.
7 millet porridge variations
1. Millet mung bean porridge
Jia Xianlin lived to the age of 98 years. It is said that the secret of his longevity, among other things, was to eat millet mung bean porridge every day. Millet lends to vitality, while mung beans detoxify and clear fire.
Millet mung bean porridge. (Image: via Flickr)
2. Millet pumpkin porridge
According to TCM, millet has the effect of nourishing the kidneys, removing stomach heat, treating thirst (diabetes), and benefiting urination. Pumpkin can also promote insulin production. Early diabetic patients who eat millet as a complementary food should notice more stable blood sugar levels, allowing better control of the progression of the disease.
3. Millet lotus porridge
This is made of 200 grams of millet and 10 grams of lotus seeds has the effect of lowering heart fire and high blood pressure.
4. Evening millet lily porridge
Millet contains tryptophan, (just like your Thanksgiving turkey), which promotes the secretion of sleepy serotonin, making millet with dried lily bulbs an appropriate snack before bedtime.
5. Millet wolfberry and shanyao porridge
Among other things, millet has a unique antibacterial effect, which helps prevent gynecological inflammation. Adding a little wolfberry or huac shanyao (Chinese yam) will give it even more of an edge.
The #nutritional #benefit of #millet are its high fat content and relatively high lysine content. It is rich in iron, vitamins B and calcium. Today we have #porridge #recipe for you. “Porridge” based on millet with #bananas. #RecipeOfTheDay#glutenfree https://t.co/RPj30wkyeG
— CRAVEmonkey (@CRAVEmonkeypl) January 7, 2019
6. Millet Shanyao jujube porridge
You can prepare this with just a few ingredients; 100 grams of millet, 30 grams of huac shanyao (Chinese yam), and 5 jujubes. Add 30 grams of brown sugar to it and you’ve got yourself a spleen and stomach-strengthening porridge that also has the effect of enhancing energy. This recipe can also be used to treat diarrhea caused by spleen and stomach ailments.
7. Millet huangqi porridge
If you’re still struggling with sluggishness, or lack of energy after giving birth, then the following is for you. All you’ll need for that extra boost is 50 grams of millet, 15 red dates, and 15 grams of huangqi (Astragalus root). This porridge can help get you on your feet. Alternatively, you can add some brown sugar to it if you like a sweet flavor.
In conclusion
Anyone can benefit from the nutrients that millet boasts, but especially elderly and young mothers will reap many benefits from a daily intake of one of these porridges. There are a few cases, however, where one should go easy or restrain from eating these. These are in cases of people with qi (energy) stagnation and those with cold in their bodies or with abundant clear urine. In TCM, everything, even nutrition and the ingredients added to meals, is about achieving balance and promoting harmony.
Research by Jean Chen
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