With the recent spell of high temperatures, the air has become stiflingly hot. Have you turned on your electric fan or perhaps the air conditioner to cool off in this sultry weather? The humid climate brought about by such heat can lead to an accumulation of dampness within the body.
When dampness accumulates in the body, it can cause a lack of appetite and other issues. Excessive dampness can also lead to digestive problems, which are typically addressed through dietary adjustments. Chenpi is particularly helpful for those suffering from poor digestion and loss of appetite.
The Benefits of Chenpi
Chenpi is a type of Chinese medicinal Herb that has a pungent and slightly bitter taste and is warm in nature. It can effectively dry dampness and transform Phlegm, helping to remove excess dampness from the body. It is known for its ability to regulate qi and relieve pain, as well as to strengthen the spleen and harmonize the middle energizer. These properties make it useful for improving spleen and stomach weakness.
For those who frequently consume greasy or cold foods or live in cold and damp environments, leading to excessive dampness in the body, chenpi can help regulate the spleen and stomach. This is because chenpi has the property of warming the stomach and dispelling cold, which can alleviate symptoms such as stomach fullness, loss of appetite, and food stagnation with gas.
In addition to these benefits, chenpi also has the ability to warm and transform cold phlegm, strengthen the spleen, and harmonize the middle energizer. It can also be effective in relieving coughs by promoting lung function.
Methods for Brewing Chenpi Tea
Boiling Method: Clean the chenpi and place it directly into cold Water to boil for 3-5 minutes. Drink it while it's warm or cooled, whichever you prefer. Drinking it warm produces a rich fragrance, while drinking it cold offers a refreshing sweetness. Tools for boiling: You can use an electric Kettle at home, or a specialized tea kettle or teaware. This method is suitable for aged chenpi, which becomes more fragrant the longer it is boiled.
Mixing Method
Chenpi can not only be brewed alone but also combined with other teas. For example, it is commonly paired with Pu'er tea, white tea, dark tea, and rose flower tea.
Chenpi Cuisine
Chenpi has a pleasant aroma and can stimulate the appetite. Besides being used in medicine, it can also be used in soups, steamed fish, porridge, and more, aiding digestion and removing greasiness. Here are two recommended chenpi dishes:
Chenpi Duck
Not only is chenpi duck tender and delicious, but the addition of chenpi can also stimulate the appetite and aid digestion. Chenpi has the effect of drying dampness and transforming phlegm, making this dish particularly suitable for alleviating symptoms such as poor appetite and facial puffiness caused by spleen and stomach deficiency.
Mung Bean, Lotus Seed, and Chenpi Congee
Ingredients
50 grams each of mung beans and lotus seeds, 10 grams of chenpi, 250 grams of millet, and a small amount of white sugar.
Functionality
In this congee, mung beans have a sweet and cold nature and are good at clearing heat, detoxifying, and promoting diuresis. Lotus seeds have a sweet and Astringent nature and are effective at strengthening the spleen, stopping diarrhea, and nourishing the heart and calming the mind. Millet has a sweet, salty, and cool nature and is beneficial for harmonizing the middle energizer, strengthening the kidneys, and clearing heat.
Combined, these ingredients produce a delicious and refreshing congee that is excellent for clearing heat, removing dampness, harmonizing qi, quenching thirst, strengthening the spleen and kidneys, and calming the mind. It makes for an ideal summer health food suitable for the general population.
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