The summer temperature is already difficult to bear for most people, but there is a special group of people who find it even more unbearable - pregnant women. Pregnant women have higher body temperatures, and they find it even more difficult to cope with the heat in the summer. So, what can they do? One suggestion is for pregnant women to drink more soup in the summer. Soup can not only replenish water but also provide nutrients. Today, I will introduce some summer health soups and soup recipes for pregnant women. Dads-to-be, pay attention!
Summer Health Soup Recipes for Pregnant Women
1. Winter Melon and Pork Rib Soup
Winter melon is high in water content and has the effects of clearing heat, promoting urination, relieving thirst, and reducing swelling. It is a good food for pregnant women with edema. Pregnant women can drink winter melon and pork rib soup, but in moderation.
Ingredients: Pork ribs, winter melon, salt, ginger.
Method:
1. Wash the pork ribs and cut them into pieces. Wash the winter melon and cut it into large chunks without peeling. Slice the ginger and set aside. Boil water in a pot, blanch the pork ribs to remove blood, and then remove and rinse.
2. Put an appropriate amount of water in the pot, add the pork ribs, winter melon, and ginger slices, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes over high heat. After that, simmer over low heat for two hours. Finally, add salt to taste.
2. Tremella and Bamboo Fungus Soup
Tremella and bamboo fungus soup nourishes blood and enhances immunity, suitable for those with poor appetite. Tremella, also known as silver ear mushroom, contains abundant gelatin, various vitamins, and 17 kinds of amino acids, which are beneficial for nourishing blood. Lotus seeds are good for calming the mind. Lily has the functions of moisturizing the lungs, nourishing deficiency, and calming the mind. This soup is most suitable for pregnant women in the middle stage of pregnancy.
Ingredients: Tremella (4-5 pieces, about 100g), bamboo fungus (2-3 pieces), lotus seeds (10-15 pieces), goji berries (15-20 pieces), red dates (10 pieces), lily (10 pieces), rock sugar (1-2 teaspoons).
Method:
1. Soak the tremella in water for about 5-6 hours, then remove and wash it, and divide it into small pieces. Soak the bamboo fungus in water for about 10-20 minutes, then remove and blanch it in boiling water.
2. Wash the lotus seeds, goji berries, red dates, and lily, and put them in an electric cooker. Add the tremella and bamboo fungus along with 6-7 cups of water. Add 2 cups of water to the outer pot. Steam until the switch pops up, then add the rock sugar. Add another 1/2 cup of water to the outer pot and continue cooking until the switch pops up again.
3. Appetizing and Nutritious Carp Soup
Take a fresh carp, a small piece of ginger, some salt, and you can also prepare some Chinese yam or radish. Method: First, clean the fresh carp, then marinate it with ginger and salt for ten minutes to remove the fishy smell. Next, put the whole carp in a stew pot and simmer it slowly. Finally, add a little salt and ginger. During pregnancy, pregnant women are likely to experience nausea or other morning sickness symptoms. Some pregnant women may even have picky eating habits. To solve this problem, we recommend that pregnant women drink fresh carp soup, which has the effect of stimulating the appetite and aiding digestion. As long as pregnant women start drinking the carp soup when it is still hot, there is no need to worry about a strong fishy smell. Fish is also a high-protein food, and carp soup has the effect of nourishing the fetus, making it very suitable for pregnant women.
4. Cooling and Clearing Heat Winter Melon and Kelp Soup
Winter melon has the excellent effect of clearing heat and relieving summer heat. Winter melon is cooling in nature and can clear stomach fire, converting starch and sugar into heat energy instead of fat. Kelp contains a large amount of iodine, which can promote the secretion of female hormones and is the driving force behind beauty. Watermelon rind also has the magical effect of removing heat. The ingredients used are kelp, winter melon rind, winter melon, and nori.
Add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil, then add winter melon rind, winter melon, and watermelon rind. Finally, add kelp. After the pot boils, add a little salt to taste. This magical winter melon and kelp soup to relieve heat is ready.
5. Cooling and Invigorating Spleen Chinese Yam, Corn, Lotus Root, and Pork Rib Soup
In summer, lotus root is an ideal food for cooling and relieving heat. Lotus root contains abundant starch, vitamins, and minerals, and is rich in nutrition. It is light and refreshing, and is a good vegetable and good medicine for promoting blood circulation, clearing stasis, invigorating the spleen and stomach, moistening irritability, and nourishing yin. This soup is most suitable for pregnant women.
Ingredients: Pork ribs (1 piece), Chinese yam (250g), lotus root (250g), sweet corn (1 piece), ginger (2 slices), 8 cups of water.
Method:
1. Cut the pork ribs into pieces, boil water, remove the foam and blood, and rinse with clean water. Peel the Chinese yam and cut it into small pieces. Peel the lotus root and cut it into sections, then rinse the mud in the lotus root holes. Cut the sweet corn into pieces and prepare 2 slices of ginger.
2. Put the pork ribs, ginger, and water into the pot and bring to a boil. Add the Chinese yam, lotus root, and corn to the boiling pot, and simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Finally, add salt to taste.
6. Fig and Dried Chinese Cabbage Pork Shank Soup
Ingredients: 4 dried figs, 100g dried Chinese cabbage, 200g fresh pork shank. Method: Soak the dried Chinese cabbage in water and wash off the sand. Wash the fresh pork shank and cut it into large pieces. Wash the dried figs. Then, put all the ingredients into a soup pot, simmer over high heat, and then simmer over low heat until the dried Chinese cabbage becomes soft. This soup has the effect of nourishing yin, clearing the lungs, and resolving phlegm.
7. White Lotus and Lily Sweet Soup
Ingredients: 60g fresh lotus seeds (30g if dried), 30g dried white lotus meat, 30g rock sugar. Method: Wash the fresh lotus seeds and peel off the petals. Soak the dried white lotus meat in water and remove the skin and lotus core. Then, put the prepared fresh lotus seeds and dried white lotus meat in a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and simmer over medium heat for about half an hour. Add rock sugar in the last 5 minutes.
8. Chuanbei and Snow Fungus Papaya Stew
Soak the snow fungus in warm water. Stew 3g of Chuanbei and snow fungus over low heat for 30 minutes. Add papaya and rock sugar, then bring to a boil. This stew has a sweet and smooth taste, with the refreshing taste of papaya and the pleasant texture of snow fungus. Chuanbei has the functions of resolving phlegm, stopping cough, moistening the lungs, and dispersing nodules.
9. Lotus Root and White Fungus Soup with Rock Sugar
Ingredients: 200g lotus root slices, 10g goji berries, 10g astragalus, 100g fresh pineapple slices, and rock sugar. Method: Soak the lotus root slices in water and wash off the sand. Wash the astragalus and cut it into thick slices. Put the lotus root, goji berries, astragalus, and pineapple slices in a pot and cook until tender. Add rock sugar to taste. This soup is a suitable tonic for pregnant women in daily life.
10. Milk Stewed Papaya and Snow Pear
First, heat the milk with sugar, then add large pieces of peeled papaya and snow pear. Cook for a few minutes. Fresh milk with papaya has a double whitening effect, and when paired with nourishing snow pear, it is beautiful both inside and out.
Proper Soup Drinking Methods:
1. Choose soups according to the season: Different soups can prevent seasonal diseases. For example, mung bean soup in summer and lamb soup in winter.
2. Drink soup and eat "residue" together: More nutrients remain in the residue. Drink "mixed soup": No single food contains all the necessary nutrients. It is recommended to mix several types of animal or plant foods to cook soup, not only to make the taste richer but also to make the nutrition more comprehensive.
3. Develop good habits: Do not drink soup too quickly; do not drink soup that is too hot. The highest temperature that the human oral cavity, esophagus, and gastric mucosa can tolerate is 60°C. Exceeding this temperature can cause mucosal burns and even malignant changes in the digestive tract mucosa. Therefore, soup below 50°C is more suitable. Drink more soup at lunch and have a moderate amount for breakfast and dinner. Drink soup before and during meals, but not after. Drinking soup before a meal can lubricate the mouth and esophagus, reduce the adverse stimulation of dry and hard food on the digestive tract mucosa, and promote the secretion of digestive glands, which can stimulate appetite. Drinking soup in moderation during a meal can help mix the food with digestive enzymes. Do not drink soup after a meal as it will dilute the food mixture that has been mixed with digestive juices, affecting food digestion and absorption. Avoid soaking rice in soup when eating.
Pregnant women are a special group of people and deserve special treatment. It is important for every expectant mother to know about summer health soups and soup recipes for pregnant women. Dads-to-be, it's time to get your hands dirty and cook these healthy and nourishing recipes! Check out these soup recipes for pregnant women in the summer!
