According to traditional Chinese medicine, the liver is responsible for the tendons, regulating the flow of qi, storing blood, and playing an important role in the ascending and descending movements of the body's qi and the regulation of blood volume. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to liver health. Below are a few recipes for nourishing and protecting the liver.
Recipe 1: Stewed Tofu with Loach
Ingredients: 100g live loach, 50g tofu, suitable amount of green onion, ginger, and a little salt.
Preparation: Keep the live loach in clean water for one day to remove impurities. Cut the tofu into small pieces and soak in clean water. Wash and pat the ginger and green onion. Put the loach in a pot, add enough water, ginger, green onion, and a little salt. Simmer until the loach is partially cooked, then add the tofu. Continue simmering until the loach is fully cooked. Eat the fish, tofu, and soup on an empty stomach, in moderate amounts, 1-2 times a day for one week.
Effect: This recipe has a white and appealing appearance, with a fresh and tender taste. It has the effects of clearing heat, promoting urination, strengthening the middle, nourishing qi, and detoxifying the liver. It is suitable for jaundice-type hepatitis and chronic hepatitis.
Recipe 2: Stewed Mushroom with Black-bone Chicken
Ingredients: 200g mushroom, 1 black-bone chicken, salt to taste.
Preparation: After slaughtering the black-bone chicken, remove the feathers and internal organs, wash it thoroughly, and cut it into appropriate-sized pieces. Wash the mushrooms and tear them into small pieces. Put the chicken and mushrooms in a clay pot, add enough water and a little salt. Stew until the chicken is tender. Eat it warm, either alone or with a meal.
Effect: This recipe has the effects of strengthening the middle, nourishing qi, and protecting the liver. It is suitable for chronic hepatitis.
Recipe 3: Vinegar Bone Soup
Ingredients: 1000ml rice vinegar, 500g fresh pork bones, 120g brown sugar, 120g white sugar.
Preparation: Wash the pork bones and put them in a clay pot. Pour in the rice vinegar, red sugar, and white sugar. Do not add water. Heat over medium heat until boiling, then simmer for 30 minutes after boiling. Filter out the soup. Adults should take 30-40ml each time, and children aged 5-10 should take 10-15ml each time. Take it three times a day after meals.
Effect: This recipe nourishes yin, benefits the liver, detoxifies, and disperses stasis. It is suitable for patients with viral hepatitis showing signs of liver yin deficiency.
Recipe 4: Corn Silk Jujube and Bean Juice
Ingredients: 60g corn silk, 90g carrots, 30g jujube, 30g black beans.
Preparation: Wash the carrots and cut them into small pieces. Boil the corn silk in a pot with enough water for half an hour, then remove the silk. Add jujube, black beans, and carrots, and cook until the beans are soft. Eat it warm on an empty stomach, twice a day. Continue for a few days.
Effect: Corn silk is sweet and has a neutral nature. It has diuretic, choleretic, and hemostatic effects. It also contains vitamin C and vitamin K, making it suitable for treating jaundice-type hepatitis. Black beans have a high protein content and also contain carotene and B vitamins, making them a good dietary therapy for hepatitis patients. This recipe has the functions of strengthening the spleen, nourishing the liver, and eliminating dampness and jaundice. It is suitable for jaundice-type hepatitis.
Recipe 5: Danshen and Soybean Juice
Ingredients: 500g danshen, 1000g soybeans, 250ml honey, 30g rock sugar, 1 spoonful of yellow wine.
Preparation: Wash the danshen and put it in a clay pot. Add cold water to cover it and let it soak for an hour. Then, boil it over medium heat and simmer for about half an hour. Filter out the juice. Add water as before and simmer again to get the second batch of juice. Mix the two batches of juice together. Wash the soybeans and soak them in cold water for an hour, then remove and put them in a large pot. Add enough water and cook over high heat. Add yellow wine and simmer for about 3 hours until the soybeans are soft. Remove from heat and filter out the soybean juice while still warm. Mix the danshen juice and soybean juice in a porcelain bowl, add honey and rock sugar, cover, and steam for about 2 hours. After cooling, store in a porcelain bottle. The remaining soybeans can be used to make other dishes. Take 1 spoonful, drink with hot water or rice soup 1 hour after meals, twice a day.
Effect: Danshen is one of the main blood-activating and stasis-removing drugs used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is beneficial for the repair of liver tissue and the restoration of liver function. Soybeans are rich in nutrients and are the main food for supplementing plant protein. The diet of patients with chronic hepatitis should include high-quality, sufficient, and low-ammonia protein to facilitate the repair of liver cells. Soybeans are the best dietary therapy. This recipe has the functions of activating blood, removing stasis, nourishing deficiency, and protecting the liver. It is suitable for chronic hepatitis, especially for patients with enlarged liver and spleen.
