Laba porridge is not only delicious, but also healthy. It can be considered a traditional health food suitable for people of all ages. What makes Laba porridge so good? What should different people pay attention to when eating it? At first, it seemed like a simple matter, but upon closer examination, there are actually several reasons to consider.
Diversifies the staple food
The first major benefit of Laba porridge is that it helps people easily diversify their staple food.
On a regular day, people usually have a bowl of white rice or a white steamed bun. Although they may make variations such as dumplings, buns, pancakes, rice cakes, or rice noodles, the basic ingredients remain the same – refined white rice and flour with low nutritional value. The ingredients are extremely monotonous.
Laba porridge is different. It contains seven to eight different ingredients, and sometimes even twenty to thirty. Various coarse grains, beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, etc., can all be added to the porridge. This level of variety cannot be matched by regular staple foods, and it is also very convenient to make, especially with the use of electric pressure cookers.
Coarse grains and beans can also be made into delicious food
The second major benefit is that Laba porridge shows people that coarse grains and beans can be easily made into delicious food. Many people have deep-seated aversions towards coarse grains and beans, thinking that they are hard to swallow, chew, and digest. However, these are all misconceptions. Is Laba porridge difficult to eat? Is it hard to digest? It is actually fragrant and flavorful, far superior to plain rice porridge. It is soft and chewy, providing a delightful texture. It is said that eating porridge is good for the stomach, and there have been no reports of indigestion caused by Laba porridge or Eight Treasures porridge.
Beneficial for health preservation
The third major benefit is that Laba porridge is beneficial for health preservation. The various coarse grains and beans in the porridge have several times, if not dozens of times, higher levels of vitamins and minerals compared to refined white rice. They are also rich in dietary fiber and antioxidants. Each of these ingredients has its own health benefits, whether it is for strengthening the body, controlling blood sugar and blood lipids, or other purposes. One just needs to choose the appropriate ingredients based on their body condition.
Helps control weight
The fourth major benefit is that Laba porridge helps control weight. The porridge has a thick texture and provides a sense of fullness when chewed, unlike rice porridge which is thin and can be consumed without chewing. Chewing the porridge gives the brain a sense of fullness, while its volume and thick texture give the stomach a sense of fullness. However, compared to white rice and steamed buns, the energy content of Laba porridge is only a fraction, making it ideal as a staple food for those who want to lose weight.
Useful tips
1. If you have indigestion, consider using fewer soybeans and black beans in your Laba porridge, as they can be difficult to digest. Instead, add some warm glutinous rice and more stomach-friendly brown rice. Starchy beans and other health ingredients should be soaked before cooking to make them softer and easier to digest.
2. For diabetics, do the opposite. Do not add glutinous rice or white rice, and definitely do not add sugar. Use oats or barley to increase thickness, and add more than half of the beans to help control the rate of blood sugar rise.
3. For those trying to lose weight, the focus should be on the chewing sensation and feeling of fullness. Add fewer glutinous rice and white rice, which are easily digested, and do not add sugar. Instead, add starchy beans with thicker skins, such as various types of adzuki beans or small red beans, to make the porridge soft without becoming too mushy.
4. As for children, consider adding chopped nuts and dried fruits to the Laba porridge to enhance its sweetness and make it more enjoyable for them to consume this healthy food.
