Cough with white phlegm may be caused by a cold or a related condition of deficient lung qi. Both conditions are related to cold, so it is advisable to consume warm foods that dispel cold. Here are some suitable foods for patients with cough and white phlegm:
Pepper and Rock Sugar Pear:
Ingredients: 1 pear, a suitable amount of pepper and rock sugar.
Method:
1. Wash the pear, remove the top, and scoop out the core. Place 20 peppercorns and 2 rock sugar cubes inside the pear, then place the pear halves together in a bowl.
2. Steam for about half an hour. One pear can be eaten in two servings.
Effect: Pepper has a warming nature, and pear enters the lung meridian, with the ability to stop coughing and resolve phlegm. Therefore, this dietary therapy is suitable for cough with white phlegm caused by a cold.
Sautéed Egg with Sesame Oil and Ginger:
Ingredients: 1 egg, a suitable amount of ginger, sesame oil, and salt.
Method: Heat a small amount of sesame oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the finely chopped ginger and stir-fry for a moment. Then add 1 beaten egg and stir-fry until well mixed.
Effect: Eggs can inhibit cold-causing bacteria and are rich in nutrients. Ginger can dispel cold and stop coughing. Therefore, this dietary therapy is effective for both cold-induced cough with white phlegm and lung qi deficiency cough.
Bird's Nest and Pear Drink:
Ingredients: 5 grams of bird's nest, 2 white pears, 10 grams of Fritillaria Bulb, and 5 grams of rock sugar.
Method:
1. Cut off the tops of the pears and remove the cores. Place bird's nest and Fritillaria Bulb inside the pears.
2. Cover the pears with the removed tops and place them in a bowl. Steam until cooked.
Effect: Bird's nest nourishes Yin and moistens dryness, Fritillaria Bulb stops coughing and resolves phlegm, and white pear stops coughing and clears the lungs. This remedy is suitable for long-term phlegmy cough and shortness of breath.
Chinese Yam and Red Date Porridge:
Ingredients: 100 grams of glutinous rice, 75 grams of coix seed, 50 grams of Chinese yam (dried), 25 grams of Chinese water chestnut, and 10 grams of red dates.
Method:
1. Wash the glutinous rice and coix seed, soak in cold water for 3 hours, then drain.
2. Peel and wash the Chinese water chestnut and Chinese yam, then grind them into powder. Remove the pits from the red dates and wash them.
3. Add the coix seed and glutinous rice to a pot with enough cold water, and cook over high heat until the grains begin to bloom.
4. Add the red dates to the pot and simmer over low heat until the glutinous rice is soft. Stir in the Chinese yam powder, cook for about 20 minutes, then add the Chinese water chestnut powder and sugar. Serve hot.
Effect: Chinese yam tonifies qi and strengthens the spleen, red dates tonify qi and blood, and coix seed is also a good tonic. Therefore, this dietary therapy is suitable for cough with white phlegm caused by deficient lung qi.
Honey Peanut and Red Date Porridge:
Ingredients: Suitable amount of peanuts, red dates, and honey.
Method: Soak the red dates and peanuts in warm water, then put them in a pot with enough water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until soft. Add honey before serving.
Effect: Peanuts and red dates tonify qi and blood, while honey moisturizes the lungs and stops coughing. This dietary therapy is suitable for cough with white phlegm caused by deficient lung qi.
Dietary Restrictions for Cough with White Phlegm:
The above dietary therapies are for treating cough with white phlegm caused by a cold or deficient lung qi. Cold and cooling foods should be consumed less or avoided, including mung beans, crabs, clams, snails, persimmons, grapefruits, bananas, kiwis, sugarcane, watermelon, melons, bitter gourd, water chestnut, kelp, seaweed, raw radish, eggplant, lettuce, lotus root, winter melon, luffa, and sweet potato.
