Today I plan to buy some Chinese medicinal herbs to make herbal soup. The store clerk at the pharmacy recommended several types of Chinese herbs, including cooked Rehmannia. I have never used cooked Rehmannia to make soup before, so I would like to ask if it can be used for soup?
Can cooked Rehmannia be used for soup?
Yes, it can.
Cooked Rehmannia is a type of medicinal herb that can also be used as a food. It has a sweet taste and a slightly warm nature. It has strong nourishing effects and can nourish the blood and nourish the yin, as well as nourish the liver and kidneys. There are many ways to consume cooked Rehmannia, such as boiling it in water, soaking it in alcohol, cooking it in porridge, and making soup. Making soup with cooked Rehmannia is a common method, as it can fully utilize its medicinal and nutritional value and facilitate the absorption of its medicinal effects by the body.
What can be cooked with cooked Rehmannia?
Stewed Chicken with Cooked Rehmannia
Ingredients: 1 chicken, 30g cooked Rehmannia, 5g ginseng, 10g Ophiopogon, 10 jujubes, appropriate amount of ginger and salt.
1. Clean the chicken.
2. Cut the cooked Rehmannia into pieces, slice the ginseng, remove the pits from the jujubes, and slice the ginger.
3. Put all the ingredients into a pot and add water.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for about 2 hours.
5. Finally, add salt to taste.
Effects: Nourishes the blood and nourishes the yin, moistens the lungs and benefits the qi.
Beef Soup with Cooked Rehmannia
Ingredients: 30g cooked Rehmannia, 30g astragalus, 15g Chinese angelica, 10g white peony, 10 jujubes, 500g beef, salt and ginger to taste.
1. Wash the beef and cut it into pieces, blanch it in boiling water.
2. Peel and lightly crush the ginger.
3. Put all the ingredients into a clay pot and add an appropriate amount of water.
4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for about 2 hours.
5. Add salt to taste before serving.
Effects: Nourishes both qi and blood, strengthens the kidneys and nourishes the essence.
How much cooked Rehmannia should be used for soup?
Around 30g-60g.
Usually, the amount of cooked Rehmannia used for decoction is around 10-30g. For making soup, a larger amount is recommended, around 30-60g. The amount can also be adjusted according to the quantity of other ingredients. Although cooked Rehmannia has no obvious toxic side effects, its sticky nature means it should not be consumed excessively as it may hinder normal digestion.
What should be noted when cooking with cooked Rehmannia?
1. Avoid contact with iron utensils.
Cooked Rehmannia is a type of Chinese medicinal herb, and its medicinal components may react with copper or iron utensils, reducing its effectiveness or producing harmful substances that can affect human health. Therefore, when cooking with cooked Rehmannia, it is advisable to avoid using copper or iron utensils.
2. Do not consume with radish and "three whites".
"Three whites" refers to the white parts of scallions, leeks, and Chinese chives. These three ingredients have a strong dispersing effect and radish has a qi-descending effect. Consuming cooked Rehmannia with them can reduce its effectiveness.
3. Not suitable during a cold.
During a cold, it is not suitable to take tonics, and cooked Rehmannia has strong nourishing effects and a sticky nature. Taking it during a cold may cause stagnant pathogens in the body, exacerbating cold symptoms or prolonging the duration of the cold.
Who should not consume cooked Rehmannia soup?
1. Those with weak spleen and stomach.
Cooked Rehmannia's sticky nature can hinder the digestive function of the spleen and stomach. Consuming cooked Rehmannia soup for those with weak spleen and stomach can hinder the transportation and transformation function of the spleen and stomach, possibly worsening symptoms such as abdominal distension, poor appetite, and loose stools.
2. Those with loose stools or diarrhea.
Cooked Rehmannia can hinder the digestive function of the spleen and stomach. People with existing symptoms of loose stools or diarrhea may experience worsened symptoms or adverse reactions such as abdominal bloating and loss of appetite when consuming cooked Rehmannia soup.
3. Those with qi stagnation and phlegm excess.
Patients with local lumps, chest tightness, palpitations, and excessive phlegm should not consume cooked Rehmannia soup. The sticky nature of cooked Rehmannia may exacerbate phlegm dampness in these patients, worsening their symptoms.
