"Walking, sitting, lying down, all natural, three porridges and two pastes for longevity." This poem summarizes the dietary health method of Chen Futang, an elderly man.
Chen Futang, now 93 years old, lives in a rural area in the southern part of Liaoning Province. He has been a farmer all his life, diligent in his work. He has a kind and tolerant temperament. What is worth mentioning is that he pays great attention to his diet and health. For many years, he has followed his own unique "three porridges and two pastes" dietary health method.
The "three porridges" are corn porridge, buckwheat porridge, and mung bean porridge; the "two pastes" are peanut paste and sesame paste. In his daily diet, the "three porridges and two pastes" are indispensable staple food, accompanying him through more than 90 years of life. Chen says that the "three porridges and two pastes" are all coarse grains, which are much more nutritious than the refined rice and flour and the large amounts of meat and fish that modern people praise. Therefore, over the years, he has been drinking porridge every day, either cooking it himself or having his wife cook it. He never strays from porridge and paste. When cooking porridge, Chen emphasizes using high heat to boil and then simmer until the porridge is thick and cooked. When making paste, he emphasizes first mixing and then simmering over low heat, allowing the nutrients in the ingredients to fully dissolve into the paste. The "three porridges and two pastes" keep Chen in excellent health. Even in his 90s, he can still do some simple housework, with a rosy complexion, no coughing or wheezing, a strong physique, rarely falling ill, and excellent digestion and absorption.
Chen Futang's "three porridges and two pastes" dietary health method has some insights for modern people who pursue "exquisite food": eating more coarse grains and miscellaneous grains is beneficial for physical health.
Corn is known as the "anti-cancer guard" and is a health food among coarse grains, which is very beneficial to human health. Corn contains a lot of dietary fiber, 4 to 10 times more than refined rice and flour. Corn also contains a large amount of magnesium, which can enhance intestinal peristalsis and promote the excretion of waste from the body. Modern research has confirmed that corn contains abundant unsaturated fatty acids, especially linolenic acid, which accounts for more than 60% of the total, and it works synergistically with vitamin E in corn germ to reduce blood cholesterol levels and prevent its deposition on blood vessel walls. Therefore, corn has certain preventive and therapeutic effects on coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Corn also contains a longevity factor called glutathione, which, in the presence of selenium, produces glutathione oxidase, which has the function of rejuvenation and delaying aging. Selenium and magnesium in corn have anti-cancer effects. Selenium can accelerate the decomposition of peroxides in the body, inhibiting the supply of molecular oxygen to malignant tumors. Magnesium can inhibit the development of cancer cells and promote the elimination of waste from the body, which is also important for cancer prevention. Corn is rich in vitamin C and vitamin E, which have the functions of longevity, beauty, and anti-aging. The nutrients in corn germ can enhance the body's metabolism, regulate the function of the nervous system, make the skin tender and smooth, and inhibit and delay the appearance of wrinkles. Central American Indians are less likely to suffer from hypertension because of their main consumption of corn. In the United States, there is a dish of cornflakes soup in the president's breakfast.
Buckwheat is known as the "anti-inflammatory grain" because some flavonoid components in buckwheat have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, cough-suppressing, asthma-relieving, and phlegm-removing effects. It contains rich dietary fiber, which is ten times that of ordinary refined rice. It also contains protein, various vitamins, cellulose, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, and other nutrients. Eating buckwheat regularly can lower blood lipid levels, protect vision, soften blood vessels, and lower blood sugar. "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that buckwheat "relieves qi, relaxes the intestines, removes stagnation, clears heat, reduces swelling, relieves pain, removes turbidity and leukorrhea, and relieves spleen accumulation and diarrhea." Therefore, buckwheat is included in the emperor's meals in Japan.
Green beans are known as the "food grain for helping the world." Green beans have a sweet and cool nature and have the function of clearing heat and detoxifying. Drinking green bean porridge can supplement nutrition, eliminate toxins, and enhance physical strength.
Sesame contains a large amount of fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and other nutrients. It has the functions of nourishing blood, improving eyesight, moisturizing the intestines, promoting saliva production, nourishing the liver, nourishing hair, strengthening the body, and anti-aging. The ancient health preservation scholar Tao Hongjing called it the best among the "eight grains". Peanuts are known as the "longevity fruit" and, along with soybeans, are known as "plant meat" and "vegetarian delicacies". Peanuts contain a large amount of protein and fat, and they have the functions of nourishing the spleen and stomach, moistening the lungs and transforming phlegm, nourishing and replenishing, and prolonging life.
The "three porridges and two pastes" may seem ordinary ingredients, but they actually have a high health-promoting effect. The "rich and noble diseases" that modern people often suffer from, such as hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, are related to incorrect dietary concepts of pursuing "exquisite" and "refined" food. Chen Futang's "three porridges and two pastes" dietary health method reminds us once again: in our daily lives and diet, we should not overlook the unremarkable coarse grains and miscellaneous grains, as they are the building blocks of human health and longevity.
