Eating Beans Can Strengthen the Kidneys
Bean vegetables mainly include broad beans, yardlong beans, peas, and cowpeas. Most people know they are rich in high-quality protein and unsaturated fatty acids (good fats), and their mineral and vitamin content exceeds that of other vegetables—but few realize their significant medicinal value.
Traditional Chinese medicine views bean vegetables as having a neutral nature and the ability to resolve dampness and tonify the spleen, making them particularly suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach. However, due to differences in variety, their therapeutic effects vary.
Broad beans: Commonly consumed in summer and autumn. They can help treat loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive vaginal discharge caused by weak spleen and stomach. Diabetic patients often feel dry mouth and throat due to spleen-stomach weakness; it's best to eat broad beans regularly. Women can fry broad beans into powder, take 6–12 grams each time, and swallow with rice wine or warm water to alleviate excessive vaginal discharge.
Yardlong beans: Sweet taste, warm nature, capable of warming the spleen and stomach, promoting qi descent, strengthening the kidneys, and replenishing vital energy. Suitable for conditions like qi stagnation, hiccups, chest tightness, and lower back pain. Young yardlong beans can be cooked or pickled, not only delicious but also warming; mature ones are best for treating hiccups.
Cowpeas: Also known as long beans. Besides strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the stomach, their most important function is kidney tonification. Li Shizhen praised them as “regulating the middle energizer, benefiting vital energy, strengthening the kidneys and stomach, balancing the five zang organs, regulating nutritive and defensive qi, and generating essence.” “Nutritive and defensive qi” refers to the body’s vital energy in TCM; when balanced, sleep quality improves significantly. Moreover, regular consumption of cowpeas can treat vomiting, hiccups, and other discomforts. For children with food accumulation and bloating, chewing raw cowpeas thoroughly and swallowing can provide relief.
Peas: Sweet taste, neutral nature. Regular consumption strengthens the middle energizer, benefits qi, and promotes urination. Suitable for symptoms like poor appetite and abdominal distension caused by weak spleen and stomach. Nursing mothers may find increased milk production after eating peas.