Drink Porridge to Protect the Liver in Spring
Spring is a season when all things flourish, and human organs become highly active. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring is the time of peak liver activity. Taking advantage of this period to nourish the liver can prevent yin deficiency in summer, but excessive liver tonification may cause excessive liver fire. Therefore, it is advisable to drink porridge to nourish the liver in spring. Here are several liver-nourishing porridges worth trying:
· Pork Liver and Mung Bean Porridge: 100 grams fresh pork liver, 60 grams mung beans, 100 grams rice, and appropriate salt and monosodium glutamate. First, wash mung beans and rice together, boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until eight-tenths cooked. Add sliced or shredded pork liver and continue cooking until fully done, then season. This porridge nourishes the liver and blood, clears heat, improves eyesight, and beautifies skin, making one look radiant—especially suitable for those with sallow complexion, declining vision, or blurred sight.
· Cassia Seed Porridge: 10 grams stir-fried cassia seeds, 60 grams rice, and a small amount of rock sugar. Decoct cassia seeds in water, strain the liquid, add rice and cook into porridge, then stir in rock sugar. This porridge clears liver heat, improves eyesight, and promotes bowel movements. It is effective for red eyes, photophobia, excessive tears, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and habitual constipation.
· Goji Berry Porridge: 30 grams goji berries, 60 grams rice. First, partially cook rice, then add goji berries and continue cooking until done. Especially suitable for those suffering from dizziness, eye fatigue, tinnitus, nocturnal emission, and soreness in waist and knees. Patients with hepatitis benefit greatly from goji berry porridge, which protects the liver and promotes liver cell regeneration.
· Mulberry Porridge: 30 grams mulberries (use 60 grams fresh), 60 grams glutinous rice, and appropriate rock sugar. Wash mulberries, cook with glutinous rice, add rock sugar after boiling. This porridge nourishes liver yin and blood, improves eyesight. Suitable for dizziness, insomnia, tinnitus, back pain, and premature graying due to liver-kidney deficiency.
· Plum Blossom Porridge: 5 grams white plum blossoms, 80 grams rice. First, cook rice into porridge, then add plum blossoms and boil for 2–3 minutes. Eat one bowl per meal, continuously for 3–5 days. Plum blossoms are neutral in nature, able to soothe the liver, regulate qi, and stimulate appetite. Particularly beneficial for those with poor appetite; healthy people will feel more energetic.