Medicinal Cuisine to Combat Cold and Cough
In recent days, Guangzhou has turned cold suddenly, and many people have caught colds due to abrupt temperature drops, experiencing symptoms such as headache, fever, sneezing, and coughing.
Here are several dietary remedies helpful in eliminating colds and coughs:
Bai He Li (Lily and Pear)
Use 15 grams of lily, 1 pear, and 15 grams of rock sugar, steam together for 2 hours. It clears heat, moistens lungs, stops coughing, and promotes urination and defecation, effective for cold-induced cough.
Chuan Bei Li (Sichuan贝 and Pear)
Take one large raw pear, peel it, remove the core, add 3 grams of Fritillaria bulb, cover well, steam in a bowl over water for 1–2 hours. Drink the soup and eat the pear daily. Effective for cold and cough. Fritillaria moistens lungs, stops coughing, dissolves phlegm, and resolves nodules. Pharmacological studies show that total alkaloids and non-alkaloids in Fritillaria significantly suppress cough and expel phlegm in experimental mice. Pear generates body fluids, moistens dryness, clears heat, and transforms phlegm, suitable for lung heat cough.
Pear-Fritillaria-White Chrysanthemum Soup
One snow pear, remove seeds and slice; add 3 grams each of Fritillaria, Platycodon, and white chrysanthemum. Boil in water, filter out residue, add appropriate ice sugar, and drink. Used for cough associated with cold-induced bronchitis. Platycodon tastes bitter and pungent, neutral in nature. Functions include promoting lung function, relieving sore throat, expelling phlegm, and draining pus. Research shows platycodon enhances immunity, has anti-inflammatory effects, and aids in expectoration and cough suppression. White chrysanthemum tastes sweet and bitter, slightly cold in nature. Functions include dispersing wind-heat, clearing liver, brightening eyes, used for wind-heat common cold. Chrysanthemum preparations have proven anti-inflammatory effects.
Almond Ginger Radish Soup
10 grams of almonds, 3 slices of ginger, 60 grams of white radish, boil in water and take as medicine. Used for cold and cough. Almonds taste bitter, slightly warm, mildly toxic. Function: descends qi, stops coughing and wheezing, moistens intestines and relieves constipation. Used for cough and asthma. Ginger induces sweating, dispels cold, removes dampness, promotes urination, and expels phlegm. White radish tastes sweet and pungent, neutral in nature, non-toxic. Descends qi, aids digestion, eliminates phlegm, moistens lungs, treats cough and asthma. Radish contains allyl isothiocyanate and amylase, which stimulate appetite and aid digestion. Lignin in radish enhances immune function.
Coriander Ginger Tea
9 grams of coriander, 3 slices of fresh ginger, a small amount of brown sugar, decoct into tea and drink the juice. Used for cold and cough. Coriander tastes pungent, warm in nature, promotes sweating and improves digestion. Beta-carotene in coriander leaves prevents vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A boosts immunity and greatly enhances resistance to colds.