Nourishing Kidney Animal Foods
Nourishing Kidney Animal Foods
Chicken
Chicken belongs to the Galliformes family of animals. Chickens with yellow or black feathers have better tonic effects. Chicken was historically known as “Zhuye,” “Jiaoji,” or “Jiaji.”
Properties: Sweet taste, warm nature. Enters the spleen, kidney, and liver meridians. Warms the center, strengthens qi, nourishes essence, and fills marrow.
Composition: Protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, sodium, chlorine, sulfur, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, calcium oxide, vitamins A, B, B2, C, B. Protein content is 23.8%.
Applications: Treats weakness, emaciation, poor appetite due to central deficiency, diarrhea, dysentery; used for frequent urination, deafness, low sperm count, and cold sperm caused by kidney essence deficiency; used postpartum for insufficient milk, weakness, dizziness.
Usage: Cooked or stewed for broth.
Caution and Contraindications
Capons that can crow, and broody hens, should not be consumed. Li Shizhen’s *Compendium of Materia Medica* states: “Capon that can crow is toxic. Do not eat broody hen meat in April, as it may cause abscesses and fistulas, and lead to weakness in men and women.”
Do not overconsume, as excessive intake generates heat and wind.
Since chicken is tonifying and warm in nature, it is contraindicated for those with external pathogenic heat or unresolved heat toxicity. Avoid for malaria, dysentery, malnutrition, jaundice, headaches, dizziness, red eyes, irritability, constipation caused by liver fire or hyperactive liver yang.
Formulations and Usage
Chicken, Polygonum multiflorum, and Angelica Soup: 250 g chicken, 15–20 g Polygonum multiflorum, 12–15 g Angelica, 15 g Goji berries. Wash chicken, cut into pieces, boil together with Angelica, Polygonum multiflorum, and goji berries until meat is tender. Drink the broth and eat the meat. Chicken tonifies qi and blood, Polygonum multiflorum nourishes liver and blood, improves vision, Angelica nourishes blood and harmonizes blood, Goji berries nourish liver and kidneys, improves vision. Combined, they tonify liver and kidneys, nourish yin and blood. Used for symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue due to liver blood deficiency.
Chicken, Cordyceps sinensis Soup: 250 g chicken, 9 g Cordyceps sinensis. Boil both ingredients until meat is cooked. Add a little salt and seasonings. Delicious flavor. Chicken tonifies deficiencies and strengthens the five organs; Cordyceps sinensis tonifies liver and kidneys, strengthens the body. Used for physical weakness or debility.
Wine and Water Stewed Chicken with Cistanche: One rooster (or black rooster), 30 g Cistanche, or 50 g fresh Cistanche. Remove feathers and internal organs, cut into pieces, and stew with Cistanche using water and wine. Eat once heated. Add a little salt for seasoning. Rooster meat tonifies kidney and supports yin, Cistanche tonifies kidney yang and strengthens kidney energy. Together, they tonify kidney yang and boost qi. Used to treat erectile dysfunction, deafness, frequent urination, and nocturnal enuresis due to kidney yang deficiency.
* Sheep kidney, sheep milk, lamb meat, dog meat, deer meat, quail meat, shrimp, sea cucumber, etc.