Coix seed, also known as Yi Yi Ren (薏苡仁), Yi Mi, or Liu Gu Zi, is an excellent dual-purpose product in both medicine and food.
Medicine
Food
Yi Yi Ren · Efficacy
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Yi Mi is cool in nature, with a sweet and bland taste, and enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung meridians. It has the functions of promoting urination and leaching out dampness, strengthening the Spleen and Stomach, clearing Lung heat, and stopping diarrhea. Li Shizhen’s “Compendium of Materia Medica” states: “Yi Ren strengthens the Spleen, benefits the Stomach, nourishes the Lungs, clears heat, dispels wind, and eliminates dampness. It increases appetite, treats cold qi, and is effective when decocted for promoting urination. The juice of Yi Ren’s root mixed with wine is effective for treating jaundice.”
— Food supplementation is better than medicinal supplementation —
Modern Pharmacological Research
Modern pharmacological studies show that Yi Yi Ren has multiple effects including anti-tumor, enhancing immune function, antibacterial, antiviral, lowering blood sugar, calcium, and blood pressure, regulating blood lipids, inhibiting trypsin, inducing ovulation, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant properties.
It is clinically used to treat various malignant tumors such as lung cancer, gastric cancer, and liver cancer; gynecological diseases such as anovulation and dysmenorrhea; inflammatory conditions such as acute pharyngitis, enteritis, rheumatoid arthritis, periostitis, and gout; and symptoms related to low immunity such as primary hyperhidrosis and stubborn insomnia.
Yi Yi Ren also has hemostatic, diuretic, and detoxifying effects, and is effective for treating flat warts and lithiasis, with a very broad application prospect.
Below are several commonly used health soup recipes for your selection:
▶ Yi Yi Ren and Red Bean Porridge
Ingredients and Method:30g of Yi Yi Ren, 20g of red beans, wash and place in a pot, add water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer for half an hour, add 50g of rice and cook for another half hour.
Efficacy:This porridge strengthens the Spleen and leaches out dampness.It is suitable for Spleen deficiency with excessive dampness, with symptoms of heaviness in the body, poor appetite, abdominal distension, and sticky stools with a thick greasy tongue coating.
▶ Yi Yi Ren Eight Treasure Porridge
Ingredients and Method:30g of Yi Yi Ren, 10g each of white lentils, lotus seeds, walnut kernels, red beans, and longan meat, 6 dates, and 100g of glutinous rice, all washed and boiled with water, then simmered until the porridge is ready, adding an appropriate amount of rock sugar or brown sugar.
Efficacy:This porridge strengthens the Spleen, opens the appetite, leaches out dampness, and nourishes Qi and blood.It is suitable for Spleen deficiency with blood deficiency, with symptoms of fatigue, poor appetite, chronic diarrhea, irritability, and insomnia.
▶ Yi Yi Ren, Yam, and Oat Porridge
Ingredients and Method:200g of Yi Yi Ren washed, boiled for half an hour, add 150g of yam (peeled and cut into pieces), cook until tender, then add 30g of oat flakes to complete.
Efficacy:This porridge strengthens the Spleen, dries dampness, and aids digestion.It is suitable for Spleen and Stomach Qi deficiency with damp stagnation, with symptoms of sallow complexion, fatigue, poor appetite, and difficulty digesting food, with a thick greasy tongue coating.
Consumption Precautions:
1. Yi Mi is slightly cold in nature, those with a cold constitution should not consume it for long periods;
2. Those with Spleen deficiency without dampness, dry stools, and pregnant women should use caution;
3. Yi Mi is relatively hard to digest, and it is not advisable for anyone to consume more than 50g per day;
4. Those with dry constipation, spermatorrhea, and frequent urination should avoid consumption.
Editor: Nan Li
Reviewer: Wei Feng Tian
Supervisor: Chen Ping An
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