肉桂 (Ròuguì) also known as 桂皮 (Guìpí), 官桂 (Guānguì), and 牡桂 (Mǔguì). This product is the dried bark of the Cinnamomum tree from the Lauraceae family, harvested in autumn and dried in the shade. It can be used both as medicine and food, commonly found as a spice in kitchens.
肉桂 (Ròuguì): Spicy, Sweet, and Very Warm.
It enters the Kidney, Spleen, Heart, and Liver meridians.
1. Tonifies Fire and Aids Yang, this product is spicy and sweet, very warming, and enters the Kidney meridian. It can “nourish fire and eliminate yin, greatly tonifying Yang Qi, suitable for those with insufficient fire in the lower jiao” (from Benjing Fengyuan), making it a key herb for treating declining Mingmen fire.
2. Guides Fire Back to the Source, it can also guide the floating, rootless fire caused by deficiency in the lower jiao back to the Kidney, used to treat symptoms of floating Yang deficiency.
3. Dispels Cold and Alleviates Pain, warms the meridians and unblocks the vessels. It can warm and unblock the blood vessels, dispelling cold and stagnation; for any diseases caused by cold and stagnation, “using this will be effective” (from Ben Cao Qiu Zhen). It is used for symptoms of cold stagnation.
肉桂羊肉汤 (Ròuguì Yángròu Tāng)
In our 5,000-year-old culinary culture, we love to drink soup, with a wide variety of soups that can be different every day. Today, I will introduce a soup suitable for friends with Spleen and Stomach deficiency and cold—Cinnamon Lamb Soup.
Ingredients: 5g of cinnamon, 5g of fennel, 500g of lamb, cooking wine, salt, MSG, sugar, soy sauce, green onion segments, and ginger slices to taste.
First, wash the lamb and cut it into pieces, blanch it in boiling water to remove blood foam, then rinse. In a pot, add water, the lamb, green onion segments, ginger slices, appropriate salt, cooking wine, sugar, soy sauce, and finally place the fennel and cinnamon in a small cloth bag. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat until the lamb is tender, and season with MSG. This steaming bowl of lamb soup is ready!
肉桂红糖茶 (Ròuguì Hóngtáng Chá)
If you, like me, enjoy the aroma of cinnamon, then you must not miss this Cinnamon Brown Sugar Tea. The ingredients are easy to find, the method is simple, and the flavor is unique.
Method:3g of cinnamon, 5g of brown sugar, 6g of honey. Boil the cinnamon and brown sugar together in water for about 10 minutes, then add honey. Do not use too much cinnamon; adjust the amount of brown sugar and honey to your taste. This is very suitable for girls who feel a bit cold during their menstrual period.
Sweet Treats with Cinnamon:
Cinnamon can be processed into slices or powder. The slices are often used in stews to eliminate the gamey taste of meat. Cinnamon powder, made from the dried bark and branches of the large-leaf cinnamon, has a delightful aroma, mild and sweet flavor, and is a widely loved spice. It is commonly used in breads, cakes, pies, and other baked goods, such as cappuccinos, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon milk tea, cinnamon apple pie, cinnamon baked bananas, and apple cinnamon cake.
References:
[1]. Zhou Zhenxiang, Tang Decai. Clinical Chinese Herbal Medicine [M]. China Traditional Chinese Medicine Press, 2016.
[2]. Wei Yaning. Eating Cinnamon Can Lower Cholesterol [N]. Health Times, 2007-08-02(023)
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Four connections to learn about TCM health knowledge
Produced by the National Center for International Communication of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Written by: Qian Huifeng
Illustrated by: Zou Xiangyun
Reviewed by: Wang Shanshan, Zheng Jieying
Produced by: Beijing Zhongcheng Huaxia Cultural Center