Peanut soup recipes for women's health
These peanut soup recipes have been used by the Chinese as dietary remedies for women's health issues for many years. Peanuts are considered a neutral and gentle chinese herb in traditional chinese medicine. It is good for the lungs and clears phlegm, it is good for the blood, and it helps with fluid retention and swelling.
A picture of raw peanuts
The recommended way of preparing peanuts is to slowly simmer in liquid. Simmered peanuts are soft and easy to digest. Suitable for both the elderly and children. If fried or roasted, the fats in peanuts changes the neutrality to yang and can produce heatiness. Using high heat also destroy vitamin E and other minerals.
Peanuts featured greatly in herbal recipes for women especially for conditions related to the breasts. I don't know how much of it is true but it is supposed to help develop the breasts in teenagers and increase breast milk production in nursing mothers.
It is also paired with he shou wu in hair remedies. A female relative of mine swears by it and her husband's hair is indeed quite black and healthy for his age.
My grandmother always have a small packet of raw peanuts in the refrigerator which she would add to pork soups and simmer them till they are soft and melt-in-the-mouth. Regardless its medicinal impact, I just thought they are yummy.
Blood tonic
A suitable dietary supplement for people suffering from anaemia or low platelet count.
Ingredients-
15g raw peanuts with skin still on
25g red dates
10g dried longan
1 litre water
- Bring everything to a boil and lower heat to simmer for 1 hour
- Drink it twice a day
Recipe link: http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com/peanut-soup-recipes.html#blood-tonic
Hair tonic
The chinese believes that dark black hair is a sign of health. Premature whitening of hair, memory loss and constipation signals a bodily imbalance.
Ingredients-
50g raw peanuts, skins removed
50g black sesame seeds
20g heshouwu 何首乌
500ml water
Salt
- Bring everything to a boil
- Simmer and stir to thick soup consistency
Recipe link: http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com/peanut-soup-recipes.html#hair-tonic
Peanut soup with pig trotters
Increase breast milk and blood production. Good for breastfeeding mothers with low milk supply. It is good for post-natal constipation too. Try this daily for 5 days and see if milk supply improves. I would recommend using a slow cooker to make this soup.
Ingredients-
90g raw peanuts
1 pig trotter
- Wash the trotter and parboil for about 10 minutes
- Scrape the skin to remove any hairs and dirt. Some people holds the trotter over the stove with a pair of tongs and uses the stove fire to burn the hairs off. It helps if you have a blow-torch for creme brulee.
- Place the trotter and peanuts in a deep pot and add sufficient water to cover
- Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer for more than 2 hours or until trotter and peanuts are soft and tender.
- Add salt to taste before serving
Recipe link: http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com/peanut-soup-recipes.html#peanut-pig
