WeLoveBlog#026: Cooling Food Remedies: Your Guide to Surviving the Summer Heat!

As the hot summer sun beats down and temperatures rise, our bodies undergo subtle changes. In this season filled with heat and dryness, maintaining a cool and healthy body becomes a top priority. Adopting cooling food remedies is a wise choice!

Based on traditional Chinese medicine, the human body adjusts its physiological systems to adapt to external high temperatures, with heart qi gradually strengthening and liver qi relatively weakening in hot environments. Vulnerable groups, such as children and the elderly, need extra precautionary measures to prevent heat-related illnesses.

So, how can we seek refreshment through food in summer?

Firstly, adjust your diet to focus on light and easily digestible foods. Avoid high-fat, heavy, and spicy foods that can increase internal heat. Instead, opt for ingredients like mung beans, hyacinth beans, and lotus seeds, known for their heat-clearing and nourishing properties. For instance, try making Two Beans and Lotus Porridge, which is both nutritious and cooling.

Recipe for Two Beans and Lotus Porridge:

Ingredients: lotus leaves, mung beans, hyacinth beans, lotus seeds, and non-glutinous rice.

Steps:

Wash the lotus leaves and boil them to extract the juice.
Combine the juice with mung beans, hyacinth beans, lotus seeds, and non-glutinous rice to cook the porridge.
Adjust the heat and cooking time to achieve the desired taste and nutritional value.

When discussing cooling foods, Hainan's specialty, Qing Bu Liang, cannot be ignored. This refreshing dish not only tastes delightful but also aids in nourishing the spleen, eliminating dampness, and nourishing the lungs. A bowl of Qing Bu Liang on a hot summer day offers both relief from the heat and health benefits. Each spoonful combines rich ingredients and unique flavors, enhanced by the addition of pure, additive-free [Li Ren] grass jelly can, satisfying both taste and health needs.

Recipe for Hainan Qing Bu Liang:

Ingredients: mung beans, red beans, coicis seeds, peanuts, coconut milk/juice, watermelon, mango, 【Li Ren】 grass jelly, sweet dumplings/taro balls, and rock sugar.

Steps:

Soak mung beans, red beans, coicis seeds, and peanuts for several hours before cooking until soft.
Cut fruits like watermelon and mango into small cubes.
Cook the sweet dumplings or taro balls and cool them with cold water.
In a large bowl or cup, layer the cooked beans, fruit cubes, sweet dumplings/taro balls, and fairy grass jelly.
Top with chilled coconut milk or juice and add rock sugar to taste.

Additionally, herbal teas are ideal for summer healthcare. For instance, ginger and salt tea can clear heat, moisturize, and harmonize the stomach, while orange and red tea helps clear the lungs, harmonize the stomach, regulate “Qi”, and resolve phlegm. Other options include danshen tea, sesame tea, and mint tea, each with unique benefits tailored to individual needs.

Lastly, appropriate clothing, home environment adjustments, and choosing suitable leisure activities are also crucial in summer. Wearing lightweight, breathable fabrics, maintaining a cool and ventilated living space, and selecting serene places for relaxation all contribute to coping with the summer heat.