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TCM Treasures - Eggplant
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SIMPLIFIED Chinese: 茄子 Pinyin: qié zi
Fresh eggplant brings a wonderful color to the dinner table and can help with summer complaints and a wide range of illnesses.
The yin (“cold”) characteristics of eggplant in traditional Chinese medicine make it a popular vegetable in summer, as it can help dispel pathogenic heat and toxins. It is especially recommended for those suffering from heat-rash or skin ulcer problems in summer.But for those who have poor digestive systems with a tendency to diarrhea, it is better not to eat too much of the vegetable, as eggplant might be too “cold” for them.Eggplant can remove blood stagnation, relieve edema and move the bowels as recorded in “Dian Nan Ben Cao” (“The Southwest China Materia Medica”), a medicinal classic written by herbalist Lan Mao in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It can help relieve constipation, bleeding hemorrhoids and jaundice due to gathered pathogenic heat and dampness inside. External application of mashed eggplant can help relieve the pain caused by bee stings and ulcers.
Burnt eggplant powder with stems is widely used in TCM. Eating eggplant powder with rice water can help relieve hemorrhoids as recorded in “Dian Nan Ben Cao.” Mixing the powder with borneol powder and spreading it on ulcers can help accelerate healing. Modern research shows that eating eggplant regularly can have anti-aging effect, help decrease cholesterol, and prevent rectal and stomach cancer.
Prescriptions & Usage:
Fried eggplant
• Chop 250g eggplants into small pieces and put them in hot oil. Stir fry until done and add salt.Benefits: Helps dispel pathogenic heat and toxins.
Steamed eggplant
• Chop 250g eggplants into relatively large pieces and put in a bowl.
• Steam the bowl over boiling water and remove the eggplants when done. Add the seasonings (vinegar, sugar, salt and sesame oil) and stir.
Benefits: Helps dispel pathogenic heat, relieves edema and pain. It is recommended for patients with hemorrhoids or ulcers.
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