On a cold winter evening, Aunt Zhang sat at the kitchen table, holding a cup of steaming chrysanthemum tea, her brows furrowed. She had been feeling unwell recently, tossing and turning at night, struggling to fall asleep.
One day by chance, she learned at a community health lecture that “insufficient liver blood” could be a significant factor contributing to poor sleep quality. This reminded her of the advice from her traditional Chinese medicine practitioner: “To have a healthy body, you must first care for your liver.”
This is not just a saying but a profound understanding of health in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The liver is the body’s “detoxifier” and also an essential repository for blood. If the liver blood is sufficient, it not only promotes the body’s metabolism but also improves sleep quality.
**The Nourishing Effects of Mung Bean Sprouts and Tomatoes on the Liver**
Aunt Zhang decided to start by adjusting her diet to nurture her body. She chose nutrition-rich ingredients that support liver health – mung bean sprouts and tomatoes.
Mung bean sprouts, seemingly a common vegetable, are incredibly nutritious. They are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps the body resist external harm, promotes wound healing, prevents anemia, and is crucial for maintaining liver function.
Tomatoes, on the other hand, are another excellent liver-nourishing food. They are rich in antioxidants that can effectively eliminate free radicals in the body, reduce inflammation, and support cardiovascular health.
Moreover, tomatoes contain abundant nutrients such as vitamins A, K, and potassium, all essential for maintaining liver and overall body health.
Aunt Zhang often combines these two ingredients to make stir-fried tomato and mung bean sprouts. She cuts the tomatoes into chunks, quickly stir-fries them with mung bean sprouts, then adds beaten eggs and a pinch of salt for seasoning. This dish is not only delicious but also effectively replenishes liver blood, helping her improve her sleep quality.
**Benefits of Taro and Meat on Liver Function**
In addition to the tomato and mung bean sprout dish, Aunt Zhang discovered another liver-nourishing dish – taro and meat slices. Taro is a highly beneficial ingredient for liver health, containing abundant dietary fiber and vitamins.
These components not only aid digestion but also enhance immunity, indirectly supporting the detoxification and metabolism functions of the liver. Taro’s soft starch is easily digestible, making it particularly suitable for middle-aged and elderly people with weak gastrointestinal function.
When making taro and meat slices, Aunt Zhang chooses pork or beef as the main protein source. Meat not only provides essential iron to prevent anemia but also contains rich zinc, a vital mineral for liver function.
She slices the meat thinly, marinates it in egg white and a small amount of starch to keep it tender during cooking. Stewed with taro, this dish is not only flavorful but also effectively replenishes liver blood, enhancing overall body health.
These two dishes have become regulars on Aunt Zhang’s dining table, and she has gradually noticed an improvement in her sleep quality. By adjusting her diet, she has regained health and vitality. These simple daily ingredients not only enrich her meals but also help her regain lost sleep.
**Yam Balls: A Liver-Nourishing Sleep Aid Option**
Continuing her exploration of liver-nourishing foods, Aunt Zhang discovered a food considered a nourishing treasure in traditional Chinese medicine – yam. Rich in various beneficial nutrients for the liver such as vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, yam is often referred to as a “longevity food.”
Yam contains ample sticky protein and starch, increasing the body’s absorption and utilization of protein, thereby enhancing liver function. It also contains a unique sticky protein called yam mucin protein, which aids in nourishing blood, moisturizing the lungs, and relieving coughs, helping to improve sleep quality.
When making yam balls, Aunt Zhang chooses fresh yam, peels and cuts it into small pieces, then blends it into a paste. She adds an appropriate amount of flour and a little water, mixing evenly to achieve a moderate thickness.
Shaping the yam paste into balls and boiling them in water results in soft and glutinous yam balls that retain the nutritional benefits of yam, providing better nourishment for the liver.
**Health Benefits of Celery and Egg Stir-Fry**
In addition to yam balls, Aunt Zhang often combines another common ingredient – celery and eggs – to make a dish called celery egg stir-fry. Celery is a low-calorie, high-fiber vegetable rich in vitamins C, K, folic acid, calcium, and other nutrients.
Vitamin K plays a vital role in promoting liver blood coagulation and protein synthesis, maintaining liver health. Celery also contains a compound called apigenin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, helping protect liver cells from damage.
Eggs are a high-quality protein source rich in quality protein and various vitamins such as vitamins A, D, and B12. These nutrients play crucial roles in maintaining and repairing liver function.
Especially, egg yolks contain phospholipids, choline, and cholesterol, which promote liver cell regeneration and repair, thus safeguarding liver health.
Aunt Zhang selects fresh celery, washes and cuts it into sections, then beats the eggs for later use. Heating a little edible oil in a pan, she stir-fries the celery briefly, adds the beaten eggs, quickly stir-fries evenly, and finally seasons with an appropriate amount of salt.
This celery egg stir-fry is not only simple to make but also rich in nutrients, a healthy dish suitable for the whole family to enjoy.
Through continuous exploration and experimentation, Aunt Zhang has gradually mastered several liver-nourishing and sleep-improving recipes, making her life healthier and more enjoyable. She firmly believes that by maintaining good dietary habits and fully utilizing everyday ingredients, one can achieve a healthy body and high-quality sleep.
