Why is Congee-Goodness real?

What does not work in most East Asian countries is a cold breakfast. When the body in the morning, in good German, "revvs up the metabolism", the same process in Chinese is expressed in connection with the transition of the day — with the sunrise, the Yang energy in the body also rises.

Therefore, it is generally always a good idea to support this natural ramp-up of metabolism with warm foods, drinks, and warming spices, especially if you have a slower metabolism anyway.

So much for why Congee-Goodness - or porridge - is generally in trend.

Blood and Qi

But now to the actual topic: Blood. Blood is, alongside Qi, a central health factor in Chinese medicine. The condition of the blood (or better said: blood circulation) is assessed through general anamnesis questions, pulse and tongue diagnosis, as well as palpation of meridians. Blood is a complex topic, as from a Chinese perspective, more hangs on the blood than just a few red and white blood cells. Furthermore, from a Chinese standpoint, the need for treatment can arise much earlier than what is shown, for instance, in blood test results. In this preventive mindset, blood and its flow is a major topic in women's health - blood is always defined and assessed by its movement (Qi). Color, consistency of blood, and pain qualities during menstruation are super helpful indicators!

Possible Symptoms

The symptoms of a typical iron deficiency anemia include fatigue and lethargy, paleness, shortness of breath, and low blood pressure. Additionally, there may be cracked nails, headaches, and dry or sore corners of the mouth.

All these symptoms can also be explained from a Chinese perspective. Furthermore, blood has a deep connection to the mind - Shen. The idea is that blood not only permeates our organs to nourish them but also supports our mental abilities.

A lack of blood or blood poisoning can have significant effects on our mental health: alongside mental stresses of iron deficiency anemia as described above, for example, sepsis can also worsen our psychological condition. In general, the risk of depression is even increased during and after blood poisoning.

Support Blood with Peanut Congee

The following recipe was originally a home recipe from my father, but I have expanded it to increase iron intake and optimize absorption.

Here are the approximate nutritional values per serving:

1. Iron: approx. 2.5-3.5 mg
   Brown rice is 3x richer in iron than white rice: 0.5 mg
   If you leave the peanuts in their red skin, they also contain more iron.
   Spinach approx. 0.8 mg
   Sesame 0.7 mg

2. Proteins: 8-10g
   Peanuts 4g
   Brown rice 3g
   Spinach 1g

3. Fiber 3-4g

4. Vit C (Spinach + Lemon) increases iron absorption

5. Vit A (Carrots) supports the immune defense

6. Magnesium and Zinc (Peanuts + Rice) support the production of red blood cells

And one more note: Tannins contained in tea and coffee block iron absorption, so it's best to avoid them 1-2 hours before eating.

You can also find the recipe under my downloads.