Barley and red bean water, a magical water for removing dampness?

Dampness is a concept in traditional Chinese medicine. Nowadays, there are probably very few people who can explain the concept of "dampness" clearly, but if you ask what food can remove dampness, I'm afraid that anyone with water can answer red bean and coix seed water.

The origin of the two dehumidifying effects can be basically traced back to the early traditional Chinese medicine and pharmacology books. For example, the Compendium of Materia Medica once recorded:

Job's tears (i.e. coix seed), mainly used to treat "edema and shortness of breath...";

Red beans (i.e. adzuki beans) are mainly used to treat “swelling caused by water vapor…”

Whether it can really remove dampness and how it works may be difficult to verify nowadays. But from the perspective of modern nutrition, the nutritional value of red beans and coix seeds is really remarkable.

01 Nutritional value of coix seed

Job's tears, also known as coix seed, Job's tears, and Job's tears, have been given a common name in Western countries: Job's tears (Job's tears. Job's tears is a kind but suffering god in the Bible. Because coix seed has a layer of red bran on the outside, and its unique shape looks like blood tears, it is used to refer to Job's tears).

As a whole grain, coix seed contains high protein and lipids. The protein contains 8 essential amino acids for the human body, and the fat is mainly unsaturated fatty acids, nearly half of which are oleic acid, followed by linoleic acid and palmitic acid.

Although the starch content is not low, coix seed is a low GI food, and its glycemic index (GI) is even lower than that of brown rice, only 55. And its glycemic load (GL) is also lower than that of brown rice.

GI and GL values ​​of several common starchy foods | Reference 1

Compared with other high GI staple foods, eating coix seed will make you feel fuller and less likely to get hungry, which is good for maintaining weight for people who are doing fitness or losing weight. For diabetic patients, it also helps to keep blood sugar stable and maintain blood sugar health.

In addition to the three major energy substances, coix seed also contains some trace elements, such as iron, copper, zinc, manganese, calcium, magnesium, etc.

Nutritional content of Job's tears/100g edible part | Reference 2

At the same time, coix seed is also rich in bioactive substances, such as coix seed polysaccharides, sterols, triterpenes, etc. These compounds work together to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities.

The monosaccharide composition of coix polysaccharide is complex, including glucose, mannose, arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, etc. It has high activity and has the effects of lowering blood lipids, lowering blood sugar, regulating immunity, etc. It also has certain antioxidant properties and has the ability to scavenge superoxide anion radicals, hydroxyl radicals and DPPH radicals. Coix polysaccharide has good heat resistance and can still maintain good stability at 100°C, which means that under normal porridge cooking conditions, coix polysaccharide will not be destroyed.

In today's world where refined grains are the staple food, it is highly recommended to add more coarse grains such as Job's tears into your diet to replace part of the refined white rice and flour.

In addition, many literature reports mention that coix seed has many active functions, such as weight loss, improving osteoporosis, beneficial gastrointestinal health, and preventing cancer (including colon cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, etc.). However, most current research is still limited to animal experiments and needs to be verified by more conclusive clinical trials [3-4].

02 Nutritional value of red beans

Red beans and mung beans are both miscellaneous beans. It is not difficult to see from their identical nutritional composition tables (perhaps the only big difference is that red beans contain more magnesium, while mung beans contain more selenium) that their nutritional values ​​are also very similar: high starch and low GI, high protein and high lysine, high fiber and low fat, and accompanied by rich bioactive substances . They are the "golden partner" of staple grains recommended by the dietary guidelines.

Nutritional composition of red and mung beans/100g edible part | Reference 2

03 The magical way to eat red beans and coix seeds

1. Red bean and barley popsicles

Steam the red beans and coix seeds until they are soft, sticky and sticky. Then mix them with the glutinous rice paste and pour them into popsicle molds. Then put the molds in the refrigerator and eat them after they are solidified.

2. Milk, red bean and barley porridge

A traditional and beloved Chinese dessert, it is also a healthy and delicious choice. The method of making is very simple: soak the red beans, coix seeds and glutinous rice and cook them together, then add milk and stir thoroughly. If you like sweet taste, you can add some sugar substitute. One bite, the mouth is full of the sweetness of red beans and milk, which is a great choice for breakfast.

3. Red bean and barley salad

Mix the cooked red beans and barley with your favorite fresh fruits and vegetables, and then add seasonings according to your taste to create a refreshing and diverse salad taste. Red beans and barley not only complement each other in taste, but also serve as a relatively more nutritious staple food to fill your stomach. Whether it is a light dinner or a casual afternoon tea, this red bean and barley salad is an ideal choice.

4. Red bean and barley yogurt

Adding cooked red beans and coix seeds to yogurt gives the yogurt a richer flavor. The richness of red beans and the fragrance of coix seeds, combined with the smoothness of yogurt, not only have a rich flavor, but also enhance satiety and promote digestion, which is a double care for taste buds and health.

5. Red Bean and Barley Brownie

First, steam the red beans and barley, then make the chocolate batter, mix them together, pour them into the baking pan, and bake until golden. The red beans and barley are hidden in the soft brownie, which is rich and fragrant. This brownie with a unique taste and rich flavor is very suitable for gourmets who like to try new foods.

References:

[1] Lin, et al. Glycemic index, glycemic load and insulinemic index of Chinese starchy foods. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 16(39), 4973.

[2] Chinese Food Composition Table

[3] Coix: Chemical composition and health effects. Fan Zhu. Trends in Food Science & Technology Volume 61, March 2017, Pages 160-175.

[4] Ramya D.et al. Phytochemistry and health promoting effects of Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi)-A critical review, Food Bioscience, Volume 34, 2020.

[5] Dietary Reference Intakes for Chinese Residents (2013 Edition)