Diabetic dietary therapy (Part 1): Staple foods and meat dishes
> 4.11 // What are some commonly used medicinal diets for diabetes?
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Medicinal cuisine is a dish made by combining specially processed medicinal herbs with specific food ingredients and then cooking them using appropriate methods. It is a delicious food that is also a traditional Chinese medicine with certain therapeutic effects, combining nutrition and treatment.
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Diabetic medicinal diets have the effects of clearing heat, nourishing yin, moisturizing dryness, and promoting body fluid production, and are suitable for patients to consume for a long time.
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Commonly used medicinal diets include:
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(1) Ginger Beef Rice
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Prescription source: *Family Diet Therapy Handbook*
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> Recipe: 500g beef, 5g ginger, 5g soy sauce, 100g peanut oil, 100g rice, appropriate amount of water.
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Preparation method: First, wash the beef, mince it, put it in a bowl, and mix in peanut oil and soy sauce.
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Squeeze fresh ginger to extract juice and mix it into the ground beef.
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Wash the rice and steam it until the water is almost gone. Then pour the ginger-flavored ground beef over the rice and continue steaming for 15 minutes. It is then ready to eat.
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Application: This product has the effects of tonifying the middle energizer and replenishing qi, dispelling cold and strengthening the stomach, and strengthening muscles and bones. It is more suitable for those with spleen and stomach deficiency, weak constitution, yang deficiency, and those who are afraid of cold and have diarrhea.
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This product can be used by diabetic patients with deficiency of the lower jiao (lower burner).
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(2) Ginger Eel Rice
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Prescription source: *Family Diet Therapy Handbook*
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> Recipe: 100g eel meat, 10ml ginger juice, 5g peanut oil, 5g salt, 100g japonica rice.
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Preparation method: Clean and cut the eel into sections, put it in a bowl, add peanut oil, ginger juice and salt. Wash the rice and steam it until the water is almost dry. Place the eel on top of the rice and steam over low heat for 20 minutes.
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Applications: This product nourishes yin and blood, strengthens the spleen and stomach, and can treat post-illness weakness, anemia, emaciation, fatigue, and weakness. It also has the effect of lowering blood sugar.
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> (3) Spring Plate Noodles
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> Prescription source: "Essentials of Diet and Nutrition".
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> Recipe: 100g noodles, 15g each of mutton, mutton tripe, and mutton lung, 1 egg, 3g ginger, 50g leek sprouts, 50g mushrooms, 5g each of salt and vinegar, and a pinch of pepper.
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Preparation method: Wash the mutton, tripe and lungs, cut them into strips and cook them.
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Beat the eggs and cook them in a non-stick pan to make an omelet. Cut the omelet into thin strips and set aside.
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Slice the fresh mushrooms into strips, and wash and cut the chives into sections.
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After the water boils, add the noodles, mushrooms, and ginger and cook together. When they are almost cooked, add the chives and cook briefly.
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When serving, add cooked shredded meat and egg, season with salt, vinegar and pepper, mix well and eat.
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Application: This diet has a strong tonic effect, replenishing qi and nourishing the middle jiao (spleen and stomach), and is especially suitable for those who have lost vital energy or whose internal organs are weakened due to illness, such as those recovering from serious illness or surgery.
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For those with diabetes who experience frequent urination, weight loss, and fatigue, dietary therapy can be used as a regular meal, but those with yin deficiency and yang excess should not consume too much.
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> (4) Pumpkin pancakes
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> Prescription source: Folk Remedies.
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> Recipe: 50g pumpkin, 100g rice flour or wheat flour.
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Preparation method: After the pumpkin is cooked, peel it, mash it and mix it with rice flour. Knead it into a dough, steam it until cooked, and it is ready to eat.
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Application: Pumpkin has a blood sugar lowering effect. Diabetic patients can consume it as an adjunct to dietary therapy. Regular consumption will have a significant therapeutic effect.
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> (5) Sesame Seed and Chestnut Cake
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Prescription source: *Practical Traditional Chinese Medicine Nutrition*
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> Ingredients: 10g sesame seeds, 10g hemp seeds, 50g chestnut flour, 50g corn flour, 3g brown sugar, 2g fresh yeast.
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Preparation method: Mix the two kernels into cornmeal, then add chestnut flour and brown sugar, add water to make the dough, add fresh yeast, knead into a dough, let it rest for about 20 minutes, then steam for about 30 minutes.
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Application: This dish has the effects of tonifying the kidneys, moisturizing dryness, and promoting bowel movement.
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This product is suitable for those whose large intestine function is weakened due to insufficient kidney qi and deficiency of the lower jiao, resulting in constipation, as well as those who are old, weak, or have dry intestines due to fluid depletion.
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The two kernels are sweet and mild, nourishing the five internal organs; corn regulates the middle and stimulates the appetite; and millet powder specifically replenishes kidney qi. Therefore, the elderly can eat these foods to moisturize dryness and nourish their kidneys.
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It can also help diabetics resist hunger and replenish nutrients, and is suitable for those with lower wasting syndrome due to kidney yin deficiency.
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(6) Lotus Seed and Poria Cake
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> Prescription source: Practical Traditional Chinese Medicine Nutrition.
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> Recipe (for 10 servings): 300g each of lotus seeds, poria cocos, and ophiopogon japonicus; 30g of white sugar; and 15g of osmanthus flowers.
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Preparation method: Grind lotus seeds, poria cocos, and ophiopogon japonicus into a fine powder, add white sugar and osmanthus flowers and mix well, add water to make the dough, shape it into a cake, and steam it until cooked.
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It can be cut into pieces and served in portions.
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Application: This diet has the effects of nourishing the heart and spleen, consolidating essence and qi, and nourishing yin and replenishing fluids. It has an auxiliary therapeutic effect on symptoms of heart and spleen deficiency and deficiency of both qi and yin.
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Suitable for diabetic patients with lung and stomach heat syndrome.
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> (7) Jade Dew Cake
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Prescription source: *Yangxin Lu* (Record of Nourishing the Heart)
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> Recipe (5 servings): 10g Trichosanthes kirilowii root, 10g Pueraria lobata root, 10g Platycodon grandiflorus root, 500g mung bean powder, 5g vegetable oil.
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Preparation method: Dry the three herbs, grind them into a fine powder, mix them with mung bean powder and white sugar, add water to moisten, then stir and place them in an oiled square lunch box, steam for 30 minutes until cooked.
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Application: This dish can clear heat, promote the production of body fluids, benefit the stomach, and eliminate phlegm.
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It has a certain therapeutic effect on upper wasting syndrome, which is characterized by dry cough with little phlegm due to lung dryness and thirst due to stomach heat.
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> (8) Poria cocos cake
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Prescription source: *Xingyuanlu*
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> Ingredients: 70g japonica rice, 30g glutinous rice, 10g lotus seeds (without the core), 10g poria cocos, 10g yam, 50g fox nuts, and appropriate amount of water.
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Preparation method: First, soak the lotus seeds and fox nuts in warm water. Grind the yam and poria into powder and mix well. Then mix all the ingredients together, add water, and steam until cooked.
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Application: This dish has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach, nourishing the kidneys and replenishing yin.
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Regular consumption can replenish vital energy and strengthen the spleen and stomach in healthy individuals. It can also be used as a staple food for patients with chronic illness, weakness, thirst, difficulty in urination and defecation, spleen deficiency and loose stools, and edema.
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> (9) Meat glutinous rice balls
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Prescription source: Compendium of Materia Medica
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> Recipe (for 2 servings): 100g wheat bran, 250g lean pork, 250g glutinous rice flour, 5g scallions, 5g salt.
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Preparation method: 1. Fry wheat bran until golden brown, mix with pork, add chopped green onion and salt, mix well to make meat filling; 2. Add glutinous rice flour, mix into soft dough, divide into 20 portions, wrap with meat filling to make glutinous rice balls.
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> Just cook before eating.
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Application: Wheat bran contains a relatively high amount of vitamin B1, making it suitable for patients with peripheral neuritis and diabetes.
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This diet also has the effect of stopping sweating, and it can also be used as an adjunct treatment for spontaneous sweating and night sweats.