ALIMENTOS SALUDABLES A BASE DE HIERBAS ORIENTALES

DIETA HIERBAS OTOÑO

 

 

 

 

Ejiao Beef Nourishing Soup

阿胶牛肉汤

 

 

Ejiao Beef Soup is a highly nutritious tonic soup made with Ejiao (阿胶, donkey-hide gelatin), beef, rice wine, and ginger. It has a savory and slightly salty flavor. It is especially beneficial for individuals with Spleen deficiency (脾虚) or Qi and Blood deficiency (气血不足).

 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Benefits

This soup has excellent functions in
nourishing Yin (滋阴), replenishing Blood (补血), and warming and strengthening the Spleen (温脾).

It is especially suitable for:

• Irregular menstruation (生理不调)
• Delayed menstruation (经期推迟)
• Dizziness with blurred vision (头晕目眩)
• Palpitations and insomnia (心悸失眠) — feeling the heart pounding and difficulty falling asleep
•  
• Pale complexion (面色苍白) — poor facial coloration
• Unstable pregnancy / threatened miscarriage (胎动不安)

 

Ingredients

• Ejiao 阿胶 (Donkey-Hide Gelatin) – 15 g
• Beef 牛肉 – 100 g
• Rice wine 米酒 (Rice Wine) – 20 ml
• Ginger 生姜 – 10 g

 

Cooking Instructions

1. Remove tendon from the beef and slice thinly.
2. Place the beef, ginger, and rice wine into a clay pot.
3. Add an appropriate amount of water and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
4. Add Ejiao and gently stir until it melts completely.
5. Serve warm.

 

Key Ingredients & Their Effects

Ejiao 阿胶 (Donkey-Hide Gelatin)

Neutral in nature, sweet in flavor.
Functions: tonifies Blood, stops bleeding, regulates menstruation, and stabilizes pregnancy.

 

Beef 牛肉

Strengthens the Spleen (健脾) and helps generate Blood (生血).
When combined with Ejiao, it enhances warming of the middle burner (脾胃) and blood-tonifying effects.

 

Ginger & Rice Wine

• Promote digestion (助消化)
• Warm and protect the Stomach (暖胃)
• Strengthen the Spleen (健脾)

This combination makes the soup especially suitable for people with Spleen deficiency and Qi-Blood deficiency (脾虚气血不足).

 

How to Consume

• Take once per day
• Eat both the beef and the broth

 

Precautions

Avoid consumption if:

• You have weak digestion (may cause indigestion)
• You are currently menstruating (Ejiao may alter the cycle)
• You have an unresolved cold or flu (感冒)
• You have excessive internal dampness or phlegm

A great autumn tonic to replenish Qi and Blood and restore vitality!

 

About Ejiao (阿胶)

Ejiao is a widely used TCM medicinal known for tonifying Blood, nourishing Yin, and moistening dryness.
It is made by simmering donkey hide for a long time until it becomes concentrated gelatin.

Historically regarded as a treasured tonic, Ejiao is used to replenish Blood, nourish Yin, stop bleeding, and stabilize pregnancy.
Modern research also shows potential benefits such as anti-aging and immune enhancement, though its mechanisms are still being studied.

Avoid taking Ejiao together with tea (茶) or radish (萝卜) as they weaken its effectiveness.

 

Traditional Functions & Indications

1. Blood-Tonifying & Nourishing (补血养血)

Used for symptoms of Blood deficiency such as:

• Dizziness
• Palpitations
• Insomnia
• Dry skin
• Dry, brittle, or dull hair

 

2. Hemostatic Effect (止血)

Useful for:

• Heavy menstruation
• Uterine bleeding
• Nosebleeds
• Vomiting blood
• Blood in stool

 

3. Nourishing Yin & Moistening Dryness (滋阴润燥)

For:

• Dry cough due to Lung Yin deficiency
• Cough with blood

 

4. Stabilizing Pregnancy (安胎)

For:

• Restless fetus
• Threatened miscarriage

 

Modern Pharmacological Findings

• Improves anemia — increases RBC and hemoglobin
• Anti-aging — improves circulation and may support sleep in the elderly
• Immune modulation — enhances cellular and humoral immunity
• Other potential effects:
  • Reduces fatigue
  • Helps prevent shock
  • Neuroprotective
  • Anti-tumor properties

 

Precautions When Taking Ejiao

1. People who should be cautious

• Weak digestion
• Loose stools, abdominal bloating
• Those with Dampness inside the body

 

2. Foods to avoid

• Strong tea (green tea, black tea)
• Radish
  ❗ They reduce Ejiao’s effectiveness.

 

3. Avoid during cold/flu

Do not take Ejiao during febrile or infectious illnesses.

 

4. Dosage

• Follow a doctor’s instructions
• Start with a small dose if sensitive

 

5. Storage

Freshly made Ejiao can be slightly heating (燥热);
letting it rest for a while makes it gentler for consumption.

Ways to Take Ejiao

1. Melt and drink (烊化冲服)

Dissolve small pieces in:

• Warm water
• Ginger juice
• Brown sugar water

2. Cooked in foods

• Ejiao jelly (阿胶冻)
• Ejiao porridge
• Ejiao rice wine (阿胶酒)

 

3. With milk or soy milk

Mix Ejiao powder into:

• Warm milk
• Warm soy milk

Delicious and easy to absorb.