Cornus Fruit Congee

[Porridge Recipes]

[Porridge Composition] 15-20 grams of Cornus officinalis fruit, 2 liang of japonica rice, and an appropriate amount of white sugar.

[Efficacy and Indications] Tonify the Liver and Kidney, astringe essence and restrain sweating. Applicable for Liver and Kidney deficiency, dizziness and blurred vision, tinnitus and soreness of the waist, spermatorrhea, enuresis, frequent urination, incessant sweating due to deficiency, and leukorrhea due to Kidney deficiency.

[Boiling Method] First, wash the dogwood fruit, remove the pits, and put it together with japonica rice into a casserole to make porridge. When the porridge is almost cooked, add white sugar and boil for a short while.

[Explanation of Congee Efficacy] The flesh of Cornus officinalis is the deseeded fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. It tastes sour, has an astringent property, and is slightly warm in nature. It enters the Liver and Kidney meridians. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the flesh of Cornus officinalis is an important herb for nourishing the Liver and Kidney and for astringing and consolidating. It should be considered for use in supports all conditions caused by Liver-Kidney Yin Deficiency. Lei Gong’s Treatise on Processing Herbs states that it “strengthens primordial qi and retains essence.” Records of Tradition and Innovation in Chinese Medicine also says, “Cornus officinalis can greatly astringent primordial qi, invigorate the spirit, and consolidate and astringent slippery conditions.” Traditional Chinese medicine describes it as “slightly warm but not hot, a herb that gently tonifies both yin and yang. It can be used in combination regardless of whether there is Yin Deficiency or yang deficiency. It can both tonify the Liver and Kidney and astringent and consolidate. Its ability to both tonify and astringent is another of its characteristics.” The sour and astringent taste of the flesh of Cornus officinalis is due to its content of gallic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, cornin, and vitamin A-like substances. Although it tastes sour, adding some white sugar when cooking congee makes it sweet and sour and delicious. Qing Dynasty’s Huang Yunhu recorded in Congee Recipes – Congee Varieties Five – Plant Medicines: “Congee with the flesh of Cornus officinalis warms the Liver, replenishes qi, and retains essence. The seeds can cause seminal emission, so they must be completely removed.” According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, “the waist is the exterior mansion of the Kidney,” “the Kidney opens to the ears,” and “the Kidney stores essence.” Therefore, patients with Kidney deficiency, especially elderly patients with Kidney deficiency, often experience soreness and weakness in the waist and legs, dizziness, and tinnitus. In such cases, it is even better to cook congee in combination with wolfberries. If there is seminal emission, enuresis, or excessive urination, cooking congee in combination with gorgon fruit is particularly effective. If there is persistent spontaneous sweating or prolonged night sweats, cooking congee in combination with floating wheat yields even better results. By selecting medicinal congees according to the condition and making appropriate additions and subtractions based on the syndrome, one can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

[Precautions] A supports course with Cornus Officinalis Fruit Porridge lasts for 3 to 5 days. After the wellness is completely supports, the porridge can be discontinued or consumed intermittently for a period of time to consolidate the therapeutic effect. However, it should not be consumed during fever or in patients with dysuria.

[Reference Materials]

[Zun Sheng Ba Jian (Eight Treatises on Nurturing Life)]: “Cornus officinalis porridge. Pick and remove the peels, pound and grind it into a muddy powder. Take one ladleful each time, add two spoons of honey, stir-fry together until it congeals, knead it and stir it into the porridge for consumption.”