Wulou Porridge

Zun Sheng Ba Lian

[Porridge Composition] 30-50 grams of Vigna umbellata Ohwi et Ohashi (red adzuki bean), 2 liang of japonica rice, appropriate amount of white sugar.

[Indications and Effects] Promotes diuresis and lactation. Applicable to edema, including acute and chronic nephritis, ascites due to Liver cirrhosis, edema from beriberi, difficult urination, and blocked lactation in postpartum women.

[Boiling Method] First, boil the red adzuki beans in a casserole until they are soft. Then, add japonica rice to make porridge. After the porridge is cooked, add white sugar and boil for a short while until done.

[Explanation of Congee] Wulou Congee was originally recorded in Zunsheng Bajian, Volume XI, Congee and Gruel Category. The so-called “Wulou Congee” is congee made by boiling red beans. The book states: “Use a sand pot to first boil the red beans until they are thoroughly cooked. When boiling the rice congee and it begins to slightly boil, pour in the red beans and continue to cook together with the congee before consuming.” Red adzuki beans, commonly known as red beans and also called rice beans, are a commonly consumed food and are widely cultivated throughout China. This herb has been recorded for medicinal use as early as in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing.

As a food, although adzuki bean (Vigna umbellata Ohwi et Ohashi) is not as rich in nutrients as soybean, it also contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, crude fiber, ash, calcium, phosphorus, aluminum, copper, iron, and vitamins A, B, C, and other nutrients. Its medicinal value primarily lies in its diuretic effect. According to traditional Chinese medical records, adzuki bean is sweet with a slightly sour taste, neutral in nature, and non-toxic. It has the functions of clearing heat and toxins, dispersing stagnant blood, relieving bloating, promoting urination, strengthening the Spleen and stopping diarrhea, and promoting lactation. It is mainly indicated for cardiac edema, nephritic edema, cirrhotic ascites, edema from beriberi, and nutritional edema. Cooking adzuki bean into porridge not only promotes urination but also enhances the effect of strengthening the Spleen and nourishing the stomach. Regardless of whether one is elderly and weak or has been ill for a long time and is in a debilitated state, as long as there is edema or swelling, consuming it frequently and for a long time can yield ideal results.

[Precautions] Wulou porridge has the effect of promoting diuresis to helps with occasional edema and has no side effects. As an adjuvant dietary therapy method, it must be taken persistently over a long period and in multiple doses to consolidate the therapeutic effect. In addition, there is another kind of “red bean” in traditional Chinese medicine, which is characterized by half red and half black in appearance. It is the “Abrus precatorius” produced in Guangdong and is a toxic substance that should not be mistakenly used.

[Reference Materials]

[Shou Shi Qing Bian · Volume II · Secret Recipes for Dietary Therapy]: “Red Bean Congee. Promotes diuresis, helps with occasional edema and beriberi, and wards off epidemic wellness. Rinse the red beans thoroughly, cook them together with aged milled rice in equal proportions to make congee. Consume on an empty stomach.”

[Records of Dietary Differentiation · Volume II]: “Red Adzuki Bean Porridge: This refers to rice beans, primarily promoting urination and reducing edema. It also supports beriberi. Use red adzuki beans in an amount two to three times that of rice. First, boil the beans until soft, remove them, and then add rice to cook and eat.”

[Compendium of Materia Medica · Volume 24]: “According to Chen Ziming’s Good Prescriptions for Women, it is stated: My wife was a vegetarian. Seven days after childbirth, her milk ducts were blocked and medication was ineffective. By chance, she obtained one sheng (a traditional Chinese unit of volume, approximately 0.5 liters) of adzuki beans (Vigna angularis), cooked them into porridge and ate it, and that very night the milk flowed.”

[Dietary Therapy Guide]: “Red Adzuki Bean Porridge clears heat and detoxifies, promotes diuresis and lactation. It is mainly indicated for nephritis edema, abscesses, sores and furuncles, and insufficient milk production after childbirth. Prepare by cooking 90 grams of red adzuki beans with 500 grams of rice to make porridge.”

Q1: What is wulou porridge benefits?

A1: Wulou porridge, a traditional Chinese medicine remedy, offers benefits such as promoting diuresis and lactation. It is effective for edema, including acute and chronic nephritis, ascites due to liver cirrhosis, edema from beriberi, difficult urination, and blocked lactation in postpartum women.

Q2: How to make wulou porridge with red adzuki bean?

A2: To make wulou porridge with red adzuki bean, first boil 30-50 grams of Vigna umbellata (red adzuki bean) in a casserole until soft. Then add 2 liang of japonica rice and cook until the porridge thickens, finally adding an appropriate amount of white sugar to taste.

Q3: What is traditional Chinese medicine wulou porridge?

A3: Traditional Chinese medicine wulou porridge is a therapeutic porridge from Zun Sheng Ba Lian, composed of red adzuki bean and japonica rice. It is used to treat edema, difficult urination, and blocked lactation by leveraging the diuretic and lactogenic properties of red adzuki bean.

Q4: Can wulou porridge help with postpartum lactation issues?

A4: Yes, wulou porridge is indicated for blocked lactation in postpartum women. Its red adzuki bean component promotes lactation and reduces fluid retention, making it a traditional Chinese medicine remedy for nursing mothers.

Q5: Why is red adzuki bean used in wulou porridge?

A5: Red adzuki bean is used in wulou porridge for its diuretic and lactogenic effects in traditional Chinese medicine. It helps reduce edema, promote urination, and stimulate milk production, addressing conditions like nephritis and postpartum lactation issues.