Nutritional value and therapeutic effects of cowpea

Below I will tell you about the introduction of cowpea knowledge and its nutritional value. Please take a good look.

Cowpea ingredients introduction:

Cowpea, also known as long cowpea, ribbon bean, carob, ginger bean, rice bean, is a legume native to Africa and is now widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Li Shizhen said that "this bean can be used as a vegetable, fruit, or grain, and is best kept as a spare, and is the best among beans." Arabs often regard cowpea as a symbol of love. When a young man proposes to a girl, he always brings a handful of cowpeas, and when a bride arrives at her husband's house, cowpeas are also an indispensable part of her dowry.

There are two types of cowpeas: long cowpeas and rice cowpeas. Long cowpeas are also called vegetable cowpeas and are generally eaten as vegetables. They can be stir-fried or blanched and served cold. Rice cowpeas are generally used as food to cook porridge or make bean paste. There are three types of vegetable cowpeas on the market.

One is the green pod type, with slender pods, dark green in color, thick flesh, small beans, no exposed seeds, and a crisp texture, which is particularly suitable for making kimchi.

The second is the white pod type, with thick, long, plump and tender pods, light green or green-white, thin flesh, loose texture, easy to expose seeds, and soft and glutinous taste. It is widely cultivated all over the country. This type of variety is mainly seen on the market shelves. It is suitable for stir-frying or steaming as a cold dish.

One is the red pod type, the pods are purple-red, short and thick, of medium flesh, and easy to age. It is less planted, but it is rich in flavonoids, a powerful antioxidant, and regular consumption is good for your health.

Nutritional value of cowpea:

Cowpea provides high-quality protein that is easy to digest and absorb, an appropriate amount of carbohydrates, and a variety of vitamins and trace elements.

According to measurements, every 100 grams of cowpea contains 2.7 grams of protein, 0.2 grams of fat, 5.8 grams of carbohydrates, 2.7 grams of dietary fiber, and 18 grams of vitamin C, which is almost the same as tomatoes. It also contains rich B vitamins and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron that are beneficial to the human body.

Cowpea dietary effects:

According to traditional Chinese medicine, cowpea is mild in nature, sweet in taste, non-toxic, and enters the spleen and stomach meridians. Cowpea has the effect of strengthening the spleen and kidney, and is mainly used to treat indigestion. It has auxiliary effects on frequent urination, spermatorrhea, and some gynecological functional diseases. It is especially suitable for people with food accumulation, abdominal distension caused by weak spleen and stomach, spermatorrhea due to kidney deficiency, and increased leucorrhea.

The dietary fiber and vitamin B contained in cowpea can maintain the normal secretion of digestive glands and gastrointestinal motility, inhibit the activity of cholinesterase, accelerate intestinal motility, help digestion, and increase appetite. It is very effective in treating and preventing senile constipation.

The vitamin C contained in cowpea can promote the synthesis of antibodies and enhance the body's antiviral effect. The phospholipids in cowpea can promote insulin secretion and participate in sugar metabolism, making it an ideal food for diabetics. Cowpea has high calories and sugar content, and a strong sense of fullness, making it particularly suitable for patients with obesity, hypertension, coronary heart disease and diabetes.

Dietary precautions:

60 grams of long beans per meal, 30 grams of rice beans per meal. Suitable for patients with diabetes and kidney deficiency.

There are many ways to eat cowpeas. They are delicious when stir-fried with vegetables or meat. Cowpeas are usually stir-fried, suitable for both meat and vegetables, or made into dried cowpeas and stewed with pork, which is very delicious. Before stir-frying vegetables, smash two cloves of garlic and put them in the pot to make the taste more fragrant.

Cowpeas can also be eaten cold. Wash and blanch the cowpeas, spread them out to cool, then add vinegar, garlic, a small amount of sugar and oil. If you like sesame paste, dissolve it with cold boiled water or vinegar, and then mix it with the cowpeas.

There is another way of eating it in Shaanxi, Henan and other places. Add a small amount of flour or cornmeal to the cowpea. Mix well and steam it in a steamer. After it is cooked, dip it in vinegar, garlic juice and chili oil. It can be eaten as a meal or a dish.

Cowpeas can also be made into Sichuan pickles. They are chopped and fried with minced meat, commonly known as sour beans with meat. They taste good when eaten as pickles with porridge.

It is not advisable to cook long beans for too long to avoid loss of nutrients. As a food, long beans are best cooked with glutinous rice to make porridge. Do not eat too much at one time to avoid gas and bloating.

Eating too much cowpea can cause stagnation, so people with qi stagnation and constipation should be careful when eating cowpea.

Healthy recipes:

◆Cowpea and mushroom soup

Take appropriate amount of tender cowpea and mushroom and cook them into soup. It is used for diarrhea caused by spleen deficiency.

◆Raw cowpea recipe

Take an appropriate amount of raw cowpea, chew it carefully and swallow it. It is used to treat abdominal distension and belching caused by food accumulation.

◆Cowpea stewed chicken

Cowpea stewed with chicken. Used for leucorrhea and leucorrhea.