Black wood ear and white wood ear mushrooms, each 15 grams, should be cooked until soft, then add 10 grams of rock sugar and serve hot as a breakfast or dessert. Both types of wood ear mushrooms are rich in calcium, significantly higher than soybeans.
In traditional medicine, conditions of calcium deficiency and diseases such as rickets and osteoporosis fall under the categories of “cốt nuy” and “cam tích.” The main pathogenesis is primarily due to kidney deficiency, which fails to produce marrow; without sufficient marrow, bone development is compromised. Here are some typical medicinal foods to prevent and treat calcium deficiency:
Wash 100 grams of turtle shell (Gui Ban) and chicken eggshell, let them dry, then roast until crispy and grind into a fine powder, storing it in a sealed container for later use. Consume 5 grams twice daily, mixed with a little white sugar. Both turtle shell and chicken eggshell are rich in calcium; the turtle shell is also a traditional Chinese medicine known for nourishing kidney yin and is commonly used to treat bone pain, lower back pain, and chronic cough. This medicinal food is especially beneficial for the elderly suffering from osteoporosis or slow-healing fractures.
Take 10 clams, soak them in water, wash thoroughly, place them in a bowl, crack an egg into the bowl, whisk, add seasoning, and then steam until cooked. According to traditional medicine, clams have a salty flavor and a cooling property, which helps nourish yin, promote fluid production, and resolve phlegm; chicken eggs are sweet and neutral, beneficial for nourishing yin, moistening dryness, and enriching the blood. Modern studies show that both clam meat and chicken eggs are high in calcium: each 100 grams of clam meat contains 177 mg of calcium, while each 100 grams of egg yolk contains 134 mg of calcium. Additionally, chicken eggs are rich in vitamin D, which aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
Wash 100 grams of soybeans; 10 grams of dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water until expanded; and 500 grams of pork ribs, washed and chopped. Boil the soybeans and pork ribs until tender, then add the shiitake mushrooms and cook for a bit longer, seasoning to taste for a soup. According to traditional medicine, soybeans have a sweet flavor and neutral property, beneficial for strengthening the spleen and stomach, replenishing qi and blood, and promoting fluid metabolism; shiitake mushrooms also have a sweet flavor and neutral property, with similar benefits. Modern research shows that soybeans are highly nutritious, rich in protein and essential amino acids, containing up to 165 mg of calcium per 100 grams. Shiitake mushrooms, considered the “king of dried vegetables,” are also rich in calcium and vitamin D, providing 180 mg of calcium per 100 grams.
For fresh crab legs, take 200 grams, wash them, roast until golden, grind into a fine powder, and store in a sealed container for later use. Consume 5 grams with rice water once or twice daily. According to traditional medicine, crabs have a salty flavor and cooling property, which helps clear heat, nourish fluids, invigorate blood, and open meridians. Modern studies indicate that crabs are one of the richest sources of calcium, with an estimated 5,040 mg of calcium per 100 grams of freshwater crabs. Hence, traditional use of powdered crab legs to treat rickets in children is quite reasonable.
Mix 500 grams of seahorse powder, bull or cow testicles; 250 grams of Astragalus, donkey-hide gelatin, and dried apricot kernels (ground into powder); and rock sugar. Boil Astragalus and donkey-hide gelatin three times, discarding the residue, then add the cleaned and sliced bull or cow testicles and simmer until tender. After that, add the melted donkey-hide gelatin with wine, rock sugar, and seahorse powder, and reduce to a concentrated syrup. Consume 1 tablespoon twice daily. Benefits: nourishes the kidneys, strengthens yang, strengthens tendons, and bones; very good for the elderly suffering from calcium deficiency or osteoporosis.
Take 50 grams of dried shrimp, one chicken egg, and 200 grams of chives, stir-fried with vegetable oil. According to traditional medicine, shrimp have a sweet flavor and warming property, beneficial for nourishing the kidneys and strengthening yang; chives are sweet and warming, helpful for warming the kidneys, supporting yang, and nourishing the spleen and stomach. Modern research shows that shrimp are among the richest sources of calcium, providing up to 1,120 mg of calcium per 100 grams of freshwater shrimp and 882 mg of calcium per 100 grams of dried shrimp.
ThS Hoàng Khánh Toàn, Health & Life
