During this COVID-19 outbreak, one finds themselves with a substantially larger amount of time to spend relaxing and eating! There is one standard meal that is eaten worldwide whenever we get sick: Congee, or rice porridge — the standard meal eaten in Asia whenever you catch the cold or flu. It's simple:
- Rice
- Water
- Boil
- Season to taste
Why is Rice Porridge Eaten?
When we catch the flu, our respiratory system becomes clogged with mucus in an attempt to expel the pathogen. This impairs our digestive system, which is what produces the mucus in the first place. When our digestive system is weak, we need to eat easily digested foods to support the body's fight against the disease, including COVID-19! Rice porridge (congee) is very simple and easy to digest, so it is perfect for these kinds of times.
How We Make Congee Taste Great
For example, Long Huynh's household adds ginger, carrot, green beans, potato, and chopped pork loin with some salt. Then we just boil it. It's never more complicated than that.
🍲 Mixed Veggie and Pork Tenderloin Congee
Ingredients: 2 cups rice, ½ tbsp oil, chopped carrot, chopped green bean, 6 cups water, salt, pepper, cilantro, cubed pork tenderloin
Directions:
- Sauté cubed tenderloin in oil inside pan until surface is cooked
- In a separate pot, add rice, salt and water, boil on medium-high for about 1–2 hours
- After 30 minutes add mixed veggies and cooked tenderloin
- Serve warm with pepper and cilantro
Will it Save Me from COVID-19?
Absolutely not! In the regards to your illness, it supports your recovery by easing your digestive system. In regards to regular common colds and flus, there are many cases in which patients with healthy immune systems recover without any medicine by just eating congee for a day or two.
To actually cure COVID-19 you would need a vaccine. If you think you have the Coronavirus, we recommend you seek appropriate medical assistance from a primary care provider or call 911.
What Else is Congee Good For?
Congee is good for aiding the digestive system in general, which needs to be strong to overcome any illness. In fact, it is the #1 recovery food to assist almost all ailments — it's what they give all patients in hospitals in China.
At Acupuncture Healing Center, we recommend remedial congee for many of our patients who catch a cold or flu. In general, we recommend you eat congee at least once a month to give your digestive system a break.
