Sweet flavor and warm thermal nature. Acts on Spleen, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine meridians.

Active compounds:

Beans are mainly composed of saccharides and proteins. They are rich in saponin which is an effective antioxidant. Contains fiber, iron, vitamin B9 (folate, magnesium, potassium (pinto beans), molybdenum and vitamin B1 (thiamin) (black beans), vitamin E and they are strong antioxidant.

Clinical Usage and Indications:

• Promotes body fluid and clean dampness, invigorating spleen. Used for edema, beriberi, dysuria due to spleen-deficiency. For diarrhea: mix with carp making a soup. To clear Damp-Heat: decoct with Bian Dou, Yi Yi Ren. Grind to powder. Make a tea
• Tonifies kidneys helping when kidney is deficient. Lower back pain, knee pain, infertility, seminal emissions, blurry vision, ear problems: Combine it with rice to makeit a complete protein
• Detoxifies expelling toxins, draining the pus. For appendicitis: Use with Pu Gong Ying, Yi Yi Ren, Gan Cao to making a tea. For dysentery, hemorrhoid bleeding, use with Ma Chi Xian (purlaine). Decoct to make a tea. Add a small amount of vinegar
• Strengthens and nourishes blood, disperses Blood-Stagnation: If grounded into powder and rubbed on the body when one has a blood problem manifesting as itchy spots. Mix with water and put it on those places
• Lowers high blood pressure
• Red beans promote lactation among women after giving birth

Directions: In a bean salad, in scrambled eggs, in a burrito, with rice, in a soup, or just by itself. Place 50 grams of red beans, 50 grams of pearl barley and one liter of water into a pot, then let it cook over a low flame. In 50 minutes, drink the liquid soup and eat the beans. A bowl of this wonder gruel in the morning will help expel dampness from the body. Some onions (yángcōng) and garlic (da suan) can be added as well as salt to taste.

Precautions: Pregnancy. Do not use for long term.

From The Tao of Tummy © book