Does Cooking Millet into Porridge Help Nourish the Stomach?

Cooking millet into porridge can nourish the stomach. According to the ancient medical book "Compendium of Materia Medica", millet is introduced as having the effect of warming the stomach and tonifying the spleen, promoting digestion, and nourishing the dantian (a traditional Chinese concept referring to the vital energy center). Therefore, millet has the function of stimulating appetite and nourishing the stomach.

Although millet is rich in nutrients, it contains a low level of lysine compared to other grains, and its texture can be somewhat rough. When cooking millet into porridge, it can be paired with ingredients such as sweet potatoes, pumpkins, red dates, and longans to enrich the nutritional value and improve the taste.

1. Nourishing the Spleen and Stomach: Issues such as upset stomach, diarrhea, and weakness are often related to poor spleen and stomach function. The primary function of millet is to nourish the spleen and stomach. Since sweet flavors benefit the spleen and yellow colors correspond to the spleen in traditional Chinese medicine, millet, which is yellow and has a sweet and slightly salty taste, is considered to have the effect of "warming the stomach and tonifying the spleen". Therefore, millet is beneficial for those with diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion, and diabetes.

2. Tonifying the Kidneys: All grains have the effect of nourishing qi and tonifying the kidneys, but millet is considered to have the strongest kidney-tonifying effect among them. Millet has a slightly cold nature and a slightly salty taste, which corresponds to the kidneys in traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, millet has the effect of nourishing kidney qi and replenishing vital energy. This is why Li Shizhen referred to millet as the "grain of the kidneys".

3. Nourishing the Heart and Calming the Mind: Drinking millet porridge can enhance the function of the small intestine and have the effect of nourishing the heart and calming the mind. Millet can also be used as a dietary supplement for sedation and sleep promotion. In traditional Chinese medicine, doctors often recommend patients to consume millet porridge as an alternative to sleeping pills.