EGG

Eggs are birds in the making. As such, they are extremely high-protein foods with powerful nutritional and therapeutic effects. Eggs are made of three different constituents: the yolk, the white, and the shell. The latter is usually discarded by cooks in the West. In China, however, eggshell has a variety of uses. Eggshell ground into a fine powder and taken with meals decreases gastric acid, and is thus a remedy for gastric and duodenal ulcers. Ground eggshell dissolved in jiu (Chinese rice wine, or Japanese sake) cures stomach problems. Sterilized ground eggshell applied to a wound will arrest bleeding. Because milk is not commonly drunk in China, eggshell is often used as a remedy for rickets—insufficient vitamin D leading to defective bone growth —and calcium deficiency in children.

Whole egg

Sweet (Earth), neutral, Yin

Considered to be a highly nutritious and energetic food, egg dissipates dryness and nourishes the blood and qi. It is used in a wide variety ofremedies, from asthma to coughs and the common cold. It is also included in remedies for dysentery, diarrhea, constipation, hepatitis, anemia, nausea and vomiting, and insomnia. Protein, 6.1 g; Fat, 5.5 g; Fiber, 0 g; Carbohydrate, 0.6 g; Vitamin A, 260 IU; Vitamin B1, 0.04 mg; Vitamin B2, 0.14 mg; Niacin, 0 mg; Vitamin C, 0 mg; Calcium, 28 mg; Phosphorus, 90 mg; Iron, 1.04 mg

Egg white

Sweet (Earth), cool, weak Yin

Egg white has a cooling effect; it also moistens and soothes excessive dryness of the eyes, throat, and lungs. By cooling and moisturizing, egg white effectively detoxifies the entire body. It is also considered to be a good remedy for anemia. One egg white drunk raw every morning keeps constipation at bay. Mix it with fruit juice if you find the white distasteful on its own. In China, raw egg white mixed with rice wine is an application for scalds and burns. Protein, 3.4 g; Fat, 0 g; Fiber, 0 g; Carbohydrate, 0.4 g; Vitamin A, 0 IU; Vitamin B1, 0 mg; Vitamin B2, 0.09 mg; Niacin, 0 mg; Vitamin C, 0 mg; Calcium, 4 mg; Phosphorus, 4 mg; Iron, 0.01 mg

hancheng

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