Five Must-Know Letting-down Vegetables for Mothers

Women often think of eating pig's feet or loach fish and Chinese crucian carp to promote lactation after childbirth. However, many vegetables also have excellent lactogenic effects when paired with meat dishes.

Bamboo shoots are called Huancao flowers and are also known as yellow rape flowers.They are the flower buds of Huancao plants. It is a perennial wild herb that grows in shady, moist places. Nutrient content is very rich; every 100 grams of dried bamboo shoots contain 14.1 grams of protein, nearly equal to animal meat. In addition, it contains large amounts of vitamin B1 and B2.Due to its rich nutrition, bamboo shoots have considerable medicinal value; traditional Chinese medicine considers them good for draining dampness, broadening the chest, promoting urination, stopping bleeding, and increasing milk supply. For cases where postpartum milk secretion is insufficient, cooking bamboo shoots with lean pork can be very effective. Chinese water caltropis said to have helped Wu Zetian increase her milk production after childbirth when she was also suffering from constipation and oral ulcers; as she disliked taking medicine, a scholar named Meng Xi provided a therapeutic recipe of stir-fried Chinese water caltrop with mud carp in vinegar.Chinese water caltrop is a delicious vegetable that tastes sweet, tender, and refreshing; it is one of the three famous dishes from the Jiangnan region along with fresh fish and water shield. It contains carbohydrates, protein, vitamin B1, B2, vitamin C, and various minerals. According to traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese water caltrop has a sweet cold nature and can clear heat toxins, prevent thirst, promote bowel movements, and increase milk supply.Currently, it is often used with pig's feet and silk grass (or mountain sea snail) in cooking for better lactation promotion. Those with weak stomach and spleen or loose stools should not eat too much due to its cold nature.

It also contains a lot of insoluble calcium oxalate, so those with kidney stones should avoid eating it excessively. Lamb's lettuce is divided into leaf-type and stem-type; the former is known as "garden lettuce," while the latter is called "lamb's lettuce." Both have various nutritious components.Analysis shows that all nutritional components are higher in leaves than in stems, so it is best not to discard the leaves when eating lamb's lettuce.Lamb's lettuce has a bitter cold nature and can promote lactation; it can be used with pig's feet for postpartum mothers who have insufficient milk supply. This method not only reduces greasiness but also tastes fresh and fragrant, making the effect of increasing milk better than using pig's feet alone.Green peas are also known as green young beans; they are sweet in nature and contain a lot of phosphorus—about 400 mg per 100 grams.

Green peas can increase urination, generate body fluids, clear heat toxins, stop diarrhea and dysentery, and promote lactation.Boiled green peas or mashed young pea juice can both be used to increase milk supply when consumed in moderation. Tofuis beneficial for qi restoration, harmonizing the middle energizer, generating body fluids, moistening dryness, clearing heat toxins. It is also a lactogenic food. Boiling tofu with red sugar and fermented rice wine can increase milk production. In summary, women who have insufficient milk supply after childbirth can consume bamboo shoots, Chinese water caltrop, green peas, lamb's lettuce, and tofu to promote lactation.Clam meat, consumed together can have a better effect in promoting lactation.

Due to the cold nature of water caltrop (also known as 'coix'), mothers who are weak with cold spleen and stomach or have loose stools should not eat too much. Also, water caltrop contains more insoluble calcium oxalate; patients with urinary calculi should also pay attention not to eat too much.

Lettuce is classified into leaf lettuce and stem lettuce; leaf lettuce is also known as "endive".,", while stem lettuce is simply called "lettuce". Both types are rich in various nutrients. According to analysis, except for iron, all other nutritional components are higher in the leaves than in the stems. Therefore, when eating lettuce, do not discard the leaves.

Lettuce has a bitter and cold nature and has lactation-stimulating effects; using it with pig hooves can be used for mothers with insufficient milk production. This method reduces greasiness, is fragrant and delicious, and is more effective than just using pig hooves alone to promote lactation.

Broad bean is also known as "green"young pea, has a sweet and neutral nature and contains a lot of phosphorus—about 400 milligrams per hundred grams on average. Broad beans have the effects of promoting urination, generating body fluids, relieving sores, stopping diarrhea, and lactation promotion.Cooked broad beans can be eaten raw or the sprouts can be mashed into juice for consumption to promote lactation. Grind and juice for consumption, all can promote milk production.

Tofu has beneficial effects on qi regulation, harmonizing the stomach, generating body fluids, moistening dryness, and detoxifying heat. It is also a food that promotes lactation. Boiling tofu with brown sugar and fermented rice wine can help increase milk supply.