Tonifying– tag –

Peach is the fruit of summer, known for its juicy sweetness and soft flesh. In yakuzen terms it replenishes qi and produces fluids, which is held to ease dryness and tiredness. Eaten as it is, or made into a smoothie or a dessert, it can be enjoyed in many ways. An ingredient that eases a body worn down by the summer heat while supporting your health, deliciously.

Jujube is a sweet, warm fruit, and in yakuzen terms it can be looked to for replenishing the Spleen and Stomach and nourishing the blood. It is held to help with poor sleep and a poor complexion, which makes it exactly right for autumn. Bringing it into everyday meals as jujube tea, in soups or simmered supports healthy living.

Shiitake is used to make dashi, the foundation of Japanese cooking, and is an ingredient rich cooking cannot do without. In yakuzen terms it is held to help the stomach work and build resilience. It is easy to bring in, in simmered dishes, soups and hotpots, and works in any season. Do bring it to your everyday table.

Haricot bean is a nourishing pulse, held to be useful in particular for tiredness, poor digestion and swelling. In yakuzen terms it can be looked to for replenishing the Spleen and Kidney and rebuilding your strength.

Green beans come into season in summer, sweet and neutral in nature, which makes them kind to the body. Seen through yakuzen, they are held to settle the gut and clear damp, which suits managing how you feel in the hot season. They work in salads, stir-fries and soups, so do bring them in while in season.

Broccoli is a nourishing vegetable that comes into season from winter into spring. In yakuzen terms it can be looked to for replenishing the Spleen and Kidney and strengthening the muscles and joints. Bringing it in as a salad or a soup is an easy way to get its nourishment and what it does. Do bring it to everyday meals and keep yourself well.

Kabocha squash comes into season from autumn into winter and is a nourishing vegetable. Seen through yakuzen, it can be looked to for rebuilding your strength and helping digestion. Simmered or in a soup, you take in its sweetness and its nourishment to good effect. Exactly right for the turn of the season and for cold weather.

Potato is held to replenish qi and be kind to the gut. It suits times when the digestive system is weak or when you feel tired. Steamed or in a soup, it gives up what it does more readily, warming you while giving you nourishment.

Oats are a convenient ingredient for taking in nourishment easily. They replenish the Spleen and Stomach and help digestion, which makes them ideal for breakfast or a light meal. They also help with constipation and a poor appetite, and are easy to bring into a health-conscious life. Being open to all sorts of treatments, sweet or savoury, hot or cold, is part of their appeal.

Glutinous rice is an ingredient that can be looked to for rebuilding strength and settling the gut. It helps with loose stools and low strength, and suits anyone who feels the cold. Used in okowa, in mochi or in cooked rice dishes, it gives depth and sweetness. As a traditional Japanese ingredient, it is worth bringing into everyday meals with health in mind.