Black bean water is used as a heat-clearing and detoxifying drink, so people often think it is only used in summer. In fact, in the last days of the year when people eat a lot of protein and fatty foods, black bean water is also very good for cooling the body and counteracting internal heat.
Black beans are a good type of beans in folklore. A handful of black beans is equivalent to a month’s worth of tonics, as the experience of the ancients passed down. According to modern medicine, black beans contain many antioxidants, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fibers. In traditional Chinese medicine, black beans have a sweet taste and a cooling nature. Black beans have many effects such as tonifying the kidney, nourishing the blood, treating weak kidneys, facial swelling, edema, low energy, numbness, low joints, or ulcers… With modern scientific analysis, black beans are the king of foods containing antioxidants anthocyanins, isoflavones, vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium… They improve the skin, improve anemia, lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, protect the heart, and regulate menstruation…
However, instead of just roasting black beans, adding a little ginger will enhance the effects of black bean water and add a fragrant aroma. At the same time, during cold weather, adding ginger also helps keep the body warm and reduce the coolness of black beans.
Black beans have a cooling nature, so people with weak stomachs and poor digestion may experience abdominal pain when consumed in large quantities. Therefore, adding a little ginger to black beans will help increase the warm nature and balance out the coolness of black beans, making this drink much better.
Ginger is also a good spice and medicinal herb in Chinese medicine. Ginger has a warm and spicy taste, helps prevent colds, improves blood circulation, and prevents high cholesterol.
In particular, black bean water with ginger is great to drink in cold weather, especially in the morning on an empty stomach.
How to make ginger-infused black bean water
Choose fresh green black beans without mold or pests. Soak the black beans in cold water for 6-7 hours to remove any sprout-inhibiting substances in the beans. Soaking them this way is better for those drinking black bean water.
After soaking and draining the beans, roast them in a pan with a few slices of fresh ginger. Then add the roasted beans and ginger to a pot and prepare the drinking water.
Drinking black bean water has many benefits for the body:
Supports cold treatment, particularly good for winter: Ginger is a good remedy for colds and helps promote blood circulation. Drinking ginger-infused black bean water helps increase warmth, expel colds, stimulate sweating, and effectively alleviate cold symptoms. However, it is important to note that ginger black bean tea is only suitable for those with cold syndrome and may not be suitable for those with heat syndrome, so people with heat syndrome should avoid drinking it.
Reduces fat, promotes weight loss: Black beans and ginger are both ingredients that support weight loss, burn fat, and enhance metabolism. Black beans are rich in fiber, while ginger helps promote blood circulation and digestion. When black beans are combined with ginger, their effectiveness is multiplied. The ginger contains zingerone and shogaols, which accelerate the process of burning excess fat. Consuming ginger regularly helps with weight loss. Additionally, ginger helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Ginger is also a great spice for health.
Nourishes the kidneys, blood, and improves skin: Black bean water helps detoxify the body, eliminate toxins, and increase antioxidants for the body. The black color of the beans is due to the presence of good antioxidants in black beans. Drinking black bean water is a beauty remedy that improves the skin and hair. Ginger is a spice that helps enhance blood circulation under the skin and keeps the skin radiant.
When roasted properly, black beans with ginger will help enhance your health. In cold weather, you should drink a cup of warm black bean water instead of cold water.
Who should not drink black bean water?
Those who are using traditional Chinese medicine should not drink black beans with their medication, as it will reduce the effectiveness of the medicine due to the detoxifying effects of black beans.
People who are taking Western medicine should drink black bean water at a different time from when they take their medication.
Black bean water should not be consumed as a substitute for filtered water, as excessive consumption of anything good will no longer be beneficial. Both ginger and black beans should be used in appropriate amounts that are suitable for the body, without excessive consumption.
Roasted black beans can be consumed warm in winter. The antioxidant content is still present in the beans, so if you cook them at home, it is recommended to eat the beans as well.
Avoid drinking ginger-infused black bean water close to bedtime. Because ginger and black beans promote diuresis and increase metabolism, drinking it close to bedtime can cause insomnia or difficulty sleeping. Drinking too much black bean water at night can lead to frequent urination and affect the quality of sleep.