Thermal nature: neutral.
Favor: sweet-and-sour.
Healing properties TCM:
- Influences heart and small intestine,
- Tonifies the kidney-adrenal function,
- Detoxifies the body,
- Removes heat conditions,
- Disperses stagnant blood,
- Reduces swelling,
- Diuretic and drying.
Conditions: leucorrhea, jaundice, ascites, diarrhea, edema, boils, and to promote weight loss. For prolonged menstruation, chew well five raw adzuki beans daily until menses stop.
“Adzuki juice” is prepared by simmering one cup of beans in five cups of water for an hour (remove the juice and continue cooking the beans). Take ½ cup juice ½ hour before meals as a remedy for nephritis and most other kidney complaints. Regular use of the juice with meals increases mother’s milk.
Adzuki paste can be made for external application in mumps and boils: grind raw adzuki beans to a powder and mix with warm water and enough honey to form a paste. Apply directly to the affected skin areas and secure it with cotton cloth and adhesive tape. The paste is effective for five hours and can be applied, as often as desired, using adzuki juice or beans in the diet are also helpful for these disorders.
Thin, dry people should use this bean sparingly (combine adukis with seaweeds and sufficient salt to improve moistening effect).
