The Hmong Postpartum Chicken Diet Explained
Nutrition information for the traditional Hmong one-month long diet of chicken boiled with herbs after having a baby.
Although there are more indications for each of these herbs, I’ve only listed what they’re used for in postpartum recovery. This is a quick list of some of the benefits to the ingredients used in the Hmong postpartum chicken diet.
Non-commercial chickens:
Probably the key ingredient to the chicken diet is a free-range, non-commercial chicken that someone in your family has lovingly butchered for you. There are some real benefits to eating this non-commercialized chicken.
- No added growth hormones or antibiotics in the chicken’s diet, which means that you get the benefit of the chicken’s natural growth without absorbing extra hormones.
- Using a whole chicken to make your soup means that you get the benefits of the bones and connective tissues as well. This is all important because majority of collagen comes from the bones and connective tissue. It is also high in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous — which can be depleted during pregnancy.
- As you may know, collagen is essential in keeping your body “young.” It is the protein that keeps your skin and body from sagging and provides skin with the resiliency to “bounce back.” It is also essential for joint health. Amino acids like collagen are found in connective tissue and bones, which are essential to building muscles.
- Taurine is an amino acid found in dark meat that is essential to women’s bodies for building back muscles and strength. Highest concentration of taurine is in shellfish, but second to that would be the dark meat of chicken and turkey. It is especially beneficial to women as taurine aids in metabolism and digestion. Taurine is also known for helping to manage anxiety and to calm the brain, allowing for better focus. It also helps with insulin resistance as well as suppress hunger. Because of its antioxidant power, taurine also helps with preventing iron-deficiency anemia. And lastly, it helps to build bone strength and prevent osteoporosis.
- Bone broth also provides hyaluronic acid, which is also a huge component to youth and healing. Not only is it a major component to keeping skin supple, it also helps to speed up healing.
- Bone marrow and chicken skin also provides omega fatty acids, which helps with memory and brain functions, healthy hearts, and restores strength and shine to hair and nails, among other things.
Lemongrass (tauj dub):
Lemongrass should be considered a super food. High in anti-microbial properties, it helps to inhibit the growth of bacteria and yeast. It also has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, helping to reduce fevers and to control blood-sugar and cholesterol levels. Additionally, it is high in antioxidants, which holds anti-cancer properties; and it helps with the stimulation of uterine health and menstrual flow. Lemongrass is also a natural way to protect against gastric ulcers and provide digestive aid.
Iresine Herbstii (hmab ntsha liab):
Traditionally used for wound care and as an anti-cancer agent, this herb is often used in tonics and topically for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Because of its high antimicrobial factors, it is beneficial for fighting off infections.
Artemisia lactiflora (koj liab):
Also known as white mugwort, this medicinal herb was traditionally used in Chinese medicine to treat menstrual and liver disorders.
Joe-pye-weed (zej ntshua ntuag):
Joe-pye-weed is known for its diuretic properties and is also used as a relaxant. Traditionally used for medical purposes in both the West and the East, it was made into a tincture to cure everything from kidney stones to nausea to sore throats to colds.
Talinum Paniculatum (hmab ntsha ntoo):
Also known as Javanese Ginseng, it is used to provide energy as well as to stimulate appetite. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used as a topical treatment for cuts and burns. Many cultures have used talinum paniculatum for reproductive tonics to help with conceiving.
Mugwort (tsaab xyoob/tsab xyoob):
Mugwort has been used as an herb and as a medicine for centuries and can be found in North America, Asia, and Northern Europe. Medicinally, it was used to help with regulating menstruation, for detoxing the body, and as a digestive aid. It’s also been said that it helps with calming nerves.
Acorus gramineus (pawj qaib):
Found all over Asia, this plant is used most commonly to aid digestion. It’s also considered to have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Medicinally, it can also be made into a salve to place on cuts and burns. It is also purported to help with swelling and with arthritis, having been used to help speed up healing.
Malabar Spinach:
High in vitamins A, B6, B3 (niacin) and C, Malabar spinach also carries a lot of calcium, folate, plant protein, and iron — all essentials for reconstituting the body after childbirth. A powerhouse plant, Malabar spinach also contains antioxidants like lutein and beta-carotene, along with the minerals magnesium, potassium, and phosphate. In particular, vitamin B3 is known to help with metabolism and aiding the nervous system. Overall, Malabar spinach is known for its powerhouse youth properties, helping the body to maintain function and to keep it young.
Overall, Malabar spinach helps with heart health, depression, and provides energy for new mothers and has been used for generations throughout Asia as both a vegetable and a medicinal herb.
Okinawa Spinach (nroj rog ntsuab):
Nicknamed the “cholesterol spinach,” Okinawa spinach is used to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels and is a known anti-inflammatory. It is also very high in protein, iron, vitamin A, potassium, and calcium.
*Note that the Hmong names for these herbs vary by dialect and also by tribe/clan and regionality. Feel free to message me if you have the Hmong names to add or correct.*
Some of my sources:
