The Benefits and Effects of Northeast Specialty Hama Oil (Snow Frog) and the Best Season to Eat It

Hama oil, in the past, specifically referred to snow frog oil, wood frog oil. During the Qing Dynasty, hama oil was already hailed as the “finest of the Eight Treasures” and was a premium tribute to the imperial court. Due to historical continuity, Chinese people in southern China, Hong Kong, China, Macao, China, Taiwan, China, and some Southeast Asian countries also customarily refer to the hama oil medicinal material as snow frog. So what season is best to eat hama oil? What are its benefits and effects?

Hama oil is the dried product of the oviducts of female frogs, not fat. It is a Northeast specialty, mainly produced in the Jilin and Heilongjiang regions. Because of differences in diet, Northeast wood frogs have different degrees of dryness when harvested. The frog oil varies in shape and size, appearing as irregular gelatinous blocks, with colors ranging from pure white, yellowish-white, brown, to black, with a fatty luster, a slightly sweet and fishy taste, a slightly sticky and slippery feel when chewed, and a greasy feel when touched. The best quality is large blocks, dry, membrane-free, impurity-free, white or yellowish-white.

What season to eat snow frog

If eating fresh snow frog, it is best to eat it in autumn. During this period, the snow frog is about to enter hibernation, and at this time the snow frog has stored a large amount of energy in its body, giving it the highest nutritional value and the strongest nourishing effect.

The snow frog sold on the market is all dried product, with a distinction between dry-peeled snow frog and fresh-peeled snow frog. When purchasing, attention should be paid to the selection. Fresh-peeled snow frog has a higher moisture content, does not soak and expand as well as dry-peeled snow frog, and has lower nutritional value. Dried snow frog can be eaten all year round with no restrictions.

1. Eating snow frog at noon

Eating snow frog at noon is best. Noon is the time when stomach peristalsis and digestion are at their best, making it easiest to absorb, and it can keep you energetic and full of vitality all day long. It is very nourishing.

2. Eating snow frog in autumn

Snow frog is very nourishing when eaten in any season, but autumn is the best. Every autumn, the snow frog has its strongest vitality, and the snow frog's oviducts gather all the nutrition for reproducing offspring, making its nourishing function the best of the year.

3. Eating snow frog after meals

It is best to eat snow frog after meals, because due to work issues many people cannot manage to eat snow frog at noon, but it is best to eat it after breakfast or dinner. It should not be eaten on an empty stomach, as people with weak spleen and stomach may get diarrhea, and eating it on an empty stomach will cause the snow frog to be digested as calories.

4. Eating snow frog after menstruation

It is best for women to eat it after menstruation, because snow frog is oviducts, and eating it during menstruation may cause menstrual irregularity or heavy menstruation. Also, snow frog is cold in nature, which can cause blood stasis or dysmenorrhea.

5. Eating snow frog after childbirth

It is best for pregnant women to eat it after childbirth. Snow frog is highly nourishing for the body, but pregnant women have many medication taboos, and for the baby's health they cannot eat it carelessly. Snow frog is very suitable for pregnant women with weak constitutions and postpartum qi deficiency to nourish the body. Snow frog can treat physical weakness and insufficient milk.

6. Eating snow frog when sick

Eating too much snow frog also has side effects, so it cannot be eaten carelessly. It is best when people have post-illness imbalance, kidney deficiency and poor spirit, palpitations and insomnia, or consumptive cough with blood, to bring out its greatest medicinal effects.

Benefits and effects of hama oil

Nutritional composition

The general natural nutritional components contained in authentic hama oil medicinal material mainly include: crude protein, crude fat, ash, nitrogen-free extract, etc.; among them, crude protein content accounts for about 50% or more, crude fat content accounts for about 5% or less, nitrogen-free extract content accounts for about 30%, ash content accounts for about 10%, and moisture content accounts for about 2% or less. Through scientific testing, the natural trace elements contained in its ash include: calcium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, selenium, strontium, chromium, molybdenum, etc.

Dietary therapy value

The oviducts of female Chinese forest frogs. Also called field frog oil. Select plump female frogs, string them through the mouth with hemp rope and air-dry them, briefly soak them in hot water, place them in a sack and let them sit overnight, cut open the abdominal skin, remove the oviducts, clean off eggs and other debris, and place in a ventilated area to dry for later use.

This product is sweet and salty in flavor, slightly warm in nature. It can tonify the kidney and replenish essence, nourish yin and moisten the lungs. It is used for kidney deficiency with insufficient essence, dizziness and tinnitus, forgetfulness; post-illness or postpartum physical weakness and qi deficiency, excessive sweating; yin deficiency with dry lungs, cough with blood. This product is also a delicious food. Most of it is protein, and it also contains carbohydrates, fat, phosphorus, vitamin A, B, C and other components. It can be steamed, decocted in soup, or made into pills. Use 10-12g each time.

Modern medicine proves that hama oil has the following effects

1. Anti-fatigue.

2. Enhances body immunity.

3. Improves body endurance and anti-stress ability.

4. Sedative, anti-anxiety.

5. Improves oxygen supply and oxygen utilization capacity of brain tissue cells.

6. Enhances sexual function.

7. Lowers blood lipids.

8. Enhances the body's antioxidant capacity, delays aging.

9. Anti-cancer auxiliary effect, increases white blood cells.

10. Regulates hormone balance in the body, nourishes yin and beautifies, whitens skin.

Traditional Chinese medicine functions:

1. Nourishes blood, strengthens the body, calms the mind 2. Beautifies and anti-aging 3. Tonifies the kidney and prolongs life 4. Relieves asthma and moistens the lungs

Suitable groups:

1. Business professionals, political figures, ambitious students, drivers, long-distance travelers, and fatigued individuals;

2. People with anemia, congenital weak constitution, elderly with premature aging;

3. Pregnant women supplementing nutrition and those with postpartum insufficient milk, menopausal women;

4. Those who overthink, have impaired spirit, irritability, poor sleep at night, insomnia and frequent dreams;

5. Those after serious illness, major surgery, or with functional disorders;

6. Those with asthma caused by chronic lung deficiency cough, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, cor pulmonale, etc.;

7. For tumor patients requiring radiotherapy or chemotherapy, it can rapidly supplement high protein, increase white blood cells, and restore physical strength;

Unsuitable groups: Severe diabetes, lung and stomach deficiency-cold, diarrhea. Those with uterine fibroids should not eat hama oil.