Hemp Seed Paste (Huo Ma Ren Hu)

Why people make this paste

In Chinese food therapy, constipation is not one-size-fits-all. There is the “excess heat” type — where eating too many fried or spicy foods dries out the intestines — and there is the “deficiency” type, common in older adults and women after childbirth, where the intestinal fluids are simply depleted and the bowel has lost its natural lubrication. For the deficiency type, harsh laxatives can make things worse. Hemp seeds (huo ma ren), on the other hand, are gentle: rich in oils and mild in flavour, they work by moistening rather than forcefully purging. Nourilo recommends this simple preparation as a practical home remedy for anyone dealing with a sluggish bowel linked to dryness and depletion.