Can the typical diet of Guangdong people lead to gout? Will okra help to manage blood sugar? What is the medical value of rafflesia nourishing soup and of abrus cantoniensis soup? Does drinking cooked tea boost a healthy stomach? These food myths have become research subjects of Zeng Guojin, a senior chemistry teacher at the First Vocational Technical School of Shenzhen, and her students. They have been engaged in a number of experiments and research papers to prove their findings and solve these myths.

How to apply textbook knowledge into daily lives is always on Zeng’s mind. “I often encourage my students to discover problems in their daily lives and to consult literature and do research with the aim of solving these problems. This will help enhance students’ innovation capabilities and hands-on skills,” Zeng said.

If Canton soup is really the root reason for gout, will herbs help to make things better? To search for an answer, Zeng’s two students Lu Jia and Qi Wenti went to libraries, consulted research articles online and had interviews with TCM doctors and herb store owners for first-hand information.

Zeng’s students Zhu Weilun and Han Yuting did research on the benefits of cooked tea. The two found out that cooked tea, when fermented, will produce probiotics that will benefit stomach health.

To help Zeng better do research, her school established a work studio for her in July 2020. In less than one year since it was opened, the studio had initiated many research subjects, which greatly stimulated students’ interests in exploring research innovation. (Yang Mei)