CGTN Beijing, September 2nd news (Reporter Zheng Jieyi): It’s the time when fruits are fragrant. Crisp and full Sun-Kissed Rose (grapes), thin-skinned and juicy peaches, fresh and sweet thirst-quenching watermelons… make people drool. However, there is a folk saying: “Eating fruits may cause cold dampness or internal heat.” For some people, eating fruits may lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea, sore throat, and cough. So, how can one eat fruits to avoid dampness and internal heat? How should people with different constitutions choose fruits? Professor Huang Suiping, a leading expert in the Digestive Diseases Department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, provides answers.
In the “Huangdi Neijing,” it is recorded: “Five grains for nourishment, five fruits for assistance, five livestock for supplement, and five vegetables for fulfillment.” Here, it states that “assistance of five fruits” means to nourish and clear. Therefore, eating fruits can be beneficial for the body by nourishing and clearing.
· Why do people say that eating fruits may cause dampness or internal heat?
Experts say: “Traditional Chinese medicine pays attention to the nature and flavor of food. Many fruits such as watermelon, orange, snow pear, banana, persimmon, strawberry, etc., are characterized by a cool nature and taste, generally having the efficacy of clearing heat, quenching thirst, and generating body fluids.”
Modern people sit for long periods, exercise less, have many concerns, and irregular eating habits, leading to weak digestive functions, belonging to a deficient yin constitution. Overconsumption of cool fruits can easily damage the digestive system, making the already weak spleen even weaker. The digestive function of the spleen deteriorates, causing food stagnation and dampness, making it prone to illness. If water and grains cannot be properly digested and absorbed, it may lead to food stagnation; if water dampness cannot be properly digested, it will stay in the stomach and intestines, leading to loose stools and diarrhea; if dampness stagnates in the skin and between the hair follicles, it manifests as skin problems such as eczema. Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine considers sweet flavors to exacerbate dampness, and most fruits have a sweet taste, promoting dampness.
Some people have abundant yang qi, belonging to a yang constitution, also known as a hot constitution. If their diet is hot, they are prone to heat-related diseases, and yin-fluids are easily injured, resulting in symptoms of sore throat, cough, dry stool, yellow urine, or even fever.
· How should people with different constitutions eat fruits?
Experts say: “Matching the fragrance with oneself.” This means understanding one’s constitution and then determining which foods and fruits are suitable. Generally, apart from the balanced constitution, human constitutions can be broadly categorized as yin-deficient or yang-deficient.
(1) People with a yin-deficient constitution typically exhibit introverted personalities, few words, pale complexion, prefer tranquility, dislike movement, overall laziness, an aversion to drinking water, and tend to be overweight. Such individuals should consume less sweet foods, cold beverages, dairy products, and meat, reduce fruit intake, and increase the intake of spicy and warm foods, such as ginger, green onions, garlic, etc.
(2) People with a yang-deficient constitution usually display extroverted personalities, enjoy being active, have a strong appetite, flushed complexion, high energy levels, and tend to be slim. These individuals should reduce the intake of spicy, alcohol, beef, and lamb, and increase the intake of sweet and cool foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
However, people often have cravings. What should yin-deficient individuals do when craving cool fruits or yang-deficient individuals craving warm fruits? ↓↓↓
· How should yin-deficient individuals eat cool-natured fruits?
For example, watermelon, with its cool nature and sweet taste, belongs to the heart, stomach, bladder meridians, clears heat, relieves summer heat, relieves irritability, and promotes urination. Watermelon acts on the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, and bladder meridians, clearing the heat from the triple energizer, its most important function being cooling and calming the heart.
Considering watermelon’s cool nature, yin-deficient individuals should not eat ice-cold watermelon; strictly control the amount, eating 1 to 2 slices at a time, no more than once a week; balance it with warm-natured foods for the rest of the day, avoiding excessive consumption of cold foods. They can also use some thermogenic food remedies, such as ginger brown sugar tea.
· How should yang-deficient individuals eat warm-natured fruits?
For example, durian, with its hot nature, tastes pungent and sweet, belongs to the liver, kidney, lung meridians, stimulates the appetite, invigorates the spleen, moistens the intestines, and facilitates bowel movements. Durian is known as the “king of fruits,” with rich nutritional value, containing various vitamins, abundant protein, vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other trace elements. In Guangdong, there is a saying: “One durian is equal to three chickens,” indicating its nutritional value.
With its warm and hot nature, yang-deficient individuals should consume durian when not experiencing constipation, sore throat, fever, red tongue with greasy coating, etc.; strictly control the portion, consuming only a small piece each time, no more than once a week.
