Checklist 5 Cool-off Food of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The sweltering heat of more than 40 degrees during this period can cause heatstroke or various symptoms, both stress and digestive system problems. During this scorching hot weather, people cool themselves down by eating cold water, ice, and ice cream, right? However, in the aspect of Chinese Medicine, it is recommended not to have cold food. Instead, you should have cooling food which will help in cooling down the heat in your body. Let’s see what recommended food there is!

5 Cool-off Food According to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese Traditional Medicine by Dr. Thitinan Sridech, Acupuncture Department on Huaqiao website, suggests that you should not eat cold water, ice, or ice cream, but recommends Chinese traditional medicine-style cool-off food that not only helps eliminate fire and reduce body heat but also good for your health as follows:

1. Kombu

Kombu seaweed can be cooked into various dishes such as mixed with sesame oil or seaweed soup. The properties of kombu not only help drive heat in the body away but also reduce fatigue caused by excessive sweating.

In addition, nutrients in kombu can also help lower blood pressure and reduce blood viscosity.

Precautions: This type of seaweed is not recommended for patients with thyroid poisoning, and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers should not intake too much seaweed.

2. Cucumber

Cucumber is not only a side dish with many Thai main dishes or to be eaten with chili paste, but also be cooked into various dishes such as stir-fried cucumber and egg and cucumber soup.

Eating cucumber in hot weather will make you feel refreshed, drive heat away from your body, increase your appetite, and prevent constipation.

Precautions: Cucumber is not recommended for patients with

stomach pain from spleen syndrome and functional dyspepsia, and those with chronic diarrhea.

3. Tomato

Tomatoes are red fruits that can be eaten all year round. We can eat them fresh, processed, or cooked. If you want to get a lot of lycopene, you should eat tomatoes that are concentrated extraction.

Tomatoes have a slightly cold effect. It not only reduces body heat, but also helps relieve thirst, and nourish the spleen, liver, and vision. Also, eating tomatoes helps clear your skin and reduce darkness in the hot summer sun.

4. Clams

In addition to vegetables, clams are also one of the high-protein, low-fat foods that can cook a variety of dishes, such as scalding, stir-fried chili paste, or boiling it into soup.

In traditional Chinese medicine, clams are relatively cold and have the properties of reducing heat, nourishing Yin, and urinating.

Precautions: Patients who suffer from cold winds affecting their bodies and women during menstruation and after birth should avoid eating clams.

5. Honey

And the last hot food. The natural nectar that many people enjoy is honey. In the Compendium of Materia Medica (本草纲目), it is recorded that honey cools, detoxifying, moisturizing, and nourishing the spleen and stomach.

Honey is like an elixir that makes people healthy. It can be mixed with warm water to drink or used as a component of drinks or other foods.

Precautions: Patients with diabetes and patients with diarrhea must not intake honey.