In autumn, there is less rainfall and the air is dry. Many people with poor adaptability are prone to symptoms such as a dry mouth and nose, dry and cracked skin, and sore eyes and teeth, which in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is known as "autumn dryness." This is also the season when golden, juicy fresh pears become available. What are the benefits of eating pears in the fall, and are there any precautions to consider?
Snow Pear and Tremella Soup
The Benefits of Pears
According to TCM, pears are believed to promote the production of body fluids to quench thirst, relieve coughs and reduce phlegm, clear heat and reduce fire, nourish the blood and generate fluids, and moisten the lungs to combat dryness. They can also aid digestion, stimulate the appetite, and have a good antipyretic and diuretic effect. Eating one to two pears daily can effectively alleviate the dryness common in autumn and winter. They are particularly suitable for conditions such as lung-heat cough, pediatric wind-heat, a sore throat, and constipation. Moreover, different parts of the pear have their own unique benefits. For example, the pear flesh itself has effects like promoting fluid production, moistening dryness, clearing heat, and transforming phlegm, while the pear peel can clear the heart, moisten the lungs, reduce fire, promote fluid generation, nourish the kidneys, and supplement yin.
Folk Remedies Using Pears
There are many examples of using pears in therapeutic diets, and many folk remedies for illnesses have also been passed down. For coughs and constipation caused by yin deficiency and lung heat, you can boil an equal amount of white pear and white radish in water, adding rock sugar or honey to taste. This remedy both relieves the cough and eases constipation, and is also beneficial for low-grade fever and persistent cough associated with tuberculosis. If there is hemoptysis (coughing up blood), add fresh lotus root to help stop the bleeding. For dry cough, body heat, and irritability caused by febrile diseases, you can boil an equal amount of pear and water chestnut with mulberry leaves. This has the effects of nourishing yin, clearing heat, and suppressing cough. For hoarseness, a sore throat, and throat itching caused by "internal heat" (shanghuo), you can boil pear and chrysanthemum with a small amount of rock sugar. After boiling, let it cool and drink it frequently to moisten the throat. For those with oliguria (low urine output) caused by certain kidney dysfunctions or hepatorenal syndrome, you can make a juice from pears and watermelon and drink it regularly to promote urination and reduce ascites.
White Radish and Pear Soup
Precautions When Eating Pears
Pears have a nature that is偏寒 (slightly cold) and can promote dampness. Eating too many can harm the spleen and stomach, so people with a weak spleen and stomach or who are sensitive to cold foods should eat them in moderation. Pears contain a high amount of fruit acid, so those with excessive stomach acid should not eat them in large quantities. Pears have a diuretic effect, so those who frequently urinate at night should avoid eating them before bedtime. Patients with blood deficiency, aversion to cold, diarrhea, or excessive phlegm should not eat many pears, and it is best to cook them before eating to prevent worsening of their cold-damp symptoms. Pears are high in sugar, so diabetic individuals should consume them with caution. Pears contain a lot of fruit acid and should not be taken with alkaline drugs, such as aminophylline or baking soda. Pears should not be eaten with crabs to prevent diarrhea.