In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), sweet foods belong to the "Sweet" flavor, which corresponds to the Spleen. Appropriately consuming sweet foods can tonify the Spleen Qi. Most herbs that tonify the Spleen and Stomach are sweet in flavor, such as Astragalus root, Chinese yam, and Licorice root, which have the effect of tonifying the middle and Qi-raising. Many herbs are also both food and medicine, such as hyacinth beans, jujubes, malt sugar, and honey, which can play a role in warming Qi, replenishing Qi, and relieving tension and harmonizing the middle. People with Spleen deficiency can benefit from appropriately consuming the aforementioned herbs.
Similarly, for the sweet flavor, TCM also has a saying, "Sweetness can lead to fullness in the middle." This means that eating too many sweet things can cause the middle Qi to become stagnant, leading to problems with the descent and transformation of Qi, manifesting as abdominal bloating, a feeling of fullness and oppression, and decreased appetite. This is especially true for individuals with Spleen deficiency, whose transportation and transformation function is already weak. If they then tonify without restraint, it becomes "tonifying stagnation," and the nutrients cannot be utilized by the body. Therefore, one should not think that because sweet foods can tonify the Spleen, they can be eaten without limit. Those who love sweet foods should not use this as an excuse; one must know that extremes lead to reversal.
Modern medicine believes that sweet foods can increase gastric acid secretion, which may induce discomfort such as acid reflux, heartburn, and stomach pain. Patients with erosive gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux disease should all be cautious about consuming them.