In terms of flavor, spiciness can be divided into numbing-spicy, sour-spicy, and mustard-spicy. Numbing-spicy food includes the pungent heat of Sichuan peppercorns, which can easily lead to internal heat, so it should be eaten in moderation. Pickled chilies contain less capsaicin; in sour-spicy food, the detoxifying effect of vinegar reduces the chance of internal heat, so it can be eaten moderately.
Although spiciness can be addictive, eating too much can be overwhelming. Experts suggest that eating more sweet and sour foods can help alleviate the spiciness. Sweetness can cover and interfere with the spicy taste, while acidity can neutralize the alkaline capsaicin. If something is too spicy, dipping it in vinegar, drinking a cold sweet beverage, or having a cool piece of fruit can be very helpful. If you're cooking spicy food at home, try to pair it with foods that nourish yin, reduce dryness, and clear heat, such as duck, shrimp, crucian carp, bitter gourd, loofah, and cucumber. You can also cook some cooling mung bean congee or lotus leaf congee to reduce internal heat.
Who is more suitable for eating spicy food?
Wang Fengqi, an expert in internal medicine of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chief Physician, Professor, and a direct disciple of the renowned TCM master Qin Bowei, points out that people with heavy internal dampness, those affected by wind-cold, and individuals with stagnant qi and blood are more suited to eating spicy food, as it helps expel dampness and promote the smooth flow of qi and blood.
1. People with heavy internal dampness
As mentioned earlier, pungent foods have the effect of dispersing, which can expel external pathogens through sweating. Dampness can also be expelled from the body in this way. This is why people who love spicy food are often concentrated in the Sichuan region, where the climate is damp. The human body has a regulatory function; to eliminate internal dampness, it instinctively seeks out pungent foods. Therefore, if you also have dampness in your body, you can eat more spicy food. How can you tell if you have heavy dampness? In TCM, there's a term called "head feels heavy as if wrapped," which means the head feels tight, making one lethargic. This is a sign of heavy dampness. Heavy dampness can also be reflected in bowel movements. If your stools are often unformed and tend to stick to the toilet, a condition known in professional terms as "loose stools," it is also a sign of heavy internal dampness. In this case, you should use some herbs to strengthen the spleen and expel dampness, and eating more spicy food in your diet will help improve the condition.
2. People affected by wind-cold
Occasionally getting caught in the rain or being exposed to cold can lead to wind-cold invading the body. The most obvious symptoms are fever, a clear runny nose, and headache, which we commonly call a wind-cold cold. At this time, you can drink some ginger soup or scallion soup to induce sweating, allowing the cold pathogens to be expelled through sweat.
Another situation is a headache from prolonged exposure to air conditioning in the summer, or a constant runny nose. Most people would take Huoxiang Zhengqi Water in such cases. The primary ingredient in Huoxiang Zhengqi Water is Agastache rugosa. Do you remember the spicy taste when you drink it? Agastache rugosa is pungent, and this spiciness helps to expel pathogens and induce sweating, driving out the cold. It's good to eat more spicy food in the summer. Sun Simiao, in his "Essential Formulas for Emergencies," stated: "During the 72 days of summer, reduce bitter foods and increase pungent ones to nourish the lung qi." This is because in summer, the heart's qi is abundant, and the heart belongs to the fire element, which overcomes the metal element (lungs). Eating spicy food is a way to tonify the lung qi from the perspective of the Five Elements.
3. People with stagnant qi and blood
Women often suffer from menstrual cramps, which are actually caused by stagnant qi and blood. At this time, taking Yuanhu Zhitong Pian (Corydalis Pain-Relieving Tablets) is effective. Why? Yuanhu, also known as Corydalis or Yanhusuo, is recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" to have the effects of "activating blood, promoting qi, relieving pain, and promoting urination." Corydalis is pungent, so it can resolve stagnant blood. Another example is Motherwort, a common herb for treating menstrual cramps, also because it is pungent and has the effect of activating blood and regulating menstruation. Furthermore, medicated wines are often used to treat injuries from falls and bruises, and this is for the same reason.