Lamb is an incredibly delicious meat. A few plates of lamb slices in a hot pot, dipped in some delicious sauce, removes any gamey taste, making for an incredibly satisfying meal. At the same time, lamb is rich in nutrients, offering great health benefits. But while lamb is good, is it really right for you?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, lamb is sweet without being greasy and has the effects of nourishing the kidneys and strengthening yang, warming the middle to dispel cold, tonifying qi and blood, and stimulating the appetite and strengthening the spleen. It can be used as a dietary remedy for those with insufficient kidney yang, soreness in the lower back and knees, cold pain in the abdomen, and deficiency and fatigue. However, for some people, eating lamb can actually make them feel unwell!
Who should not eat lamb?
1. Patients with liver disease
Although lamb has good tonic properties, it is not suitable for everyone. Those suffering from chronic illnesses, especially liver disease, should not eat lamb. Patients with hepatitis B cannot eat lamb because it is sweet and very warm in nature. Excessive consumption may worsen the hepatitis. Furthermore, since lamb is very rich in protein, a large intake of protein and fat at once can burden the liver and potentially trigger an episode.
2. Adults with internal heat
Those with certain heat-related illnesses such as phlegm-fire and damp-heat, in the early stages of infectious diseases, or with edema, as well as those suffering from external illnesses, toothaches, boils, acne, or hemorrhoids should not eat lamb. People with high blood pressure or excessive liver yang should also avoid eating too much lamb, as it can easily cause dizziness. Those who often have a sore mouth, red eyes, a bitter taste in the mouth, irritability, a dry and sore throat, swollen gums, or diarrhea, or those taking traditional Chinese medicine formulas containing Pinellia Tuber or Acorus Calamus should also avoid lamb.
3. Children with internal heat
Children are considered to have a "pure yang" constitution with an excess of liver qi, so they are not suitable for eating too much. Experts remind us that lamb is warm and helps to promote yang, so children should be cautious when eating it for nourishment. Children's constitutions are particularly prone to dryness and are not suitable for tonifying foods. If they do eat lamb, just a piece or two is enough. Whether it's stewed lamb or lamb slices for a hot pot, lamb is more suitable for adults.
Precautions for pregnant women eating lamb:
It is safe to eat lamb during pregnancy. However, it should be noted that lamb is warm in nature and produces heat. Therefore, although pregnant women can eat lamb, they should not consume too much to avoid generating excess heat and damaging yin, which could cause discomfort. At the same time, when eating lamb, pregnant women should drink plenty of water and eat more fruits and vegetables to ensure balanced nutrition.
Taboos for cooking lamb
The "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "When lamb is cooked in a copper vessel: it damages a man's yang and causes a woman to have a sudden discharge of fluids. The nature of the substance is so different, this must be known." The reason is: when copper encounters acid or alkali at high temperatures, it can undergo a chemical change and form copper salts. Lamb is a high-protein food. When cooked together, they can produce certain toxic substances that are harmful to human health. Therefore, it is not advisable to cook lamb in a copper pot.
The "Compendium of Materia Medica" also says: "Eating lamb with vinegar harms the heart." Lamb is very warm, and vinegar is sweet and warm, similar to wine. Cooking them together can easily generate fire and stir the blood.
Eating watermelon after lamb can easily "damage the vital qi." This is because lamb is sweet and warm in nature, while watermelon is cold and a raw, cooling food. Eating it not only greatly reduces the warming and tonic effects of lamb but can also harm the spleen and stomach.
Tea is the "nemesis" of lamb. This is because lamb is rich in protein, and tea contains a significant amount of tannic acid. Drinking tea while eating lamb can form tannic acid protein, which weakens intestinal peristalsis, reduces water in the stool, and can induce constipation.
Traditional Chinese medical texts also record that lamb should not be eaten with pumpkin. This is mainly because both lamb and pumpkin are warm foods. If eaten together, it can easily cause "internal heat" (上火). Similarly, when cooking lamb, one should use less of the pungent and warm spices like chili, pepper, ginger, cloves, and fennel.
Although lamb has so many taboos, most people are fine and can enjoy it without worry, savoring its delicious and nourishing qualities. For those who don't feel nourished and instead feel unwell after eating lamb, they'll just have to miss out—after all, your health is the most important thing.