Folk wisdom says, "Eat three jujubes a day, and you'll never look old." In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is believed that jujubes are sweet and warm in nature, able to tonify the middle jiao, replenish Qi, nourish the blood, and calm the spirit. However, jujubes are both a food and a medicinal herb with their own unique properties. If consumed indiscriminately without considering one's constitution, they not only fail to provide health benefits but can even be counterproductive.
Jujubes have many beneficial effects on the body, which is why the folk saying "Eat three jujubes a day, and you'll never look old" exists. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is believed that jujubes are sweet and warm in nature, able to tonify the middle jiao, replenish Qi, nourish the blood, and calm the spirit. People recovering from illness, those with anemia, and women who experience cold hands and feet in the winter can all use jujubes to regulate their bodies. However, jujubes are both a food and a medicinal herb with their own unique properties. If consumed indiscriminately without considering one's constitution, they not only fail to provide health benefits but can even be counterproductive. The following four types of people, in particular, should eat jujubes sparingly or not at all:
First, those with excessive phlegm-dampness
Such individuals often have a thick, greasy tongue coating, a sweet or sticky feeling in the mouth, and a poor appetite. They often feel bloated in the stomach, and in severe cases, may experience dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and swelling of the eyelids and face. The moist and greasy nature of jujubes can easily exacerbate dampness, causing phlegm-dampness to accumulate in the body and worsening these symptoms. People with this constitution are better off eating foods that strengthen the spleen and promote urination, such as Job's tears, red beans, Chinese yam, and loofah.
Second, those who are prone to "heatiness"
People with this constitution tend to be "heaty," frequently experiencing symptoms of "heatiness" such as constipation, bad breath, and swelling or pain in the throat and gums. Jujubes are sweet and warm, leaning towards a warming tonic effect. Consuming them in large amounts would be like "pouring oil on the fire."
Third, patients in the early stages of a cold
In the early stages of a cold, the pathogenic factors of wind-cold or wind-heat are rampant in the body. Eating jujubes at this time, with their sticky nature, can often cause these pathogenic factors to stagnate, leading to a situation known as "shutting the door to trap the thief." This makes it difficult for the body to expel the illness, hindering recovery.
Fourth, diabetic patients
Jujubes contain a high amount of sugar, which can raise blood sugar levels and worsen the condition for diabetics. Therefore, people with high blood sugar should not eat many jujubes.