Tanghulu, sweet and sour, offers a delightful texture from the outside in: cool, crisp, sweet, sour, and soft. Most importantly, Tanghulu is not only delicious but also offers significant health benefits. However, it should be noted that while Tanghulu is good, it is not suitable for long-term consumption by everyone.
1. Diabetics
Tanghulu contains rock sugar, so diabetics should consume it with caution.
2. Individuals with a weak spleen and stomach, or those prone to acid reflux and heartburn
Additionally, the "Bencao Beiyao" states: "Eating too much hawthorn can cause vexation, hunger, and it harms the spleen and stomach's vital energy." Therefore, those with a weak spleen and stomach, or who experience acid reflux and heartburn, should not eat too much hawthorn Tanghulu. Chinese yam nourishes yin and can be astringent, so those with excess dampness, fullness in the middle, or stagnation should avoid long-term consumption. Of course, if Chinese yam and hawthorn are paired together—one aiding digestion and the other strengthening the spleen—the side effects can be greatly reduced.
For those with a weak spleen and stomach, it is generally recommended to eat less hawthorn. People with cavities, especially children, should not eat too much, as it can easily damage teeth. At the same time, because hawthorn can deplete energy, those with a weak constitution should also avoid excessive consumption.
Of course, for healthy and robust individuals, eating hawthorn after a meal can aid digestion, especially after being overly full from greasy meat dishes, as its effect is excellent.
Health TIPS: Don't eat Tanghulu before a meal
Many people like to eat Tanghulu before a meal, thinking the sweet and sour hawthorn can stimulate the appetite. In fact, this is wrong. It's best not to eat too much hawthorn on an empty stomach.
Hawthorn is sour and non-toxic. It can aid digestion, tonify the spleen, bring out childhood rashes, and has the effects of strengthening the stomach and relieving stagnation. However, because hawthorn is "sour," eating it on an empty stomach can easily damage the spleen and stomach.
For healthy people, the stomach is already empty before a meal. Consuming hawthorn is a stimulus to the stomach, and over time, it may lead to excessive stomach acid secretion, or even cause unnecessary stomach pain.
People with stomach ailments, such as those with hyperacidity, gastritis, gastric ulcers, reflux gastritis, or reflux esophagitis, should not eat hawthorn on an empty stomach.
Although Tanghulu is delicious, it doesn't mean everyone can eat it. At the very least, eating Tanghulu is not beneficial for the health of the people mentioned above, so be mindful!