Eight Ways to Eat Lychees Without Getting 'Heaty'
1. Enjoy 'Morning Dew Red Lychees' to avoid getting 'heaty'. This means eating lychees freshly picked from the tree before the morning dew has evaporated. It is said that at this time, the lychees have absorbed the sun's energy throughout the day and have cooled down overnight, reducing their 'heaty' nature. Each lychee is in its prime state—aromatic, sweet, fresh, and crisp. Not only are they delicious, but you can eat as many as you want without getting 'heaty'.(I guess this one is impractical unless you're a lychee farmer, so let's strike this one!)
2. Place freshly picked lychees in a container and submerge them in a well or in cold spring water overnight before eating. This can prevent getting 'heaty' and also transform the dry energy while nourishing yin. The great Qing dynasty poet Qu Danyuan wrote a poem: "A deep well of cold spring, a hundred feet deep, plucked and soaked in the well overnight. The essence of the sun transforms into the cold splendor of the moon, and eating much of it nourishes the great yin."(This poet had such a refined taste. If you have a well or can get cold spring water, you can give it a try. I suppose for some, they have fresh lychees but no well or cold spring, so something is always missing. Let's strike this one!)
3. Drinking salt water, Chikushin (Prunella) herbal tea, or soups like winter melon or mung bean before eating lychees can help prevent 'heatiness'. Alternatively, while eating lychees, drink plenty of salt water. You can also boil 20-30 grams of raw Rehmannia with lean pork or pork bone soup to drink, or boil it with honey dates. These methods can also prevent 'lychee sickness'.(This one is a bit more involved, requiring salt or soup to go with the lychees. It would be quite suitable when entertaining guests.)
4. Eating cured fish can prevent 'heatiness' from eating lychees. Steam a cured Cao Bai fish to eat with rice, or use it to make soup or congee.(After eating lychees, eating cured fish? How do those two even go together?)
5. Boiling and drinking water made from fresh lychee leaves and shells can prevent 'heatiness' from eating lychees.(This one is worth a try, but it requires turning on the stove to boil water.)
6. Eating lychees from the eastern crown of the tree can reduce dryness. Lychee is a long-day fruit tree that prefers the afternoon sun, and the fruits ripen starting from the west side. Those who know how to appreciate lychees pick and eat the ones from the west because they are exceptionally sweet. However, those who are afraid of getting 'heaty' should pick and eat the ones from the east. Lychees that have absorbed the 'hot western sun' are nourishing but can be 'heaty', which not everyone can tolerate. In contrast, lychees that have been bathed in the gentle eastern sun are nourishing but not 'heaty'.(This one has to be eaten right under the tree; otherwise, how would I know if the ones sold at the market are from the east or the west side? Can someone who knows tell me?)
7. When eating lychees, eat the thin, white membrane just under the peel along with the flesh to avoid getting 'heaty'. The membrane is slightly astringent, but when you get to the flesh, it bursts with a fresh sweetness. After eating the lychee, also eat the concave, white, stem-like part at the base. Eating 2-3 lychees this way can effectively prevent 'heatiness'.(I think this is the simplest method, solving the 'heaty' problem right as you eat the lychee. It just depends on whether you can get used to the texture.)
8. People with yin deficiency and 'heaty' constitution should eat lychees in moderation. Those with acne, sores, a cold, or any acute inflammation should avoid lychees, as they can worsen the condition, especially children.(This is simple: if you fall into any of the categories above, just don't eat them.)
Actually, I haven't used any of these methods. The main thing is to have self-control and not eat too many.
Su Shi once wrote, "I'd feast on lychees three hundred a day, and never regret living in Lingnan forever," expressing his love for lychees. But if we take this literally, eating three hundred lychees a day, wouldn't that just make you explode with 'heat'? So, while we love them, we must still be mindful of the quantity and not overindulge, or the scorching summer heat will only make it worse!