Can Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Snacks Be Eaten Casually?
Introduction: As more and more consumers focus on health preservation, many snacks have started to "marry" with traditional Chinese medicines that have health benefits. E-jiao dates, Guilinggao, herbal tea drinks, Poria cakes, mint candy... These snacks are deeply loved by everyone due to their taste and nutritional value. However, experts point out that snacks, as small foods for leisure time, should not be eaten excessively in the first place. Snacks containing TCM ingredients require even more caution; they cannot be eaten too casually to avoid potential health risks.
E-jiao Dates: Nourish Yin and nourish blood, those with stomach heat and poor digestion should eat less.
In supermarkets, a type of date is particularly popular, especially among women. The special feature of this date is that it is paired with E-jiao. Since both E-jiao and red dates have the effect of nourishing blood, and E-jiao also has the functions of strengthening the spleen and stomach, replenishing qi and calming the mind, nourishing yin and moistening dryness, many office ladies keep a bag or two in their bags or offices as a nutritional snack.
TCM experts point out: For people with qi deficiency or blood deficiency constitution, eating E-jiao dates regularly can be beneficial, helping to improve symptoms like mental fatigue, listlessness, and limb weakness. However, although red dates are good, they should not be eaten in excess, especially E-jiao dates. Eating too much is not good for digestion and absorption. If you have stomach heat or indigestion, eating too much can be greasy and hinder stomach function, affecting appetite. Over time, it can easily lead to "heatiness." Therefore, it is best not to eat more than 7 E-jiao dates at a time.
Guilinggao: Clear heat and detoxify, those with a cold stomach, pregnant women, and women during menstruation should eat less.
Guilinggao is a traditional health snack with a long history. Legend has it that it was originally exclusively for the emperor in the Qing Palace. Authentic Guilinggao is mainly made from precious ingredients like hawk's-bill turtle and Poria cocos, and is refined with other medicinal herbs such as Rehmannia root, dandelion, honeysuckle, and chrysanthemum. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, nourishing yin and strengthening the kidneys, eliminating acne, and moistening the intestines to promote bowel movements. Guilinggao is very popular among young people and is also one of the favorite TCM health snacks for some elderly friends.
TCM experts explain: Because Guilinggao has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, it is relatively "cool" in nature. People with a cold stomach and weak spleen and stomach should eat less of it. Some reports say that tortoise shell has the effect of stimulating the uterus and promoting blood circulation, so pregnant women and women during their menstrual period should not eat too much.
Some of us office workers are busy with work all day, especially those who sit at a desk. They lack exercise and neglect scientific dietary regulation, which can easily lead to symptoms like dry mouth, irritability, and constipation. For some young people who care about their appearance, the most distressing thing is that it can cause "face problems"—acne. This type of person is more suitable for eating Guilinggao, but generally, eating two or three boxes a week is about enough; it should not be eaten in excess.
Herbal Tea: Remove dampness and reduce fire, those with a cold constitution and yang deficiency should eat less.
In ancient times, herbal tea was generally a summer treat, but now it has almost become a year-round TCM health drink. Why? This is mainly related to people's eating habits and physical constitution changes. For example, many people like to eat spicy grilled food but are afraid of "heatiness." What should they do? Naturally, herbal tea with heat-reducing effects has become their first choice for drinks when gathering. In addition, due to busy work, many people have the habit of staying up late to work. After being a "night owl" for a long time, the "fire" in the body increases. At this time, herbal tea seems to have become an emergency drink.
But herbal tea is ultimately a tea drink with a relatively "strong" TCM nature. It cannot be used as a substitute for water. Drinking too much or drinking it for people who are not suitable can cause certain damage to health.
TCM experts explain: The main ingredients of herbal tea on the market mostly contain Chinese medicinal herbs such as chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, Prunella vulgaris, and licorice. It has the effects of clearing heat and removing dampness, nourishing yin and reducing fire, and helps relieve symptoms like swollen gums, mouth ulcers, and dry stools. However, people who easily have cold hands and feet, have a cold stomach, have yang deficiency, or often have loose stools should try to drink less herbal tea to avoid aggravating their original symptoms.
Poria Cake: Strengthen the spleen and harmonize the stomach, those with high blood sugar should eat less.
About 783 years ago, during the Southern Song Dynasty, the famous physician Zhang Congzhen recorded a food in his medical monograph "Rumen Shiqin": "Four liang of Poria, two liang of white flour, mix with water to make a cake, and fry熟 with yellow wax." This is one of the prototypes of Poria cake. Its modern production process has been improved, it is shaped like a full moon, as thin as paper, as white as snow, and is exquisite, beautiful, sweet, and fragrant with a unique flavor.
TCM experts explain: Poria cake promotes urination to drain dampness, strengthens the spleen and harmonizes the stomach, and can also calm the mind. It helps improve the body's own immunity and prevent colds. Because Poria has the effect of promoting urination, it also has certain dietary value for symptoms like limb edema and difficult urination. However, many people now find Poria cake too sweet, mainly because honey, white sugar, and other ingredients are added to Poria cakes on the market today. Due to their high sugar content, people with high blood sugar should eat less or not at all, and those with indigestion should not eat too much.
Sour Plum Juice: Promote fluid production and astringe the lungs, patients with colds, fevers, and early-stage enteritis should consume with caution.
Sour plum juice is a traditional Chinese summer drink. In the past, as soon as summer arrived, adults at home would buy dark plums to boil it themselves, add some sugar to reduce the sourness, and drink it after chilling, which was very refreshing. Nowadays, many beverage manufacturers have also started producing sour plum juice, which has been recognized by consumers and has gradually become a fashionable health drink.
TCM experts explain: The citric acid in the main ingredient of sour plum juice, dark plum, helps absorb vitamins and enzymes, and can also prevent diseases and eliminate fatigue. The malic acid in dark plum guides an appropriate amount of water to the large intestine, forming feces to be excreted. Dark plum is also very effective for treating bad breath and indigestion. Generally speaking, dark plum can stop diarrhea, relieve coughing, calm intestinal worms, promote fluid production, stop bleeding, astringe the lungs, and arrest diarrhea. It is often used to treat chronic cough due to lung deficiency, chronic dysentery and diarrhea, deficiency-heat thirst, intestinal worm-related vomiting and abdominal pain, and biliary ascariasis.
However, people with colds, fevers, excessive phlegm, and a stuffy sensation in the chest and diaphragm should avoid eating dark plums. Patients with bacillary dysentery and early-stage enteritis also need to avoid it. For example, "De Ben Cao" records: "Forbidden for those with initial onset of malaria and dysentery." Women during their normal menstrual period and pregnant women before and after childbirth should also not eat it. "Sui Xi Ju Yin Pu" records: "Excessive consumption damages teeth, produces phlegm, and promotes fire. It is forbidden for those with phlegmatic cough, malnutrition, abdominal masses, bloating, unresolved external pathogens, women who have not yet had their first menstruation, and women during their menstrual period, before and after childbirth, and after measles and smallpox."