The famous Tang dynasty medical scientist Sun Simiao stated in his book "Qian Jin Fang" that in spring, one's diet should "reduce sourness and increase sweetness to nourish the spleen and stomach." This means eating less sour food and more sweet food in the spring to supplement the body's spleen and stomach energy.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, spring corresponds to the liver in the five organs. It is a time when liver energy can easily become excessive, adversely affecting the spleen and stomach and hindering the proper digestion and absorption of food. Sweet foods can nourish the spleen and stomach, while sour foods enter the liver. The nature of sour is astringent; consuming too much of it is not conducive to the generation of spring's yang energy or the free flow of liver energy. It can also make the already excessive liver energy even stronger, causing greater harm to the spleen and stomach. This is one of the reasons why chronic gastritis, stomach ulcers, and other conditions are prone to relapse in the spring.
And sweet foods, including jujubes and Chinese yams, have a sweet taste and can nourish the spleen and stomach. Regular consumption can improve the body's immune system. For example, cooking a congee with jujubes, Chinese yams, rice, and millet can not only help prevent the recurrence of gastritis and stomach ulcers but also reduce the chances of contracting infectious diseases like the flu, making them very suitable for spring consumption.