Chilies are a favorite for many, and a life with chilies in every meal feels absolutely wonderful. However, for those who love eating chilies but are prone to "heatiness," it can be a real torment. What to do when you want to eat them but are afraid of getting heaty? Don't worry, let us share some tips with you. Come and see how to eat chilies without getting heaty.
I. Cook Chilies with Cooling Foods
If you really want to eat chilies, it's best to cook them with cooling foods. Examples include duck, fish and shrimp, bitter melon, loofah, cucumber, lily bulb, and green leafy vegetables. These can clear heat, generate fluids, nourish yin, reduce dryness, and purge fire, making them especially suitable for people with stomach heat. Soaking the chilies in vinegar for a while before cooking, or adding vinegar when cooking spicy dishes, can also help alleviate heatiness.
II. Choose Whole Grains as Your Staple Food
How can you eat chilies without getting heaty? Actually, choosing whole grains as your staple food can help relieve this situation. Because they are rich in dietary fiber, they can prevent constipation caused by intestinal dryness. Corn or sweet potatoes are good choices. Additionally, Job's tears can also reduce dryness, and when cooked into a congee with lily bulbs, the effect is even more pronounced.
III. Drink More Soups and Water
Traditional Chinese medicine reminds us that people who often eat chilies may experience a sore throat or chapped lips. It is best to supplement with more water. You can have a bowl of vegetable or tomato and egg soup, which can have the effect of generating fluids and moistening dryness. When eating spicy food, drinking a glass of yogurt or milk can not only relieve the spiciness but also has a heat-clearing effect.
IV. Eat More Sour Fruits After Meals
For those who love spicy food, it is advisable to eat more sour fruits after meals. Sour fruits contain substances like tannic acid and cellulose, which can stimulate the secretion of digestive fluids, accelerate intestinal peristalsis, and help those who eat spicy food to nourish yin and moisten dryness. Eating some apples, pears, pomegranates, or bananas, or having some hawthorn, grapes, or grapefruit, can all have a fire-purging effect.