Winter Melon

Winter Melon

winter melon

Chinese Name: 冬瓜

Thermal Nature: Cold (slight)

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Lung, large intestine, small intestine, bladder

Properties: Promotes urination, cools body, dissolves phlegm, helps with detoxification

Best Use For: Relieving water retention, dissolving phlegm, excellent for cooling summer heat in the body, removing poison caused by consumption of fish or wine

Serving Per Day For One Person: 60 to 120g

Dietary Caution: People with loose stools should limit consumption of winter melon

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution

Cowpea

Cowpea

cowpea

Chinese Name: 豇 豆 (jiang dou)

Thermal Nature: Neutral

Flavor: Sweet, salty

Organ Meridian: Spleen, kidney

Properties: Strengthen spleen, remove excessive liquids from spleen, strengthen kidney

Best Use For: Weakness in spleen and kidney, recommended for people who experience frequent urination and lower back pain

Serving Per Day For One Person: 30 to 60g

Dietary Caution: People who have hard stools should avoid consuming cowpea

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution

Broad Bean

Broad Bean

broad beans

Chinese Name: 蚕豆

Thermal Nature: Neutral

Flavor: Sweet, pungent (slight)

Organ Meridian: Spleen, stomach

Properties: Strengthen spleen, encourage urination, detoxify and relieve swelling

Best Use For: Relieving water retention and detoxification purposes

Serving Per Day For One Person: 30 to 60g

Dietary Caution: As some people may have allergy to broad beans, start with a smaller quantity when consuming it for the first time. Overconsumption can lead to bloated stomach. 

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution

Pea

White Lentils

White Lentils

white lentils

Chinese Name: 白扁豆,眉豆

Thermal Nature: Neutral

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Spleen, stomach

Properties: Strengthen spleen, remove excess liquids in body, reduce heatiness

Best Use For: Removing excess liquids in spleen, recommended for people with loose stools 

Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g

Dietary Caution: Avoid overconsumption of white lentils as it will hurt the spleen. For spleen strengthening, white lentils should be pan fried before consumption.

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution

Mung Bean

Mung Bean

mung beans

Chinese Name: 绿豆

Thermal Nature: Cold

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Heart, liver, stomach

Properties: Cools the body, encourage urination and helps with detoxification

Best Use For: Relieving heatiness in body, highly suitable for treating heat-type flu and headaches or eye swollen/pain

Serving Per Day For One Person: 15 to 30g (Up to 120g for heavier dosage)

Special Note: The outer skin of mung beans is the part that contains all the detoxing properties; do not remove the skin if you are consuming mung beans for detox purposes.

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution

Red Bean

Red Bean

red bean

Chinese Name: 赤小豆

Thermal Nature: Cold (Slight)

Flavor: Sweet, sour

Organ Meridian: Heart, small intestine, spleen

Properties: Encourages urination, relieves water retention, cools the body and helps with detoxification

Best Use For: Treating water retention (especially lower part of the body)

Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 30g

Dietary Caution: People with Yin deficiency should avoid consuming red beans 

Special Note: There are two sizes of red beans in the market. The one that is mentioned here is the smaller, rounder type.

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution

Black Bean

Black Bean

black beans

Chinese Name: 黑豆

Thermal Nature: Neutral

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Spleen, kidney

Properties: Promote blood flow and urination, expel wind and detoxify the body, strengthen spleen and kidney

Best Use For: Relieving difficulty in urination, relieving back pain and weak kidneys, recommended for people with blood clots

Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 30g

Dietary Caution: Children and people with weak spleen and bloated stomach should limit consumption of black beans

Special Note: In traditional chinese medicine, black beans (together with licorice) are used to treat poisoning caused by the wrong consumption of herbs.

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution, Blood stasis body constitution, Yang deficiency body constitution

Soy Bean

Soy Bean

soybeans

Chinese Name: 大豆, 黄豆

Thermal Nature: Neutral

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Spleen, stomach, large intestine

Properties: Strengthen spleen, promote urination, detoxify and relieve swelling 

Best Use For: Treating weak spleen and water retention

Serving Per Day For One Person: 30 to 90g

Dietary Caution: Soy bean is high in protein and other essential nutrients for the body, but some people may find it hard to digest. Reduce consumption of soy beans if you feel bloated after consuming it. 

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution

Konjac

Konjac

konjac

Chinese Name: 魔芋

Thermal Nature: Cold

Flavor: Bitter, pungent

Properties: Dissolves phlegm and clots, helps with detoxification, relieves pain

Best Use For: Treating cough due to phlegm, treating external bruises

Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 15g

Dietary Caution: Konjac needs to be cooked for at least 2 hours before consumption. Never consume konjac raw.

Suitable For: Balanced body constitutionBlood stasis body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution