Cashew Nut

Luo Han Guo

Luo Han Guo

Luo Han Guo

Also Known As: Monk Fruit

Chinese Name: 罗汉果

Thermal Nature: Cooling

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Lung, large intestine

Properties: Dispel heat, moisturize lungs, soothe throat, encourage bowel movement

Best Use For: Treating sore throat or cough due to heatiness, relieving constipation

Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 15g

Dietary Caution: Not known

Suitable For: Balance body constitution, any body type that has heat-type cough

Pang Da Hai

Pang Da Hai

Pang Da Hai

Chinese Name: 胖大海

Thermal Nature: Cold

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Lung, large intestine

Properties: Dispel heat, moisturize lungs, soothe throat, encourage bowel movement

Best Use For: Treating sore throat or cough due to dryness, relieving constipation

Serving Per Day For One Person: 2 to 3 pieces

Dietary Caution: Not known

Suitable For: Balance body constitution, any body type that has cough without phlegm

Scallion (Spring Onion)

Fingered Citron

Fingered Citron

fingered citron

Also Known As: Citrus Medica

Chinese Name: 佛手

Thermal Nature: Warm

Flavor: Bitter, pungent, sour

Organ Meridian: Spleen, lung, liver, stomach

Properties: Harmonize liver and stomach Qi, dissolves phlegm

Best Use For: Relieving stagnant Qi in the liver and stomach

Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 10g

Dietary Caution: People with Yin deficiency should reduce their intake of fingered citron

Suitable For: All types of body constitution

Tangerine Peel

Tangerine Peel

tangerine peel

Also Known As: Citrus Reticulata

Chinese Name: 陈皮

Thermal Nature: Warm

Flavor: Bitter, pungent

Organ Meridian: Spleen, lung

Properties: Strengthen the spleen and harmonize Qi flow in the stomach and spleen, dissolves phlegm

Best Use For: Highly effective for people who experience bloated stomach especially after eating dairy or foods that obstruct Qi flow in the stomach. Click here to read more about its benefits and usage.

Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 10g

Dietary Caution: People with Qi or Yin deficiency should reduce the intake of tangerine peel

Suitable For: All types of body constitution

Poria

Poria

Poria

Also Known As: Poria Cocos

Chinese Name: 茯苓

Thermal Nature: Neutral

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Heart, lung, spleen, kidney

Properties: Promotes urination to remove dampness, strengthens the spleen and calms the mind

Best Use for: Relieving water retention and difficulty in urination, strengthening the spleen, calming the mind which relieves people from insomnia

Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g

Dietary Caution: Not known

Suitable For: All types of body constitution

Chameleon Plant

Chameleon Plant

chameleon plant

Also Known As: Houttuynia Cordata

Chinese Name: 鱼腥草

Thermal Nature: Cold (Slight)

Flavor: Pungent

Organ Meridian: Lung

Properties: Cools the body and helps with detoxification, dissolves phlegm, promotes urination

Best Use For: Relieving nasal blockage

Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g

Dietary Caution: People with weak spleen should avoid consuming the chameleon plant alone. Not suitable to be cooked for a prolonged period of time.

Suitable For: All types of body constitution

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle

honeysuckle

Also Known As: Lonicera Japonica

Chinese Name: 金银花 (Jin Yin Hua)

Thermal Nature: Cold

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Lung, heart, stomach

Properties: Cools the body, helps with detoxification, expels heat (wind-type)

Best Use For: Cooling the body when the person has heat-type flu (sore throat, fever etc), treating acne that is caused by heat toxins (due to wrong diet or foods)

Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 15g

Dietary Caution: Honeysuckle is a very cooling herb, do not consume it for long term. People with weak spleen should also avoid consuming honeysuckle alone. 

Suitable For: All types of body constitution

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum

Also Known As: Chrysanthemum Morifolium

Chinese Name: 菊花

Thermal Nature: Cold (Slight)

Flavor: Sweet, bitter

Organ Meridian: Lung, liver

Properties: Expel heat, relieve headache due to cold, relieve pain around the eye area

Best Use For: Treating heat-type flu. There are various kinds of chrysanthemum, please refer here for more details on the differences.

Serving Per Day For One Person: 5 to 10g

Dietary Caution: People with weak spleen should avoid consuming chrysanthemum alone

Suitable For: All types of body constitution