Why Traditional Chinese Medicine Always Advises Eating Less Fruit
Why Traditional Chinese Medicine Always Advises Eating Less Fruit
The "Yin Fu Jing" contains a saying: "Eat in season, harmonize the body."
Just six words, but they convey a profound message about diet—simplicity is the ultimate wisdom.
These six words can be understood as follows: The best food is what's local, available at the right time, and naturally endowed. All the exotic delicacies from afar can't match the goodness of what's local.
Now, let's take a look at the fruits available in the market. Do they meet these criteria?
Locally Produced:
First, they must be locally grown. With modern logistics, many fruits come from distant regions, not from the local area. As the saying goes, "One region's soil nurtures its people." Fruits from the same region are best suited for the people living there because the local climate, soil quality, and environment create products that are meant to nourish the locals. Eating fruits from distant places can easily harm the body. For example, if watermelons are grown in Hainan during the winter and transported to Hubei for consumption in the cold winter, it's like consuming poison.
In Season:
Autumn brings dry weather, and nature provides us with pears, which nourish Yin and moisten dryness.
Summer brings hot weather, and nature gifts us with watermelons, which cool and relieve heat.
If you store pears to eat in the following summer, even if they are locally produced, it can be harmful. This is because the summer is humid, and consuming pears can exacerbate dampness in the body.
Many fruits available in the market are not in season. Apples are sold year-round, as are cherry tomatoes, bananas, and so on. These fruits are not beneficial for the body because, first, they are not in season, and second, they often contain preservatives used during the preservation process, which can be harmful to health.
Furthermore, to fetch a higher price, many fruits are brought to the market prematurely. Hormones are often used to accelerate their ripening. For instance, the peaches you see in the market may look ripe on the outside but still have green, unripe cores. This means they are not naturally ripe but have been artificially ripened with chemicals. Such fruits are not in line with the seasons either.
Matching Body's Needs:
Many fruits have a cooling nature, and prolonged consumption or excessive intake can damage the body's Yang energy. Currently, most people have restless minds, which create an imbalance of hotness on top and coldness below. The upper part is hot and dry, while the lower part is cold. Consuming cooling fruits may temporarily soothe the mind but ultimately sacrifices one's kidney Yang energy. Over time, this can lead to spleen and kidney Yang deficiency. In women, it can result in irregular menstrual cycles, uterine fibroids, and facial blemishes. In men, it may lead to back pain, heavy legs, and herniated lumbar discs...
The "Yin Fu Jing" contains a saying: "Eat in season, harmonize the body."
Just six words, but they convey a profound message about diet—simplicity is the ultimate wisdom.
These six words can be understood as follows: The best food is what's local, available at the right time, and naturally endowed. All the exotic delicacies from afar can't match the goodness of what's local.
Now, let's take a look at the fruits available in the market. Do they meet these criteria?
Locally Produced:
First, they must be locally grown. With modern logistics, many fruits come from distant regions, not from the local area. As the saying goes, "One region's soil nurtures its people." Fruits from the same region are best suited for the people living there because the local climate, soil quality, and environment create products that are meant to nourish the locals. Eating fruits from distant places can easily harm the body. For example, if watermelons are grown in Hainan during the winter and transported to Hubei for consumption in the cold winter, it's like consuming poison.
In Season:
Autumn brings dry weather, and nature provides us with pears, which nourish Yin and moisten dryness.
Summer brings hot weather, and nature gifts us with watermelons, which cool and relieve heat.
If you store pears to eat in the following summer, even if they are locally produced, it can be harmful. This is because the summer is humid, and consuming pears can exacerbate dampness in the body.
Many fruits available in the market are not in season. Apples are sold year-round, as are cherry tomatoes, bananas, and so on. These fruits are not beneficial for the body because, first, they are not in season, and second, they often contain preservatives used during the preservation process, which can be harmful to health.
Furthermore, to fetch a higher price, many fruits are brought to the market prematurely. Hormones are often used to accelerate their ripening. For instance, the peaches you see in the market may look ripe on the outside but still have green, unripe cores. This means they are not naturally ripe but have been artificially ripened with chemicals. Such fruits are not in line with the seasons either.
Matching Body's Needs:
Many fruits have a cooling nature, and prolonged consumption or excessive intake can damage the body's Yang energy. Currently, most people have restless minds, which create an imbalance of hotness on top and coldness below. The upper part is hot and dry, while the lower part is cold. Consuming cooling fruits may temporarily soothe the mind but ultimately sacrifices one's kidney Yang energy. Over time, this can lead to spleen and kidney Yang deficiency. In women, it can result in irregular menstrual cycles, uterine fibroids, and facial blemishes. In men, it may lead to back pain, heavy legs, and herniated lumbar discs...
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