Elderly people often say "eat radishes in winter and eat ginger in summer", but many young people are skeptical about this saying. Is it really suitable to eat spicy and hot ginger in the hot summer? Let's uncover the truth behind this folk proverb.
【The Principle of Eating Ginger in Summer】
In the hot summer, we are used to seeking coolness and enjoying cold and cooling foods. We also turn on air conditioning and fans when we sleep at night.
This can make us more susceptible to wind and cold, especially the cold evil, which can cause symptoms such as poor appetite and aversion to food due to stomach cold.
Some people with poor constitution may experience symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and cough.
Ginger has the effect of promoting sweating and releasing the exterior, warming the middle and stopping vomiting, and warming the lungs and stopping cough. On the one hand, it can dispel wind and cold evil, relieve symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, and cough. On the other hand, it can warm the stomach and dispel cold, relieve symptoms such as poor appetite and aversion to food due to stomach cold.
Therefore, traditional Chinese medicine believes that in summer, the yang energy is on the surface, while the yin energy is inside. The internal organs are actually cold, so we should eat ginger to warm the stomach. In winter, the yang energy is inward, and the internal organs are actually dry and hot, so we should eat radishes to clear stomach fire.
【Benefits of Eating Ginger in Summer】
1. Promote appetite
In the scorching summer, many people may feel no appetite and don't want to eat anything. Poor appetite and lack of appetite are common feelings. At this time, you can eat some ginger to promote appetite. The volatile oil and gingerol in ginger can promote the secretion of digestive fluids in the intestines, gradually increasing appetite.
2. Protect the spleen and stomach
In the summer, when we try to cool down and reduce internal heat, many people tend to drink excessive cold drinks and eat frozen watermelons. Carelessly, this can damage the spleen and stomach, and the spleen and stomach can be affected by the cold air, resulting in spleen and stomach deficiency cold. Eating ginger can warm and tonify the spleen and stomach.
3. Aid in killing bacteria
Summer is the time when bacteria are rampant. Carelessness can lead to bacterial infections and symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Eating ginger can absorb volatile oils, which is effective in killing bacteria and detoxification.
【Precautions for Eating Ginger in Summer】
1. Do not peel
Some people like to peel ginger when eating it, but this will not fully utilize the overall effectiveness of ginger. Generally, fresh ginger should be washed and sliced or shredded.
2. Suitable for specific conditions
Those who have yin deficiency and excessive internal heat, red eyes, or suffer from carbuncles, furuncles, pneumonia, lung abscess, pulmonary tuberculosis, cholecystitis, pyelonephritis, diabetes, or hemorrhoids, should not eat ginger for a long time.
3. Targeted treatment
From a therapeutic perspective, ginger brown sugar water is only suitable for patients with wind-cold type cold or those who have stomach cold and fever after getting wet in the rain. It should not be used for heatstroke or wind-heat type cold, nor for the treatment of heatstroke.
Fresh ginger juice can be used to treat vomiting caused by cold, but it should not be used for other types of vomiting.
5. Do not eat too much
In the hot weather of summer, people are prone to dry mouth, thirst, sore throat, and excessive sweating. Ginger is warm and spicy, and belongs to hot food. According to the principle of "coldness is countered by heat", it is not suitable to eat too much ginger.
