Does winter melon and pork rib soup help remove dampness?
Sep 18, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. He Haochen
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, winter melon and pork rib soup can help remove dampness from the body. Winter melon, the fruit of the Benincasa hispida plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, has diuretic, heat-clearing, phlegm-dissolving, fluid-generating, and detoxifying properties. It is primarily used to treat conditions such as edema, dysuria, beriberi, phlegm-related asthma, summer-heat with restlessness, excessive thirst, boils, and hemorrhoids. Pork ribs contain various nutrients including protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and amino acids.
Generally speaking, winter melon and pork rib soup can help remove dampness from the body. The detailed explanation is as follows:
Winter melon, the fruit of the Benincasa hispida plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, has properties that promote urination, clear heat, resolve phlegm, generate body fluids, and detoxify. It is commonly used to treat conditions such as edema, dysuria, beriberi, cough with phlegm, summer heat with restlessness, excessive thirst, abscesses, and hemorrhoids. Pork ribs are a popular ingredient rich in nutrients such as protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and amino acids, offering benefits including nourishing the body, tonifying yin and yang, and enriching essence and blood. When stewed together, winter melon and pork ribs promote the elimination of waste and excess fluid from the body, thereby reducing internal dampness. Additionally, ingredients with dampness-resolving properties—such as ginger and cilantro—are often added when preparing this soup. These ingredients contain volatile essential oils that help warm and regulate the body, further aiding in dispelling dampness. Therefore, winter melon and pork rib soup is effective in removing dampness.
Although this soup can help reduce dampness, it is advisable to consume it in moderation to avoid overburdening the gastrointestinal system.
