Which foods help cleanse and nourish the lungs?

Under normal circumstances, foods such as loquat, Chinese yam, radish, apricot kernels, and water chestnuts can help cleanse and nourish the lungs, although they should be consumed in moderation. Specific details are as follows:

1. Loquat

Both the fruit and leaves of loquat have effects of moistening the lungs, relieving cough, and harmonizing the stomach to reduce upward qi reversal. Loquats contain amygdalin, which breaks down in the body to exert a cough-suppressing effect. Consuming loquats can help alleviate symptoms such as cough due to lung heat and unsatisfactory phlegm expectoration.

2. Chinese Yam

Chinese yam is rich in mucilaginous protein, vitamins, and trace elements. The mucilaginous protein helps moisturize the lung mucosa, protecting and repairing lung tissue. Its various nutrients also support enhanced immune function, thereby promoting overall lung health, making it especially suitable for individuals with lung deficiency.

3. Radish

Radishes contain abundant vitamin C, sinigrin (mustard oil), and amylase. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, protecting lung cells from free radical damage. Sinigrin and amylase aid digestion, preventing food stagnation in the gastrointestinal tract that could lead to turbid qi rising and affecting the lungs. They also assist in clearing pulmonary phlegm.

4. Apricot Kernels

Apricot kernels are classified as either sweet or bitter. Sweet apricot kernels have functions of moistening the lungs, relieving cough, and lubricating the intestines. Rich in protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, they contain fatty oils that help moisturize the lungs and relieve dryness, providing some relief for symptoms such as dry cough without phlegm.

5. Water Chestnut

Water chestnuts contain a substance called "pipa essence" (purified triterpenoid), which has inhibitory effects against bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, helping prevent lung infections. Water chestnuts also possess properties that clear heat, generate body fluids, resolve phlegm, and improve vision, offering certain benefits for conditions like lung heat and excessive cough with abundant phlegm.

In daily life, maintaining a healthy living environment is also important. Avoid exposure to harmful gases and dust, ensure regular indoor ventilation, and wear masks when outdoors to reduce inhalation of pollutants, all of which contribute to better lung health.