What Are the Benefits of Eating Coix Seed?

Today, I’d like to share with you a practical application of coix seed (Yi Mi), a food that is also widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) — a classic example of “food-medicine homology.”

It’s quite common in daily life and frequently appears in our meals.

Today, I’ll introduce another therapeutic use of coix seed. According to TCM theory, coix seed strengthens the Spleen, resolves dampness, dispels excess dampness, and alleviates bi syndrome (painful obstruction syndrome).

Many patients visiting our outpatient clinic often ask: “Doctor, do I have excessive internal dampness? Or is my Spleen-Stomach function weak?” How, then, do we assess such conditions?

Common clinical manifestations include a greasy tongue coating, persistent fatigue or heaviness in the body, and sometimes diarrhea.

I recommend a simple dietary therapy centered on coix seed: simmer 30 g of coix seed together with 30 g of red beans in water, and drink the resulting decoction as a tea substitute. Taking this preparation orally for one month can effectively alleviate these symptoms and help strengthen the Spleen and resolve dampness!