What foods to eat for damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder
Mar 12, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Gao Jun
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, patients with damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder can consume foods such as mung beans, bitter melon, cucumber, celery, and capillary wormwood (Yin Chen). In daily life, they should avoid eating excessive spicy, greasy, and sweet foods, such as chili peppers, fried foods, and cakes, as these types of food can easily exacerbate dampness and heat, increasing the burden on the liver and gallbladder. Additionally, they should maintain a regular作息 (routine/lifestyle) and avoid staying up late.
Generally, patients with damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder may consume foods such as mung beans, bitter melon, cucumber, celery, and capillary wormwood (Yin Chen). If discomfort persists, it is recommended to seek timely medical consultation for relevant treatments. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Mung Beans
Mung beans have effective functions of clearing heat, detoxifying, relieving summerheat, and promoting diuresis. Nutrients such as proteins and B-complex vitamins in mung beans can enhance metabolism, help eliminate damp-heat from the body, and reduce the burden on the liver and gallbladder. They are suitable for preparing mung bean soup or porridge.
2. Bitter Melon
Bitter melon is cold in nature and enters the heart, liver, spleen, and lung meridians. It has effects of clearing heat to relieve summerheat and improving vision while detoxifying. Bitter melon contains momordicoside and bitter principles that stimulate appetite, strengthen the spleen, and improve digestion. It also helps clear damp-heat from the liver and gallbladder. It can be consumed raw in salads, stir-fried, or juiced.
3. Cucumber
Cucumber is sweet in taste and cool in nature, with functions of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, and detoxifying. Rich in water and vitamins, cucumber helps increase urination and accelerate the elimination of damp-heat from the body. It can be eaten raw, in salads, or cooked in soups.
4. Celery
Celery is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It helps regulate liver function, clear heat, dispel wind, and promote diuresis. The dietary fiber in celery enhances intestinal motility, aiding in the elimination of toxins and alleviating symptoms of damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder. Celery can be stir-fried or made into juice for consumption.
5. Capillary Wormwood (Yin Chen)
Capillary wormwood (Yin Chen) is a commonly used traditional Chinese herb and also a type of wild vegetable. It has functions of clearing damp-heat, promoting bile secretion, and reducing jaundice. It is often used to treat conditions such as jaundice and oliguria caused by damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder. Yin Chen can be cooked with rice to make porridge or steeped as a tea.
In daily life, it is important to avoid excessive consumption of spicy, greasy, and sweet foods such as chili peppers, fried foods, and cakes, as these foods may easily generate dampness and heat, increasing the burden on the liver and gallbladder. Additionally, maintaining a regular sleep schedule and avoiding late nights is recommended.
