Are Sophora flowers good for the stomach?

Honey locust flowers generally offer certain benefits to the stomach and are recommended for moderate consumption. However, excessive intake may lead to adverse effects on the stomach.

Honey locust flowers are cool in nature and bitter in taste, possessing functions of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling blood, and stopping bleeding. For symptoms such as stomach pain, indigestion, and gastrointestinal bleeding caused by excessive internal heat in the stomach, moderate consumption of honey locust flowers or drinking honey locust flower tea may provide some relief. Honey locust flowers also contain abundant flavonoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help protect the gastric mucosa and alleviate stomach inflammation.

It should be noted that honey locust flowers are relatively cold in nature. If a patient suffers from cold stomach or weakened gastrointestinal function, consuming honey locust flowers may worsen the condition and be detrimental to the stomach. Patients with cold stomach may experience symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating, indigestion, and diarrhea after consuming honey locust flowers. Long-term and excessive consumption of honey locust flowers, due to their cold nature, may damage the yang energy of the spleen and stomach, leading to deficiency-cold syndrome of the spleen and stomach. Particularly individuals with inherently weak spleen and stomach functions, such as those suffering from chronic gastritis or gastric ulcers, should be cautious and control their intake of honey locust flowers.

When consuming honey locust flowers, they can be paired with some warm-natured ingredients such as ginger and jujube to neutralize the cold nature of the flowers and reduce irritation to the stomach. Relatively light cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, and then mixing are recommended, while greasy and hard-to-digest cooking methods such as frying should be avoided.