Is it easy to develop internal heat (heatiness) from eating plums and lychees together?

Jul 25, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yu Yongchao
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, whether eating plums and lychees together tends to cause excessive internal heat ("fire") depends on the amount consumed and individual body constitution. Individuals with a naturally "hot" constitution or those consuming excessive amounts may be more prone to experiencing "heatiness," while those with a balanced constitution consuming moderate amounts are less likely to have such issues. In daily life, it is advisable to control intake according to one's own body constitution and avoid eating too much at once.

      Generally speaking, whether eating plums and lychees together may easily cause heatiness depends on the amount consumed and the individual's body constitution. People with a hot body constitution or those who consume excessive amounts may be more prone to heatiness, while those with a neutral constitution and moderate consumption are less likely to experience heatiness. The detailed analysis is as follows:

      If an individual has a neutral body constitution and consumes plums and lychees in moderation, the relatively cooling nature of plums can neutralize the warm and hot properties of lychees to a certain extent. The characteristics of these two fruits can balance each other, typically preventing heatiness symptoms while also providing various nutrients.

      However, if an individual has a hot body constitution or consumes excessive amounts of both plums and lychees together, the warm and hot properties of lychees may dominate, potentially worsening internal heat and causing symptoms such as dry mouth and throat discomfort, which are commonly associated with heatiness. Moreover, lychees have a high sugar content, and excessive consumption can further burden the body.

      In daily life, when consuming plums and lychees, it's important to control the intake based on one's own body constitution, avoiding excessive consumption at one time. It is advisable to drink warm water or pair them with cooling fruits like cucumber or pear, maintaining a balanced diet, developing healthy eating habits, and reducing the likelihood of heatiness.