What can I eat to remove dampness from the body?

Aug 26, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Sun Lianqing

Introduction

Under normal circumstances, to remove dampness, one can consume foods such as red beans, coix seed, winter melon, poria, and fox nut. Additionally, medications such as Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, Shenling Baizhu Wan, Xiangsha Liujun Wan, Fuzi Lizhong Wan, and Qingre Qushi Granules may be taken as directed by a physician for regulation. In daily life, one should also avoid prolonged exposure to damp environments and engage in appropriate exercise to promote sweating. Seek medical attention promptly when necessary.

Generally, to remove dampness (Qù Shī Qì), one can consume foods such as red beans, coix seed, winter melon, poria, and fox nuts. Additionally, medications like Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, Shen Ling Bai Zhu Wan, Xiang Sha Liu Jun Wan, Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan, and Qing Re Qu Shi Ke Li may be taken under a physician's guidance for regulation. Detailed explanations are as follows:

I. Foods

1. Red Beans

Rich in protein, B vitamins, and various minerals, red beans promote intestinal motility and help eliminate excess water from the body. They are slightly cooling in nature, aiding in clearing heat and dampness. By enhancing metabolism, they reduce dampness accumulation and alleviate discomforts such as edema and fatigue caused by excessive dampness.

2. Coix Seed

Containing coix oil and coixenolide, coix seed has diuretic properties that enhance kidney metabolic function and accelerate water elimination. It also strengthens the spleen and stops diarrhea, improving symptoms such as loose stools and abdominal distension caused by spleen deficiency with excessive dampness.

3. Winter Melon

High in water content and low in calories, winter melon contains propylene glycol substances that inhibit carbohydrate conversion into fat. It clears heat, promotes diuresis, reduces swelling, and detoxifies. It increases urine production, helping eliminate dampness and relieving symptoms like edema and difficult urination caused by excessive dampness.

4. Poria

Rich in poria polysaccharides and triterpenoids, poria strengthens the spleen, removes dampness, calms the mind, and improves sleep. It enhances the transformation and transportation functions of the spleen and stomach, reducing dampness accumulation, alleviating symptoms such as poor appetite, fatigue, and loose stools caused by spleen deficiency with dampness retention, and also helps relieve mental restlessness caused by excessive dampness.

5. Fox Nuts

Containing starch, protein, and various vitamins, fox nuts tonify the kidneys, consolidate essence, strengthen the spleen to stop diarrhea, remove dampness, and control leukorrhea. They enhance the spleen's transformation function, reduce internal dampness production, and tighten the intestines, improving symptoms such as chronic diarrhea and excessive leukorrhea caused by excessive dampness.

II. Medications

1. Huoxiang Zhengqi Water

Composed of Atractylodes, tangerine peel, magnolia bark, etc., this tincture resolves exterior syndromes, dispels dampness, regulates qi, and harmonizes the middle jiao. It relieves symptoms such as heavy headache, abdominal distension and pain, vomiting, and diarrhea caused by external wind-cold and internal dampness stagnation. It is suitable for cases of excessive dampness accompanied by exterior syndromes during summer.

2. Shen Ling Bai Zhu Wan

Containing ginseng, white atractylodes, poria, etc., this pill replenishes the spleen and stomach and benefits lung qi. By strengthening the spleen and enhancing transformation and transportation functions, it reduces dampness accumulation and alleviates symptoms related to excessive dampness due to spleen deficiency, such as reduced appetite, loose stools, shortness of breath, cough, and limb fatigue.

3. Xiang Sha Liu Jun Wan

Composed of saussurea, cardamom, codonopsis, etc., this concentrated pill invigorates qi, strengthens the spleen, and harmonizes the stomach. It addresses spleen deficiency with qi stagnation, indigestion, belching, reduced appetite, abdominal distension, and loose stools by regulating qi flow in the spleen and stomach to expel dampness.

4. Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan

Containing aconite, codonopsis, white atractylodes, etc., this honeyed pill warms the middle jiao and strengthens the spleen. It is suitable for conditions such as cold abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold extremities caused by deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach. It warms and tonifies the yang qi of the spleen and stomach to improve internal dampness retention caused by yang deficiency.

5. Qing Re Qu Shi Ke Li

Composed of codonopsis, capillaris, and岗梅根 (Gang Mei Gen), this granular preparation clears heat, removes dampness, benefits qi, and generates body fluids. It targets symptoms such as limb fatigue, poor appetite, fever, and dry mouth caused by summerheat-dampness pathogens. By combining heat-clearing with dampness-removing actions, it expels internal dampness-heat.

In daily life, one should also avoid prolonged exposure to damp environments and engage in appropriate physical activity to promote sweating. If necessary, seek timely medical advice and use medications under the guidance of a physician.

View All

How to eliminate excessive dampness, and what is the simplest method?

Excess dampness in the body can be eliminated through dietary regulation, physical exercise, and medication. Specifically: avoid consuming raw, cold, greasy, and sweet foods that tend to increase dampness; instead, eat more foods that help remove dampness, such as coix seed (yi yi ren), water chestnuts, celery, and Chinese yam. In addition to the above methods, massage and acupuncture can also be used to improve the condition.