What can I eat to remove dampness from the body?
Aug 26, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, to help remove dampness from the body, one may typically consume foods such as mung beans, winter melon, red adzuki beans, Poria (Poria cocos), and Gorgon fruit (Semen Euryales). Additionally, oral medications such as Huoxiang Zhengqi Oral Liquid, Shenling Baizhu Granules, Fuzi Lizhong Pills, Xiangsha Yangwei Pills, and Pingwei Pills may be taken as directed by a physician. However, the effectiveness of these treatments may vary among individuals. If you have any concerns, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional in advance.
Generally speaking, foods such as mung beans, winter melon, red adzuki beans, Poria (Poria cocos), and Gorgon fruit (Euryale ferox) can help remove dampness from the body. Additionally, oral medications such as Huoxiang Zhengqi Oral Liquid, Shenling Baizhu Granules, Fuzi Lizhong Pills, Xiangsha Yangwei Pills, and Pingwei Pills may be taken under a physician's guidance. However, effectiveness may vary among individuals. If you have any concerns, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional in advance. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Foods
1. Mung Beans: Rich in protein, dietary fiber, and various vitamins, mung beans have the effects of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, detoxification, and removing dampness. They can enhance metabolism, help eliminate excess water and dampness from the body, and relieve discomfort caused by excessive dampness.
2. Winter Melon: High in water content and low in calories, winter melon is rich in vitamin C and potassium. It helps clear heat, promote urination, reduce swelling, and eliminate dampness. It increases urine output, accelerates the removal of dampness from the body, and simultaneously replenishes fluids and nutrients.
3. Red Adzuki Beans: Rich in protein, B vitamins, and various minerals, red adzuki beans have the functions of strengthening the spleen, benefiting the kidneys, promoting diuresis, and reducing edema. They enhance the spleen's transformation and transportation functions, promote the excretion of dampness through urine, and are suitable for daily regulation of dampness.
4. Poria (Poria cocos): Contains components such as Poria polysaccharides and triterpenoids. It promotes diuresis and removes dampness, strengthens the spleen, and calms the mind. It not only directly facilitates the elimination of dampness but also regulates spleen and stomach functions, reducing dampness accumulation in the body.
5. Gorgon Fruit (Euryale ferox): Rich in starch, protein, and various trace elements, it has the effects of benefiting the kidneys, consolidating essence, strengthening the spleen, stopping diarrhea, removing dampness, and relieving leukorrhea. It enhances the spleen's transformation and transportation functions, aids in the metabolism of bodily fluids, and improves digestive issues caused by excessive dampness.
2. Medications
1. Huoxiang Zhengqi Oral Liquid: A traditional Chinese medicine used to relieve exterior symptoms and resolve dampness. It contains ingredients like Agastache (Huoxiang), Perilla leaf (Zisu ye), Angelica root (Baizhi), and others. It resolves exterior pathogens, removes dampness, regulates qi, and harmonizes the middle jiao. It is suitable for symptoms such as heavy-headed headache, abdominal distension and pain, vomiting, and diarrhea caused by external contraction of cold and internal damage from dampness retention. It should be used according to a physician's guidance and as part of a treatment course.
2. Shenling Baizhu Granules: Containing ginseng, white atractylodes (Baizhu), Poria (Fuling), and other ingredients, it strengthens the spleen and lungs, benefits qi, and removes dampness. It is suitable for symptoms such as reduced appetite, loose stools, and shortness of breath with cough caused by spleen and stomach weakness and excessive dampness. Strict adherence to medical advice is required during use.
3. Fuzi Lizhong Pills: Composed of ingredients such as processed aconite (Fuzi), Codonopsis (Dangshen), and white atractylodes (Baizhu), it warms the middle jiao and strengthens the spleen. It improves symptoms such as cold abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold extremities caused by deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach and internal obstruction by dampness. Dosage should be adjusted based on the specific condition.
4. Xiangsha Yangwei Pills: Containing Costus root (Muxiang), Amomum (Sharen), white atractylodes (Baizhu), and other ingredients, it warms the middle jiao, harmonizes the stomach, removes dampness, and regulates qi. It is suitable for symptoms such as stomach pain, fullness, poor appetite, and limb fatigue caused by insufficient stomach yang and dampness-induced qi stagnation. It should be taken under a physician's instructions.
5. Pingwei Pills: Composed of ingredients such as Atractylodes (Cangzhu), Magnolia bark (Houpo), and Tangerine peel (Chenpi), it dries dampness, strengthens the spleen, regulates qi, and harmonizes the stomach. It is suitable for symptoms such as abdominal distension, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and heaviness in the limbs caused by dampness stagnation in the spleen and stomach. Due to its drying nature, it must be used under strict medical supervision.
To effectively remove dampness from the body, maintain a light diet in daily life and avoid excessive consumption of raw, cold, or greasy foods. Engage in appropriate physical exercise to promote blood circulation and help eliminate dampness. When using medications, strictly follow medical instructions and never self-medicate or arbitrarily adjust dosages.
