What fruits to eat for damp-heat?
Aug 26, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
In general, individuals with a damp-heat body type are suitable to consume fruits that have effects of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, generating body fluids, and moistening dryness, such as watermelon, pear, pomelo, dragon fruit, and kiwifruit. These fruits can help alleviate discomforts caused by internal damp-heat, such as dry mouth, bitter taste, and sticky bowel movements. In addition, individuals with a damp-heat body type should avoid eating heat-inducing fruits such as lychee, longan, and durian as much as possible.
Generally, individuals with a damp-heat constitution are suited to consume fruits that have functions of clearing heat, eliminating dampness, promoting body fluid production, and relieving dryness. Recommended fruits include watermelon, pear, pomelo, dragon fruit, and kiwi fruit. These fruits can help alleviate discomfort caused by internal damp-heat, such as dry mouth, bitter taste, and sticky stools. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Watermelon
Watermelon has a high water content and a cold nature, which helps clear heat, relieve summer heat, promote urination, and stimulate body fluid production. For individuals with a damp-heat constitution, consuming watermelon can help expel excess dampness and heat from the body by increasing urination, thus relieving symptoms such as irritability, thirst, and dark yellow urine caused by summer damp-heat. However, it should be consumed in moderation to avoid damaging the spleen and stomach's yang energy due to excessive intake.
2. Pear
Pears can moisten the lungs, stimulate body fluid production, clear heat, and resolve phlegm. They are rich in water and dietary fiber. Their cool nature assists in eliminating internal heat, while dietary fiber promotes intestinal motility, helping to expel metabolic waste caused by accumulated damp-heat. Pears are suitable for individuals with damp-heat accompanied by symptoms such as dry mouth and throat or cough with phlegm. They can be eaten raw or boiled in water for consumption.
3. Pomelo
Pomelos have a relatively cool nature and contain various vitamins and minerals. They can clear heat, resolve phlegm, aid digestion, and eliminate food stagnation. The fruit acids in pomelos can promote digestion, reduce damp-heat generated from the accumulation of greasy foods, and help relieve symptoms of poor appetite and abdominal distension caused by damp-heat. Pomelos are suitable for moderate consumption after meals.
4. Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit comes in white-fleshed and red-fleshed varieties, both of which have effects of clearing heat, moistening the intestines, relieving constipation, and detoxifying. Its dietary fiber and seeds promote intestinal motility, helping to eliminate accumulated stool caused by damp-heat. Due to its cool nature, dragon fruit can also assist in clearing internal heat. It is suitable for individuals with damp-heat experiencing symptoms such as dry and hard stools and difficult bowel movements.
5. Kiwi Fruit
Kiwi fruit is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber. With a cold nature, it can clear heat, stimulate body fluid production, promote urination, and relieve constipation. Vitamin C enhances the body's metabolic capacity, while dietary fiber promotes intestinal motility, helping to expel damp-heat from the body and alleviate symptoms such as dry mouth and short, dark urine caused by damp-heat. It is suitable for regular moderate consumption.
In addition, individuals with a damp-heat constitution should avoid consuming heat-inducing fruits such as lychee, longan, and durian as much as possible to prevent exacerbating internal heat. At the same time, fruit consumption should be controlled in terms of quantity; eating excessive amounts of cold-natured fruits at once should be avoided to prevent damage to the spleen and stomach function.
