What foods are good to eat for damp-heat?

Aug 27, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Sun Lianqing

Introduction

In general, individuals with damp-heat constitution are advised to consume foods that have functions of clearing heat, eliminating dampness, strengthening the spleen, and removing dampness. Commonly used foods include mung beans, adzuki beans, winter melon, bitter melon, and Poria (Poria cocos). Reasonable consumption of these foods may help alleviate discomfort associated with damp-heat. In daily life, in addition to dietary regulation, individuals can also engage in moderate exercises such as jogging or brisk walking to promote metabolism.

Generally, individuals with damp-heat constitution are advised to consume foods that have effects of clearing heat, eliminating dampness, strengthening the spleen, and removing dampness. Commonly used foods include mung beans, adzuki beans, winter melon, bitter melon, and poria. Consuming these foods appropriately may help alleviate discomfort caused by damp-heat. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Mung beans: Mung beans are cold in nature and sweet in taste, with functions of clearing heat, detoxifying, promoting diuresis, and relieving summerheat. Regular consumption of mung beans can help eliminate internal damp-heat and relieve symptoms such as dry mouth and throat, and short, dark urine caused by damp-heat.

2. Adzuki beans: Adzuki beans are neutral in nature and sweet and sour in taste, with effects of strengthening the spleen and eliminating dampness, reducing edema, and detoxifying. Adzuki beans can promote the excretion of excess body fluids and improve mild lower limb edema and sticky stools caused by damp-heat.

3. Winter melon: Winter melon is cool in nature and bland and sweet in taste, with functions of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, reducing edema, and detoxifying. Winter melon has high water content and low calories, which helps accelerate the elimination of damp-heat from the body and alleviate symptoms such as body heaviness and difficult urination caused by damp-heat.

4. Bitter melon: Bitter melon is cold in nature and bitter in taste, with effects of clearing internal heat, relieving summerheat, improving vision, and detoxifying. Bitter melon helps eliminate damp-heat from the body and is beneficial for symptoms such as bitter taste in the mouth, oral stickiness, and acne caused by damp-heat. Learn more about causes of bitter taste in the mouth

5. Poria (Fuling): Poria is neutral in nature and bland and sweet in taste, with functions of promoting diuresis to remove dampness, strengthening the spleen, and calming the mind. Poria helps eliminate dampness from the body and regulates spleen and stomach functions, thereby reducing damp-heat formation.

In daily life, in addition to dietary regulation, individuals can engage in moderate exercises such as jogging or brisk walking to promote metabolism and help eliminate damp-heat. Keeping the living environment dry and well-ventilated, avoiding prolonged exposure to damp environments, maintaining regular sleep patterns, and avoiding staying up late are also beneficial for improving damp-heat conditions.

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