What is the best food to remove dampness?

Sep 02, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Sun Lianqing

Introduction

To remove dampness, one may consume foods such as red beans, coix seed, winter melon, poria, and fox nuts. Medications such as Shen Ling Bai Zhu San, Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Shui, Xiang Sha Liu Jun Wan, Fu Zi Li Zhong Wan, and Si Miao Wan may also be taken under a doctor's guidance. If concerns persist, it is recommended to seek medical advice in advance. In daily life, avoid prolonged exposure to damp environments, reduce consumption of raw, cold, and greasy foods, and engage in moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or yoga.

Generally, to remove dampness, one can consume foods such as red beans, coix seed, winter melon, poria, and fox nut. Additionally, under a doctor's guidance, medications such as Shenling Baizhu San, Huoxiang Zhengqi Water, Xiangsha Liujun Wan, Fuzi Lizhong Wan, and Simiao Wan may be taken. If concerned, it is recommended to seek medical advice in advance. Detailed explanations are as follows:

I. Foods

1. Red Beans: Rich in potassium, dietary fiber, and various vitamins, they promote the elimination of excess water from the body, assist in relieving edema caused by excessive dampness, and also strengthen the spleen and stomach, providing a foundation for the body's metabolism of dampness and moisture.

2. Coix Seed: Contains coix oil and coix seed ester, which strengthen the spleen, remove dampness, promote diuresis, and reduce edema. It can assist in improving symptoms such as limb heaviness and abdominal distension caused by excessive dampness.

3. Winter Melon: High in water content and low in calories, it contains propylene glycol substances that promote urination, help eliminate excess dampness from the body, and have a heat-clearing and summerheat-resolving effect, making it suitable for individuals with excessive dampness accompanied by dry mouth and abdominal distension.

4. Poria: A medicinal and food-grade ingredient containing poria polysaccharides and poric acid, which strengthen the spleen and vital energy, promote diuresis, and remove dampness. It can improve symptoms such as poor appetite and sticky stools caused by excessive dampness and also calms the mind and aids sleep.

5. Fox Nut: Rich in starch, protein, and various minerals, it benefits the kidneys, consolidates essence, strengthens the spleen to stop diarrhea, removes dampness, and controls leukorrhea. It can assist in regulating symptoms such as loose stools and increased vaginal discharge caused by excessive dampness.

II. Medications

1. Shenling Baizhu San: A Chinese patent medicine for strengthening the spleen and removing dampness, containing ginseng, white atractylodes, poria, and other ingredients. It nourishes the spleen and stomach and benefits lung qi, suitable for symptoms such as reduced appetite, loose stools, shortness of breath, coughing, and limb fatigue caused by spleen and stomach weakness and excessive dampness.

2. Huoxiang Zhengqi Water: Contains agastache, perilla leaf, angelica root, and other ingredients. It resolves exterior syndromes, removes dampness, regulates qi, and harmonizes the middle jiao. It is suitable for headaches with a heavy feeling, epigastric distension and pain, vomiting, and diarrhea caused by external contraction of cold and internal injury from dampness stagnation. Alcohol should be avoided during treatment.

3. Xiangsha Liujun Wan: Contains costus root, cardamom, codonopsis, and other ingredients. It benefits qi, strengthens the spleen, and harmonizes the stomach, suitable for indigestion, belching with reduced appetite, epigastric fullness and distension, and loose stools caused by spleen deficiency and qi stagnation with excessive dampness.

4. Fuzi Lizhong Wan: Contains aconite, codonopsis, white atractylodes, and other ingredients. It warms the middle jiao and strengthens the spleen, suitable for cold epigastric pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold hands and feet caused by spleen and stomach deficiency cold. Use cautiously in individuals with yin deficiency and fire hyperactivity.

5. Simiao Wan: Contains phellodendron bark, atractylodes, coix seed, and other ingredients. It clears heat and drains dampness, suitable for damp-heat descending syndrome manifested as redness and swelling of the feet and knees, muscle and bone pain, and dark yellow urine. It is applicable to individuals with excessive dampness due to damp-heat constitution.

In daily life, one should avoid prolonged exposure to damp environments, reduce intake of raw, cold, and greasy foods, and engage in moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or yoga, to promote blood circulation and dampness metabolism. When using medications, strictly follow medical instructions and never take medicine arbitrarily or adjust dosages without supervision.

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What is the purpose of cupping therapy?

In general, cupping therapy can help unblock meridians, relieve muscle soreness, improve local blood circulation, remove dampness from the body, and assist in regulating immune function. Additionally, after receiving cupping therapy, one should keep warm, avoid taking a shower immediately, and prevent cold pathogens from entering the body. Individuals with skin injuries, infections, or skin diseases should not undergo cupping therapy.

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What foods help remove dampness?

Under normal circumstances, consuming foods such as Poria (Fu Ling), red adzuki beans (Chi Xiao Dou), Gorgon fruit (Qian Shi), winter melon peel (Dong Gua Pi), and stir-fried hyacinth bean (Chao Bian Dou) may help remove dampness from the body. If you have a need to eliminate dampness, it is recommended to conduct dietary adjustments under the guidance of a healthcare professional. In daily life, in addition to dietary regulation, you can also appropriately increase physical exercise, such as jogging or practicing Tai Chi, to promote blood circulation and assist in expelling dampness from the body.

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How to Remove Dampness, What Are the Most Effective Methods

Consuming more ingredients that strengthen the spleen and resolve dampness, such as coix seed, red beans, poria, winter melon, and Chinese yam, can be beneficial. These ingredients can be prepared as porridge or soup. At the same time, avoid raw, cold, sweet, greasy, and fatty foods to reduce the burden on the spleen and stomach, thus addressing the root cause of dampness formation internally. Consistently engage in moderate-intensity exercises, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, and rope skipping.

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Forsythia Detoxification Pills for removing dampness?

In general, whether Flos Forsythiae Detoxication Pills can be used to remove dampness depends on the specific nature of the dampness and cannot be generalized. If discomfort occurs, it is recommended to seek timely medical consultation and treatment at a正规 hospital. To determine the nature of dampness, one should consider their own symptoms, and if uncertain, it is advised to consult a healthcare professional. Do not use Flos Forsythiae Detoxication Pills for dampness removal on your own.