Recently, topics such as #AppleHealthRemediesAren'tJustBoiledWater#, #DrinkingAppleWaterDuringTheNineDaysOfSickness#, and #EatingApplesThisWayCanNourishTheSpleenAndStomach# have frequently trended on social media, making apples seem like a top trend in the health and wellness world. Some netizens said that stomach pain makes eating anything uncomfortable, but eating a baked apple makes them feel much better; others say they drink apple water to stop diarrhea… Does this little apple really have so many benefits? A reporter interviewed Jiang Zhengyan, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who explained that from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, apples have unique balancing properties and are a suitable fruit for long-term consumption by most people. However, it's important to identify one's constitution and eat them correctly to maximize their health benefits.
Apples are neutral in nature, sweet and slightly sour in taste, and enter the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians. "Neutral in nature" means they are neither cold nor hot, making them suitable for long-term consumption by most people with different constitutions, and less likely to cause adverse effects, explains Jiang Zhengyan. In terms of efficacy, the core functions of apples are "tonifying the spleen and stomach" and "generating body fluids and moisturizing dryness." The sweetness of apples is beneficial for tonifying the spleen and stomach; while their ability to generate body fluids is particularly suitable for relieving symptoms such as dry mouth and tongue, dry and itchy throat, dry skin, and even dry cough with little phlegm caused by autumn dryness or yin deficiency. "Many people feel refreshed after eating apples, and this is not an illusion. Its fragrant aroma has the effect of regulating qi, calming the mind and soothing the nerves, and can also help relieve tension and promote sleep."
There are countless ways to eat apples for health benefits online, including eating them raw, steaming them, and boiling them in water, but none of these methods are inherently good or bad. Jiang Zhengyan explains that the key to choosing between raw and cooked apples lies in understanding the underlying principles. "Raw apples retain their natural components to the greatest extent, especially their rich pectin and dietary fiber. They are very suitable for people with strong spleen and stomach functions, or those who are prone to internal heat, constipation, acne, or damp heat in their bodies, as they can clear heat from the stomach and intestines and promote bowel movements. However, clinically, we often see patients with weak spleen and stomach who are prone to abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating slightly raw or cold foods or when their abdomen is chilled. For these individuals, cooked apples are a better choice. Through heating methods such as steaming, boiling, and baking, the properties of apples undergo subtle changes, highlighting their warming, spleen-strengthening, and astringent effects. In particular, the anti-diarrheal effect is more pronounced after the apples are cooked. There is some merit to the traditional practice of using boiled apple water to treat diarrhea in children or adults."
However, with the rise of the apple health craze, some extreme or blind consumption methods need to be stopped in time. "It is particularly important to remind people that using apples as a meal replacement for weight loss is strongly discouraged," said Jiang Zhengyan. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the spleen and stomach, and long-term replacement of staple foods with a single, cooling fruit can easily damage the spleen and stomach's yang energy, leading to digestive disorders and insufficient qi and blood production. While there may be short-term weight loss, the cost is a weakened constitution, lethargy, and a high risk of rebound. "Even though apples are neutral in nature, excessive consumption can still promote dampness and phlegm production, or damage the spleen's yang energy. For ordinary adults with normal spleen and stomach function, eating one medium-sized apple daily is more appropriate."
In addition, Jiang Zhengyan shared several simple apple-based dietary therapy recipes that can integrate health preservation into daily diet: 1. Apple and Hawthorn Drink. Cut an apple into chunks, add 5-10 slices of dried hawthorn to water and boil. Drink as tea. This recipe is especially suitable for those experiencing abdominal distension, belching, and indigestion after holiday gatherings or overeating. Hawthorn is good at eliminating food stagnation caused by meat, and when combined with apples, it can enhance the effects of digestion and relieving abdominal distension. 2. Apple and Millet Porridge. Peel and core an apple, cut it into small cubes, and cook it with millet into porridge. Millet itself has the effects of strengthening the spleen and stomach and promoting sleep. When combined with apples, it is especially suitable for people with weak spleen and stomach, poor digestion, and sleep disorders, such as the elderly or those who are weak after illness. It can play a role in gentle nourishment and calming the mind. 3. Cinnamon Baked Apple. Remove part of the core from an apple, sprinkle with a little cinnamon powder, and bake in the oven until soft and tender. Cinnamon is warm in nature and can tonify the fire of the kidneys. When roasted with apples, it can enhance the effects of warming the spleen and stomach, dispelling cold and relieving pain. It is very suitable as a therapeutic dessert for those with yang deficiency and fear of cold in autumn and winter, cold limbs, or women with lower abdominal pain during menstruation.
Yangtze Evening Post/Ziniu News reporter Xu Qianqian
