Eating for the season–Fall fruits
October 1, 2008
Eating seasonally is an important part of Chinese food therapy. Often the foods that are available during a certain season have medicinal properties that address common illnesses of that same season.
Pears
In Chinese dietary therapy, pears are considered to have a sweet and slightly sour flavor and a cooling effect on the body. They clear heat, promote the production of body fluids, moisten dryness and dissolve phlegm. Pears are excellent for several types of cough: a dry cough very common in mid-Autumn, a cough with a sore throat or a cough with thick, yellowish phlegm. To treat, try eating the pears out of hand, coring and steaming them, or boiling pear juice with a few slices of ginger and adding honey to taste. Pears are not helpful for coughs with thin, clear phlegm or for people with loose stools or diarrhea.
Pomegranates
The pomegranate is common to most of China and is available in the Fall. It has a sweet, slightly sour and astringent flavor. Pomegranates are considered to have a neutral temperature, so they are good for any constitutional type. They promote the production of body fluids, ease thirst, and astringe and arrest diarrhea. For thirst and a dry throat, eat fresh pomegranates or drink the juice. For persistent diarrhea, chop up the entire fruit with the peel, place in a pot and cover with 2 inches of water and boil for 20 minutes.