Excessive eating and frequent consumption of cold beverages can lead to symptoms of spleen deficiency and stomach cold. Dietary therapy can help improve this condition. Individuals with spleen deficiency and stomach cold should consume more warming foods that nourish the spleen and stomach, such as indica rice, dog meat, lamb, chicken, pork stomach, clams, leeks, chili peppers, sword beans, and cinnamon.Minimize consumption of cold-natured foods that may impair yang energy, or greasy, heavy-flavored items that are difficult to digest. So what foods are suitable for those with spleen deficiency and stomach cold?
What Foods Are Suitable for Those with Spleen Deficiency and Stomach Cold?
1. Glutinous Rice
Also known as sticky rice, glutinous rice has a mild nature and sweet taste, making it suitable for those with spleen deficiency and stomach cold. It warms the spleen and stomach, alleviates dry mouth and thirst, improves spontaneous sweating, and treats loose stools and diarrhea.
2. Lotus Root
Lotus root fortifies the spleen and nourishes the stomach, calms the heart and mind, and alleviates irritability and heat. Fresh lotus root has a cooling nature and is difficult to digest when eaten raw or in cold dishes. Therefore, those with spleen deficiency and stomach cold, or prone to diarrhea, should consume cooked lotus root.Sweet in taste and neutral in nature, it fortifies the spleen and stomach, strengthens vitality, and builds muscle. It is used for spleen deficiency with restlessness, diarrhea, emaciation, and dysentery.It begins to fatten after autumn, reaching peak nutritional content by late autumn and early winter. 5. Chestnuts Traditional Chinese medicine considers chestnuts sweet and warm in nature, entering the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians. They nourish the stomach, strengthen the spleen, tonify the kidneys, and fortify the waist. Suitable for nausea, diarrhea, kidney deficiency, weak knees and waist, and poor digestion in children caused by spleen-stomach deficiency.
6. Sweet Potato
Commonly known as sweet potato, yam, or red potato. Neutral in nature and sweet in taste, it nourishes the spleen, harmonizes blood, boosts qi, and promotes bowel movements. The Dietary Spectrum of Suixi Ju states: "Cooked consumption nourishes the spleen and stomach, enhances vitality, wards off wind-cold, and improves complexion."The Compendium of Materia Medica Supplement asserts sweet potatoes fortify the middle burner, warm the stomach, and nourish the five viscera. Those with spleen deficiency may use sweet potatoes as a staple food for regular consumption.
7. Lamb
Lamb is sweet in taste and warm in nature, entering the spleen, stomach, kidney, and heart meridians. It warms and tonifies the spleen and stomach, treating symptoms like nausea, physical weakness, and aversion to cold caused by spleen-stomach deficiency-cold. It also warms and tonifies the liver and kidneys, addressing conditions such as soreness, weakness, cold pain in the lower back and knees, and impotence due to kidney yang deficiency. Additionally, it nourishes blood and warms the meridians, alleviating abdominal cold pain caused by blood deficiency and cold in the meridians after childbirth.
8. Pig Stomach
Pig stomach, being the animal's digestive organ, possesses a mildly warm nature and sweet taste. Compared to other animal stomachs like beef or lamb tripe, it absorbs more of the earth element's essence. Following the principle of "like nourishes like," it directly fortifies the human digestive system with exceptional efficacy.Especially for elderly individuals, women, and children with weak spleen and stomach, consuming stewed pig stomach soup provides rapid nourishment to the spleen and stomach. It also offers excellent auxiliary therapeutic effects for other ailments stemming from spleen and stomach discomfort. 9. Carp Rich in high-quality protein, carp provides essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. Its sweet taste and neutral nature nourish the spleen and stomach while promoting diuresis and reducing swelling.
10. Peanuts
Peanuts harmonize the spleen and stomach, nourish blood to stop bleeding, and lower blood pressure and lipids. Their blood-nourishing and hemostatic effects primarily come from the red skin covering the peanut kernels, known in traditional Chinese medicine as peanut skins. TCM theory holds that the spleen governs blood; those with qi deficiency are prone to bleeding. Peanut skins, by fortifying spleen and stomach qi, achieve the effect of nourishing blood and stopping bleeding.
11. Chinese Yam
Those with cold stomach can benefit from increased consumption of Chinese yam. It fortifies the spleen and stomach, generates fluids, and nourishes the lungs. Enjoy it twice weekly stewed with pork ribs, or cooked into porridge with rice, millet, and red dates.Stir-fried yam fortifies the spleen and strengthens the stomach, addressing symptoms like poor appetite due to spleen deficiency, loose stools, and excessive vaginal discharge. Rich in hormone-like compounds, yam is currently a popular anti-aging and health-promoting food.
12. Jujube (Red Date)
Jujubes are warm in nature and sweet in taste, serving to tonify the spleen and stomach while benefiting qi and blood.As early as over two thousand years ago, the Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica documented jujubes' ability to nourish the spleen and stabilize the stomach. Li Shizhen referred to jujubes as "the fruit of the spleen," recommending them for spleen disorders. They are particularly beneficial for those with spleen deficiency causing loose stools, weak stomachs with poor appetite, or insufficient qi and blood.