Indigestion is often caused by a weak spleen and stomach. A traditional Chinese medicine doctor suggests choosing teas to relieve indigestion based on symptoms of cold or heat.

▲ Indigestion is caused by poor spleen and stomach function. Traditional Chinese medicine recommends drinking tea to relieve indigestion, with Pu-erh tea being the best choice.

With the New Year approaching, it's time to indulge in pastries and rich, meaty dishes. Many people have experienced the discomfort of overeating and don't want to repeat the same mistake. A traditional Chinese medicine practitioner will teach you how to eat and drink wisely, and how to use tea to combat indigestion.

During the Lunar New Year, radish cake, rice cake, and abalone seafood are indispensable. Registered Chinese medicine practitioner Huang Jingjing said that many New Year foods are greasy and difficult to digest. Rice cake and radish cake are mainly made of glutinous rice flour and rice flour, which are sweet in nature.

However, judging from the raw materials, it belongs to the five grains, which can replenish qi and blood, harmonize the stomach, and supplement protein and energy. However, eating too much sweet food will generate dampness, resulting in poor gastrointestinal health, constipation, and the inability to expel dampness through defecation. At a certain stage, the dampness will form phlegm, phlegm heat, and other adverse metabolites.

Abalone is a nourishing seafood that can replenish vital energy, but be careful not to eat too much as it may obstruct the digestive function of the spleen and stomach.

In particular, seafood such as fish maw and scallops have the effect of nourishing yin and tonifying the kidneys and are rich in protein. Eating pastries and seafood together can easily lead to indigestion.

Indigestion causing restlessness

Indigestion will definitely cause suffering to the stomach and intestines. Dr. Huang said that milder symptoms may include a temporary lack of appetite, bloating, abdominal distension, belching, bad breath, and restlessness.

People with poor spleen and stomach function may experience nausea, stomach pain, or diarrhea. If they don't have regular bowel movements, eating too much New Year's food will increase the burden on their intestines and lead to constipation. A thick yellow tongue coating is also a sign of poor digestion.

Many people believe that tea, especially Pu-erh, can help with indigestion. Dr. Wong points out that tea does indeed have the effect of relieving indigestion. Both black tea and green tea can help. Among the tea varieties, Pu-erh and green tea can accelerate the secretion of gastric acid and aid digestion.

But she said:

Pu-erh tea is considered to have a mild nature among teas. After fermentation and roasting, it can warm the stomach, dispel cold, and remove dampness. Most people can drink it, and it is not too picky about their constitution. On the other hand, Tieguanyin and green tea are considered to have a cooling nature, and people with poor spleen and stomach function or who are prone to diarrhea should not drink too much of them.

She suggested pairing Pu-erh tea with dried tangerine peel and drinking it while dining out to reduce indigestion.

Choose tea according to the symptoms of fever and chills at that time

Do we need to differentiate between hot and cold constitutions when choosing tea? She pointed out that the hot and cold constitution is just a general classification, and the choice of tea should be determined based on the individual's condition at that time.

People who are usually sensitive to cold and have cold hands and feet can experience heatiness. For those experiencing heat-related symptoms such as a thick and yellow tongue coating, bad breath, red eyes, and poor sleep, drinking 1-2 cups of green tea, Biluochun tea, or chrysanthemum tea can provide relief. For those experiencing cold-related symptoms such as sensitivity to cold and cold hands and feet, black tea and dark tea (such as Pu-erh tea) are better choices, and ginger tea can also be consumed to dispel cold.

Written by: Zhou Meihua, TOPick reporter