Coffee from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine: Besides tasting coffee, what is its health value?

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, coffee has the effects of refreshing the mind, warming the body, and stimulating appetite and digestion, but it also has disadvantages such as strong stimulation and easy to consume vital energy. Drinking coffee in moderation can refresh the mind and promote work and study, but excessive drinking may cause insomnia, palpitations and other adverse effects. People with different physiques react differently to coffee, so it depends on the individual. In addition to enjoying coffee, you should also pay attention to your health and drink it reasonably.

In the fast-paced modern life, coffee has become a must-have drink for many people. Its unique aroma and refreshing effect make it popular all over the world. As a kind of traditional medicine, Chinese medicine's view on coffee may be different from our daily understanding. This article will explore the pros and cons of drinking coffee from the perspective of Chinese medicine, aiming to provide readers with a comprehensive perspective and help everyone understand coffee more comprehensively.

Let’s talk about the benefits of drinking coffee from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine.

1. Refresh the mind. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant. After entering the human body, it can stimulate the nervous system and make people feel refreshed. In traditional Chinese medicine, caffeine has the effect of invigorating yang energy. For people who are listless, tired and sleepy, drinking coffee in moderation can have a refreshing effect.

2. Promote digestion. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the importance of spleen and stomach function. The caffeine in coffee can stimulate gastrointestinal motility, promote the secretion of digestive juices, and help improve problems such as indigestion and gastroparesis. Coffee can also combine with fat in food to help decompose and digest fat.

3. Diuretic and detumescence. According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, edema is mostly related to the imbalance of water metabolism in the body. The caffeine in coffee has a diuretic effect, which can promote the excretion of excess water in the body, thereby achieving the effect of detumescence.

Traditional Chinese medicine also reminds us to pay attention to the harmful effects of drinking coffee.

1. Overexcitement. Although caffeine can refresh the brain, excessive consumption may cause overexcitement of the nervous system, resulting in symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, and palpitations. If this continues for a long time, it may also affect sleep quality and even cause neurasthenia.

2. It affects the circulation of Qi and blood. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the balance of Qi and blood, while caffeine and other ingredients in coffee may interfere with the circulation of Qi and blood, causing discomfort in various parts of the body. For example, some people will experience symptoms such as numbness in hands and feet and dizziness after drinking coffee, which is related to the poor circulation of Qi and blood.

3. Yin deficiency and hyperactivity of fire. According to Chinese medicine theory, the human body needs a balance of yin and yang to stay healthy. Long-term drinking of coffee may damage the body's "yin fluid", leading to yin deficiency and hyperactivity of fire, and symptoms such as dry mouth, dry throat, and oral ulcers. People with a hot constitution and prone to getting angry should be more cautious when drinking coffee.

How does TCM view the pros and cons of coffee? The key lies in the amount and individual constitution. Drinking coffee in moderation can refresh the mind, promote digestion, and promote diuresis and swelling, but drinking too much may cause a series of health problems. Everyone's constitution is different, and their reaction to coffee will also be different. People with a cold constitution may not be affected much by drinking coffee in moderation, while people with a hot or sensitive constitution may feel uncomfortable.

We also need to pay attention to the combination of coffee and other foods as well as our own health conditions. For example, drinking coffee on an empty stomach may irritate the gastric mucosa, which can easily cause stomach problems in the long term. Special groups such as pregnant women and patients with hypertension should be more cautious when drinking coffee.

Traditional Chinese medicine's view on coffee is not absolutely good or bad, but varies from person to person and from time to time. While enjoying coffee, we should also pay attention to our own health status and physical characteristics. Only by drinking coffee reasonably can we truly enjoy its benefits and avoid potential risks. Let us find a balance that suits us in the fast-paced modern life and let coffee truly add color to our health and life instead of becoming a health hazard.