22/04/2026
Generally, the most suitable food therapy in Singapore is a summer medicinal diet. Summer is the season when the heart, spleen, and stomach are most active. Therefore, priority should be given to medicinal foods that regulate and protect these three organ systems.
1. Foods that benefit the heart
In summer, metabolism is high, and blood circulation is rapid, which increases the burden on the heart.
Foods that benefit the heart include: lotus seeds莲子, lotus root莲藕, lily bulb百合, green beans綠豆, oat小麦, longan pulp龙眼肉, adzuki beans赤小豆, sea cucumber海参, black beans黑豆, red beans紅豆, peas豌豆, loofah丝瓜, arrowhead慈菇, watermelon西瓜, pear梨, star anise八角, coriander芫荽, green onions青葱.
2. Foods that benefit the spleen:
In summer, when the climate is hot, more energy/calories are burned. Therefore, foods rich in nutrients and high in calories are preferable to replenish what the body lacks.
Foods that benefit the spleen include: pumpkin南瓜, potatoes洋芋, yam芋头, hyacinth beans扁豆, long beans豇豆, sweet potatoes番薯, glutinous rice糯米, soybeans黄豆, sesame芝麻, peanuts花生, straw mushrooms草菇, fennel seeds茴香, cinnamon bark桂皮, Sichuan pepper花椒, eel鱔魚, lychee荔枝, starfruit杨桃, grapes葡萄.
3. In summer, sweating is more frequent, causing a large amount of blood to flow to the body surface, which reduces the blood supply to the gastrointestinal tract and decreases digestive secretions. In addition, excessive sweating and fluid intake can dilute gastric acid concentration, leading to poor appetite and indigestion.
Therefore, when choosing foods that benefit the stomach, priority should be given to foods that nourish kidney yin, such as: lotus root莲藕, winter melon冬瓜, cucumber黃瓜, tomato番茄, watercress西洋菜, cabbage包心菜, melon甜瓜, peaches桃子, olives橄榄, cherries櫻桃, sugarcane甘蔗, water chestnuts荸荠, lemon柠檬, tangerine桔子, loquat枇杷, sand ginger砂姜, white fungus银耳, black fungus木耳, Buddha’s hand citron佛手, bird’s nest燕窝, mushrooms蘑菇, jellyfish海蛰, daylily黃花菜, kelp海带, corn玉米, millet小米, chestnuts栗子, dates大枣.
Adapted and translated from: 'Summer Medicinal Diets' by Zhao Jingfu, 28th Graduation Souvenir Magazine, Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1994.
Food of Chinese Medicine
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