“Eat radishes in winter and ginger in summer” is a popular folk saying about health preservation. The method of using ginger for food therapy and health care has been around for a long time. As early as the Spring and Autumn period, “The Analects of Confucius” mentions “Never omit ginger from your meals,” recording Confucius' dietary habit of having ginger with every meal. In the sweltering heat of summer, let's talk about why we should eat ginger in summer, how to eat it correctly, and whether everyone is suitable for eating ginger in summer.
Why Eat Ginger in Summer
The traditional practice of eating ginger in summer has a certain meaning and rationale behind it. Ancient people used analogical thinking to understand things. “The Book of Changes” states: “Therefore, ‘Changes' is about images; and by images, it means likenesses.” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) shares the same way of thinking as “The Book of Changes,” so here we use “images” to explain the characteristics of summer.
In the Eight Trigrams, the Li trigram (☲), which corresponds to fire in the Five Elements theory, is associated with the south in direction and summer in time. The image of the Li trigram, with two yang lines above and below and a yin line in between, suggests a hollow center, which is vividly described in the Eight Trigrams Song as “Hollowness in the Center of Li.” This “hollow” state is particularly similar to the condition of the human body, especially those living in the south, during summer. The body's yang qi disperses on the surface like the yang lines in the Li trigram, while the middle region is relatively cold and yin-like. Therefore, eating ginger in summer can warm the middle region and dispel cold, improving the cold state inside the body. It also helps to slightly promote the generation and expansion of yang qi on the surface, consistent with the principle of “Nourishing Yang in Spring and Summer” from “The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon.”
Selecting the Right Ginger for Health
Mentioning eating ginger in summer brings up ginger-red date tea. The original ginger-red date tea consists simply of ginger and red dates, and its presence can be found as early as in “Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders,” where 33 formulas use ginger and red dates together, accounting for nearly 30% of all 113 formulas in the book. The beauty of using ginger and red dates together lies in the fact that ginger, with its pungent nature, mainly disperses, but with red dates, it does not disperse excessively. Red dates, with their sweet taste and stabilizing effect, are complemented by ginger, so they do not become overly static. Furthermore, ginger's warming and drying properties align with the spleen's preference for dryness, while red dates' soft and moistening properties match the stomach's preference for moisture. Together, ginger and red dates can harmonize the internal organs.
After becoming a popular health drink, ginger-red date tea is now sold as pre-mixed products. However, these pre-mixed products often replace fresh ginger with dried ginger, which changes the nature and effects of the combination.
What are the differences between fresh ginger and dried ginger? Fresh ginger has a pungent taste and a slightly warm nature, affecting the lung, spleen, and stomach meridians. It has the effects of dispelling exterior cold, warming the middle to stop vomiting, and transforming phlegm to stop coughing. Its nature tends towards dispersion and is primarily used for wind-cold common cold, cold-induced vomiting, and cold phlegm cough. Dried ginger, on the other hand, has a pungent taste and a hot nature, affecting the spleen, stomach, kidney, heart, and lung meridians. It warms the middle to dispel cold, restores yang and regulates the pulse, and dries dampness and transforms phlegm. Its nature tends towards stabilization and is primarily used for cold pain in the abdomen, vomiting and diarrhea, cold limbs with weak pulse, and phlegm and wheezing cough.
By comparing the properties and functions of fresh and dried ginger, we can deduce that commercially available ginger-red date tea, if made with dried ginger, may be more likely to cause excessive internal heat when consumed by the average person. First, the nature of fresh ginger changes from slightly warm to hot when it becomes dried ginger, making it more prone to causing internal heat. Second, fresh ginger disperses without being static, warming the middle to dispel cold while also promoting perspiration, making it more suitable for the summer season when dampness prevails. Dried ginger, being static without dispersion, paired with red dates, which are also static, creates an effect similar to placing a small stove in the middle region. For those with obvious cold in the middle region, drinking this ginger-red date tea may not cause significant discomfort. However, in the south, many people have a constitution characterized by heat above and cold below. Drinking dried ginger and red date tea is more likely to cause excessive internal heat, failing to achieve the desired health benefits. Additionally, in the summer, when temperatures are high and sweating is frequent, long-term consumption of hot-natured dried ginger to regulate the body can deplete the body's yin fluids.
Choosing the Right Time to Eat Ginger
During the day, it is recommended to eat ginger in the morning. At this time, the body's yang qi is distributed on the surface, and there is more cold inside. Ginger can warm the middle region and help promote the rising of yang qi. However, it is not advisable to consume ginger-based remedies in the evening, as this is when yang enters yin. Eating ginger in the evening can cause an excess of yang in the interior, potentially leading to gastric discomfort, heartburn, and difficulty sleeping due to yang not entering yin. There is a folk saying that “Eating ginger in the evening is worse than arsenic,” which is meant to shock and remind people to avoid this improper time for consuming ginger. Eating ginger in the evening is just more harmful than beneficial, far from being “worse than arsenic.” Below, I will introduce the timing for consuming ginger-based remedies based on seasonal changes.
The period from Start of Summer to before the beginning of the Three Fu Days is the best time to drink ginger-red date tea. Ginger-red date tea is most effective when consumed from the Start of Summer until the day before the start of the Three Fu Days, as it nourishes yang and expels impurities. However, once the Three Fu Days begin, it is no longer recommended to continue drinking it. “Heat peaks during the Three Fu Days,” which are the hottest days of the year. During this time, the body sweats a lot, and if ginger-red date tea is consumed, the ginger promotes perspiration, leading to even more sweating. This “qi follows the loss of fluids” is detrimental to health preservation.
From the Three Fu Days to before Start of Autumn, it is better to switch to pickled ginger in vinegar. After the start of the Three Fu Days, a different method of consuming ginger is recommended: pickled ginger in vinegar. During the middle of the Three Fu Days, Start of Autumn occurs. Autumn's nature is to converge and descend, and the sour taste of vinegar has a converging effect, aligning with the nature of autumn while also balancing the dispersive nature of ginger. It can gently warm yang, strengthen the spleen, and dispel cold-dampness. The sourness of vinegar also replenishes body fluids, so pickled ginger in vinegar can generate fluids and nourish yang without worrying about getting overheated after consumption. To make it, use 2 pounds of fresh tender ginger and half a bottle of aged vinegar, adding rock sugar for flavor as needed. Place them in a sealed jar and let them marinate away from light, humidity, and in a well-ventilated area for one week before consumption.
Although ginger-based remedies are beneficial, they are not suitable for everyone. Ginger-based remedies are particularly suitable for people with a cold and cool constitution. However, they are not appropriate for those who exhibit signs of yin deficiency and internal heat, such as red lips, dry mouth, and five centers of heat, or those with symptoms of dampness-heat in the spleen and stomach, such as unsatisfactory bowel movements and foul-smelling stools. Patients with liver disease, diabetes, and acute inflammation should also avoid eating ginger.