BencaoBalance 本草

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Hawthorn after heavy meals 山楂消食

Digestion 消化肠胃 traditional evidence
What the evidence says:
THE herb for meat-and-grease stagnation for a millennium; organic acids plausibly aid gastric digestion, but no rigorous human trials for the after-meal use.

How to make it

山楂 9 g + 陈皮 3 g steeped 10 min after a rich meal. Or add 3–4 dried slices into braised pork — it cuts the grease and softens the meat.

Why it works

Pairs the digestion aid WITH the heavy food — the original functional food.

Classical source

Bencao Gangmu 本草纲目 (1596) records hawthorn dissolving meat accumulation — cooks still drop it into pork stews to tenderise.

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Cautions: Sour — avoid on an empty stomach, with reflux/ulcers, and in pregnancy in medicinal amounts.

Herbs used

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