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Malted barley for starchy, bloated fullness 麦芽消食
Digestion 消化肠胃 traditional evidenceWhat the evidence says:
The 药典 indication for 麦芽 is starch/grain food stagnation and poor appetite. Traditional use only. Its one well-known non-digestive effect — reducing milk supply at large doses — is the reason the caution below is emphatic.
The 药典 indication for 麦芽 is starch/grain food stagnation and poor appetite. Traditional use only. Its one well-known non-digestive effect — reducing milk supply at large doses — is the reason the caution below is emphatic.
How to make it
Simmer 10–15 g 麦芽 in 400 ml water for 15 min after a heavy rice/noodle/bread meal. Once or twice a day, short term.
Why it works
Sprouted barley carries amylase, which is the traditional rationale for "grain" stagnation specifically — though stomach acid inactivates most dietary enzymes.
Classical source
麦芽 is not in the Shennong Bencao Jing; it enters the materia medica later as a prepared (sprouted) grain.
Cautions: IMPORTANT: large doses (30–120 g) reduce milk supply and are used deliberately for weaning. Avoid entirely while breastfeeding unless you intend to wean.
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