Symptoms such as acne flare-ups, dry mouth, bad breath, constipation, and a lingering sense of internal heat often occur at once. They may appear together during periods of stress, poor sleep, or dietary excess. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the pattern of clustered symptoms is commonly attributed to excess internal “heat.” One of the simplest and most time-tested ways to gently rebalance the body is to eat a food that has served as medicine for centuries: mung beans.
Health Benefits of Mung Beans
The therapeutic use of mung beans dates back more than 1,300 years. During the Tang Dynasty, physician Meng Shen wrote in “Dietary Materia Medica” that mung beans could replenish vitality, harmonize internal organs, calm the mind, and relieve heat-related skin eruptions. He also noted their ability to ease excessive thirst and dryness.Later, Ming Dynasty physician Li Shizhen explained in the “Compendium of Materia Medica” (“Bencao Gangmu”) that the inner flesh of the mung bean is neutral in nature—neither hot nor cold—and especially effective for detoxification, while the outer skin carries a stronger heat-clearing action. This distinction remains important in traditional practice today.
