{"id":130612,"date":"2025-09-24T16:53:21","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T08:53:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogoherbs.com\/?p=130612"},"modified":"2026-10-17T09:53:17","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T01:53:17","slug":"blog-%e5%a4%8f%e5%ad%a3%e6%b6%88%e6%9a%91%ef%bc%8c%e5%af%92%e7%86%b1%e9%ab%94%e8%b3%aa%e5%90%83%e5%86%b0%e5%a4%a7%e4%b8%8d%e5%90%8c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogoherbs.com\/en\/blog-%e5%a4%8f%e5%ad%a3%e6%b6%88%e6%9a%91%ef%bc%8c%e5%af%92%e7%86%b1%e9%ab%94%e8%b3%aa%e5%90%83%e5%86%b0%e5%a4%a7%e4%b8%8d%e5%90%8c","title":{"rendered":"Summer Heat Relief and Individuals with Hot or Cold Constitutions: Timing, Quantity, and Safety Precautions for Eating Ice"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Craving ice cream in hot weather isn't a problem in itself. Dr. Wang Chia-han, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner at Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, offers some very practical advice:Choose the right time, choose the right type, and eat slowly.<\/b>Those with a cold constitution should eat ice between noon and 3 pm, or an hour after a meal, and avoid eating it on an empty stomach. They should also eat it slowly. Modern research has also observed corresponding practices. For example, eating ice quickly can trigger severe frontal pain, commonly known as "brain freeze," and slowing down is an effective way to prevent this.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

However, "diarrhea and runny nose after eating ice" is not only explained by "coldness damaging the spleen and stomach." Ice cream...Microbial risk<\/b>\u3001Lactose intolerance<\/b>And the nasal reflex caused by cold stimulation may be a more direct cause. But what we really can't ignore this season is...heatstroke<\/b>There are also clear safety limits when eating common summer fruits like lychees and mangoes. This article will first state the conclusions, then explain how the traditional Chinese medicine concept of constitution can be compared with modern evidence, and in which situations it is necessary to seek medical attention as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

This article contains<\/strong>
First, let's state the conclusion.<\/a>
II. How does Traditional Chinese Medicine differentiate between cold and hot constitutions?<\/a>
III. Timing, Amount, and Speed of Eating Ice: A Comparison of Traditional Chinese Medicine Recommendations and Modern Research<\/a>
IV. What other reasons might cause diarrhea and a runny nose after eating ice?<\/a>
V. How to select and prepare ingredients for frozen desserts<\/a>
VI. Summer Fruits: Nutritional and Safety Boundaries of Watermelon, Lychee, and Mango<\/a>
VII. What you really can't ignore in summer: Preventing heatstroke<\/a>
8. Who needs to be especially careful<\/a>
IX. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)<\/a>
Source of information<\/a><\/div>\n

First, let's state the conclusion.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
question<\/th>\nConclusion<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Can people with a cold constitution eat ice?<\/td>\nYes, but it's advisable to eat in moderation and slowly. Traditional Chinese medicine recommends eating between noon and 3 pm, one hour after meals, and not on an empty stomach.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is diarrhea caused by eating ice due to "coldness"?<\/td>\nNot necessarily. Improper storage or preparation of frozen food, microorganisms, and lactose intolerance are all possible causes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Does eating ice cause headaches?<\/td>\nYes. Eating ice quickly can trigger a brief, sharp pain in the forehead (cold-stimulation headache), which can be reduced by slowing down the process.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What precautions should be taken when eating lychees or mangoes that cause "heatiness"?<\/td>\nThe real risk of lychees isEating large amounts of unripe lychees on an empty stomach<\/b>It can cause acute hypoglycemia; mangoes, on the other hand, can cause it.Allergies caused by fruit peel juice<\/b>Both have clear handling methods.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What are the biggest health risks in summer?<\/td>\nheatstroke<\/b>Before engaging in outdoor activities, check the weather forecast, drink water as needed, and avoid prolonged activities during periods of intense sunlight.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In other words, TCM's advice on "timing, quantity, and speed" is a low-risk and practical approach; however, when symptoms appear, more direct causes such as food safety and allergies should also be considered.<\/p>\n

II. How does Traditional Chinese Medicine differentiate between cold and hot constitutions?<\/h2>\n

Dr. Wang Jiahan explained that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) determines a person's constitution based on their physical manifestations. The following are common areas of observation (from a TCM perspective):<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Physical constitution bias<\/th>\nCommon symptoms<\/th>\nSuggestions for eating ice<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
hot constitution<\/b><\/td>\nExcessive sweating, dry mouth and throat, constipation<\/td>\nIce cream should have less sweet toppings such as condensed milk and jam.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cold constitution<\/b><\/td>\nCold extremities, poor appetite, frequent urination at night<\/td>\nIt is best to eat between noon and 3 pm, one hour after a meal, and eat slowly.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
General recommendations<\/b><\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\nRegardless of your constitution, consume in moderation and never eat on an empty stomach.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

It is important to note that this isTraditional Chinese Medicine Classification System<\/b>This is not a diagnostic standard in modern medicine; it is common for the same person to exhibit both cold and hot properties. If you want to know which category you belong to, or want to adjust your diet according to your constitution, the safest approach is to consult a registered Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, rather than relying solely on online forms for self-assessment. For information on TCM's classification of food properties based on their cold or hot nature, please refer to the website's [link\/section].Traditional Chinese Medicine Gastrointestinal Health Care<\/a>A list of cold, neutral, and hot foods in the article.<\/p>\n

III. Timing, Amount, and Speed of Eating Ice: A Comparison of Traditional Chinese Medicine Recommendations and Modern Research<\/h2>\n

Traditional Chinese medicine's advice can be summarized in four points: Choose a time of day when Yang energy is strongest (from noon to 3 pm).One hour after a meal<\/b>Eat againDo not eat on an empty stomach.<\/b>\u3001Eat slowly<\/b>The first two points are inferences from traditional Chinese medicine theory, while the latter two points can be found in modern research observations.<\/p>\n

Cold drinks do temporarily alter stomach activity.<\/h3>\n

A study had healthy volunteers drink beverages at 4\u00b0C, 37\u00b0C, and 50\u00b0C, respectively, and then measured the pressure waves in the stomach and pylorus using instruments. The results showed that...Both cold and warm drinks can suppress pressure waves in the gastric antrum and alter the activity patterns of the pylorus.<\/b>The effects of 4\u00b0C cold drinks are greatest, and are concentrated after consumption.First 30 minutes<\/b>(Sun et al., 1995). This is consistent with the idea of "not eating ice on an empty stomach, but after a meal": when there is food in the stomach, the relative impact of cold stimulation is smaller.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, we should also take a balanced view: another review of studies indicates that cold drinks affect gastric emptying.Limited in both scope and time.<\/b>(Generally no more than about 5 minutes), because the beverage warms up quickly after entering the body; and cold drinks are usually more popular, so the actual amount consumed is often larger, which helps replenish fluids (see item 4 in the source). Therefore, you don't need to completely avoid cold drinks for fear of upsetting your stomach; the key is...Quantity and speed<\/b>\u3002<\/p>\n

"Eating slowly" is not just a concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine.<\/h3>\n

Many people have experienced a sudden, sharp pain in their forehead after quickly consuming a large amount of ice cream; this is commonly known as "brain freeze" or "ice cream headache." The formal name is...Cold-induced headache<\/b>The mechanism is that when the palate is rapidly cooled, the blood vessels first constrict and then rapidly dilate, stimulating the trigeminal nerve. The brain then misinterprets the signal from the palate as coming from the forehead, hence the pain in the forehead. This pain usually subsides within tens of seconds, and most people experience complete relief within five minutes (Johns Hopkins Medicine).<\/p>\n

To reduce this discomfort, the key approach is precisely...Slow down your eating speed and let the ice cream warm up slightly in your mouth before swallowing.<\/b>This also demonstrates the practical value of the traditional Chinese medicine advice to "eat slowly"\u2014it can reduce discomfort and allow the body time to adapt.<\/p>\n

As for the cooling effect in hot weather<\/h3>\n

In hot environments, cold drinks not only provide a pleasant taste but also help lower body temperature and are a relatively easy way to stay hydrated. Therefore, the key to cooling down is not "whether or not you can eat ice," but rather eating it in moderation, slowly, and simultaneously staying hydrated and cooling down.<\/p>\n

IV. What other reasons might cause diarrhea and a runny nose after eating ice?<\/h2>\n

Many people immediately attribute stomach discomfort after eating ice to its "coldness." However, if the symptoms recur, it's worth checking for the following three more common and easily manageable causes.<\/p>\n

I. Microbial Risks of Ice Products<\/h3>\n

Frozen desserts before eatingNo need to reheat<\/b>Therefore, if not properly prepared or stored, bacteria will not have the opportunity to be eliminated. The Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety points out that frozen desserts, due to their high nutritional content and hot weather, are conducive to the growth of Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and other bacteria, and are therefore considered high-risk products.High-risk foods<\/b>One thing to pay special attention to is:<\/p>\n