What are the 5 fruits of the Yellow Emperor's Five Fruits? 3 are in season now, too good to miss

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In China's earliest medical classic, the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, there is a classic saying that is still praised by nutritionists today: "Five grains for nourishment, five animals for benefit, five vegetables for supplement, five fruits for assistance." This coincides with the concepts of modern nutrition: mainly eat five grains, and eat meat, vegetables, and fruits in moderation. That is the reasonable way to maintain health. Right now is the season when all kinds of rural fruits are abundantly on the market. The 5 fruits mentioned in the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon are called the "Yellow Emperor's Five Fruits." 3 of them are in season now, and it would be a pity to miss them.

First, let's talk about which fruits the "Yellow Emperor's Five Fruits" are! In fact, these 5 fruits are very common today, and most people have eaten them. They are jujube, plum, apricot, chestnut, and peach. Many people may wonder why these 5 fruits and not others? It is mainly related to the level of agricultural development in ancient times! At that time, agricultural technology was not as advanced as it is now, and transportation was inconvenient, so the fruits people saw most often were these. In addition, there is another reason these 5 fruits are called the "Yellow Emperor's Five Fruits."

In the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, it is mentioned that jujube is sweet, plum is sour, chestnut is salty, apricot is bitter, and peach is pungent. Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent exactly correspond to the human body's five organs: heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. As the saying goes, "Sweet enters the spleen, sour enters the liver, salty enters the kidneys, bitter enters the heart, pungent enters the lungs," so the title "Yellow Emperor's Five Fruits" is well deserved. Many farmer friends plant a few of these fruit trees. Except for jujube and chestnut, the other 3 fruits ripen relatively early. Plums, apricots, and peaches are all in season now, and you often see farmers selling them at stalls in rural markets.

Plums contain a variety of amino acids and have been considered an excellent fruit for clearing the liver and promoting diuresis since ancient times. In the Quanzhou Materia Medica, it is highly praised, saying that taking its juice can "remove heat and fatigue from between the joints," and eating it raw can benefit liver disease. However, plums taste sour, so it is generally not recommended to eat too many. Eating one or two after a meal is enough. Eating too many may make your teeth feel sour and cause phlegm in the throat.

In addition, apricots are also relatively sour. It is one of China's oldest fruit trees. When the Inner Canon says it is bitter, it mainly refers to the bitterness of apricot kernels. Bitter apricot kernels cannot be eaten raw; they need to be soaked in water before eating, or made into apricot kernel tea before consumption.

Peaches are also in season now. Whether nectarines or fuzzy peaches, they all taste very sweet and also have the effect of nourishing blood and improving complexion. The book says "peach is pungent," which should mean that peaches are hot in nature, and eating too many can cause internal heat, so they should also be eaten in moderation.

Dear readers, have you eaten these 5 fruits? Especially these 3 fruits that are in season now, it would be a pity to miss them!

Text/Hemu Report, Images/Internet

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