Eating Smartly: 10 Foods to Reduce Water Retention

Women are naturally beauty-loving creatures. Although their beauty is often appreciated by others, they are not tired of investing in it. Many girls have experienced not drinking water before bed, fearing swelling the next day. However, some people are naturally prone to swelling. In fact, most people may not know that eating the right foods can also alleviate swelling. So, which foods have this effect? Below are 10 foods that reduce swelling. Let's take a look together.

　　1 Red Bean

　　Traditional Chinese medicine has the concept of "five colors entering the five viscera" for health preservation. Red beans belong to the crimson color, enter the heart, and can promote blood circulation. Ancient texts also record that red beans have detoxifying and heat-clearing properties and are often used to improve athlete's foot and reduce swelling in the lower limbs. Modern medicine believes that red beans are rich in potassium, which helps eliminate excess salt from the body. Additionally, saponins in red beans have a strong diuretic effect. Red beans also stimulate the intestines, helping to remove toxins and excess water from the body and promoting metabolism of blood and water.

　　In fact, drinking red bean soup is the best way to reduce swelling. People with edema often have reduced urination. If red bean soup is used as a beverage from the beginning, swelling can be reduced the next day, and after taking it for six to seven days, it may completely disappear. Elderly people who experience leg swelling in the summer can eat red bean porridge to prevent the condition from recurring. In addition to preventing various types of swelling, red beans can also alleviate symptoms such as irritability, thirst, and restlessness caused by high temperatures.

　　2 Mung Bean

　　When it comes to reducing body swelling, the first food that comes to mind is mung beans. Mung beans have excellent heat-clearing and detoxifying properties, as well as diuretic and anti-swelling effects. If women experience swelling, eating more mung bean soup or porridge can help reduce body swelling. Additionally, mung beans are good for the spleen, which can protect the spleen and kidneys for women with poor digestive health. Regular consumption of mung beans is beneficial for eliminating body swelling and aiding in weight loss. Although mung beans are rich in plant protein, which can effectively supplement human protein, the elderly, children, and those with weak constitutions should not consume too much, as their digestive function is weakened.

　　3 Coffee

　　Caffeine in coffee can stimulate the secretion of gastric juice in the intestines, aiding digestion and promoting the body's metabolism. Coffee has low calories, and drinking it can increase calorie expenditure, helping to accelerate fat burning and decomposition, thereby achieving weight loss. Additionally, caffeine can promote kidney function, excrete excess sodium ions from the body, increase urine output, improve abdominal bloating and edema, and aid in weight loss. Coffee also has a diuretic effect. Research shows that patients with chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis or cirrhosis who drink more than a cup of drip coffee daily can see improvement in their liver function.

　　4 Winter Melon

　　Winter melon has a sweet, bland, and cold taste and has diuretic and anti-swelling effects, as well as heat-clearing and thirst-quenching properties. It also contains high levels of potassium, helping the body eliminate excess sodium, making it a good helper for reducing swelling. Winter melon also contains various vitamins and fiber, promoting intestinal movement and eliminating waste and toxins, making it the best food for relieving constipation. Additionally, winter melon contains a substance called cucurbitacine, which is mainly found in the flesh of winter melon and can promote metabolism in the body, inhibiting the conversion of carbohydrates into fat for weight loss and fat reduction.

　　5 Kelp

　　Kelp is a highly nutritious vegetable with certain medicinal value. It is rich in iodine and other mineral elements. Kelp has low calories, moderate protein content, and is rich in minerals. Research has found that kelp has various biological functions such as lowering blood lipids, lowering blood sugar, regulating immunity, anticoagulation, anti-tumor, lead excretion, detoxification, and antioxidant effects. Kelp contains mannitol, which is a good helper for diuretic and anti-swelling effects. Kelp is also rich in iodine, which is very effective in treating obesity caused by hypothyroidism, helping to eliminate edema in the body. Additionally, kelp can reduce blood lipids and prevent fat from accumulating in the heart, blood vessels, and intestinal walls, promoting the excretion of cholesterol, so it is called "fat-cleaning" food.

　　6 Watermelon

　　Watermelon has the effects of heat-clearing, cooling, thirst-quenching, diuretic, and relieving irritability. It helps treat conditions such as chest and abdominal distension, discomfort, difficulty urinating, sores in the mouth and nose, heatstroke, and hangover. The skin can also be used for cooking or medicinal purposes. Due to its diuretic effect and high water content, eating watermelon increases urine output, reducing the content of bilirubin and making bowel movements smoother, which is beneficial for treating jaundice. Additionally, the diuretic effect of watermelon helps eliminate excess salt from the body, reducing swelling, especially leg swelling. For women who experience leg numbness and swelling from sitting at a computer for long periods, watermelon is a natural beauty fruit for legs.

　　7 Coix Seed

　　Due to its high nutritional value, coix seed is known as the "king of the world's grass family plants." In Europe, it is called the "grain of life and health." Coix seed contains coix seed oil, coix seed ester, and plant sterols, among other components. Coix seed oil can lower serum calcium and blood sugar levels and has effects such as fever reduction, sedation, and analgesia. Coix seed can promote the metabolism of blood and water, helping to reduce edema and eliminate excess water from the body. Coix seed comes in raw and cooked forms, with each half balancing each other for quick and effective results, achieving the effects of strengthening the spleen and promoting diuresis. In Japan, it has recently been listed as a cancer-preventive food, increasing its value. Coix seed is easily digestible and absorbable, making it gentle and effective whether used for nourishment or medical purposes.

　　8 Cucumber

　　Cucumbers have a sweet taste, are cold in nature, and enter the stomach and small intestine. They have the effects of heat-clearing, thirst-quenching, diuretic, and detoxifying. Cucumbers are rich in vitamin E, which can prolong life and combat aging. The cucumber enzyme in cucumbers has strong biological activity and can effectively promote the body's metabolism. Applying cucumber juice to the skin can moisturize and smooth wrinkles. Additionally, the malic acid in cucumbers can inhibit the conversion of carbohydrates into fat. Moreover, the fiber in cucumbers can promote the elimination of decomposed substances in the human digestive tract and lower cholesterol, strengthening the body. Cucumbers can be eaten raw, in salads, stir-fried, or added to soups. Raw consumption quenches thirst. To reduce swelling and promote diuresis, it is best to drink cucumber soup. Note: Cucumbers are cold in nature, so those with a cold stomach should eat them sparingly.

　　9 Pomelo

　　Pomelo is fragrant, sweet and sour, cool and moist, and is a nutrient-rich and highly valued fruit. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that the pulp of pomelo is cold in nature, sweet and sour in taste, and has the effects of stopping coughing, calming breathing, clearing heat, resolving phlegm, strengthening the spleen, aiding digestion, and relieving hangovers and irritability. The pomelo peel is also known as tangerine red, and broad tangerine red is warm in nature, bitter and acrid in taste, with effects such as regulating qi and resolving phlegm, strengthening the spleen and aiding digestion, dispelling cold and drying dampness. Pomelo has very low calories and can reduce fat. Additionally, it is rich in potassium, making it an excellent fruit for reducing edema. Peel the pomelo, place the pulp in a juicer, add a little water, and squeeze the juice. If desired, a little honey can be added for lubrication. Pomelo tea is a great detox and weight-loss drink.

　　10 Oats

　　Oats have a sweet and gentle taste and can nourish the spleen, calm the heart, and stop sweating. They have high nutritional value and can be used for conditions such as spontaneous sweating, night sweats, or tuberculosis. Oats are rich in fiber, which can increase satiety, lower blood lipids and cholesterol, and are also a preferred food for reducing edema. The rich fiber in oats can increase satiety, lower blood lipids and cholesterol, and its effect in reducing edema is even more pronounced. However, it is best to cook oats yourself. Boil natural oats with a suitable amount of water and then eat them. If eaten for breakfast, oats can be paired with milk for a nutritious and weight-loss meal.

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