Food for heaty cough

 Radish can help with a “heaty” cough in TCM terms. It’s considered cooling and helps clear heat, reduce phlegm, and soothe the throat.

Here are 2 simple ways to use it:

• Radish + honey syrup:
  Chop white radish, mix with honey, let it sit 2–3 hours. Drink the juice 1–2 teaspoons, 2–3 times daily. Good for dry, heat-type cough.

• Radish soup:
  Boil white radish slices with a little ginger (if no sore throat) for 20–30 minutes. Drink warm. Helps clear phlegm and cool internal heat.

Avoid if you have very weak digestion or cold-type cough (clear phlegm, chills).

In TCM, a “heaty cough” usually means Lung heat or dry heat (sore throat, yellow phlegm, dry mouth, maybe slight fever).

Here are cooling foods that help clear heat and moisten the lungs:

🥬 Vegetables

• White radish (daikon) – clears Lung heat, reduces phlegm

• Watercress – cools lungs, good for smokers’ cough

• Chinese cabbage (napa cabbage) – clears heat, gentle on digestion

• Winter melon – drains heat, reduces phlegm

• Lotus root – cools blood, moistens dryness

• Bitter gourd – strong heat-clearing

• Cucumber – clears heat, hydrates

• Celery – clears heat, calms inflammation

🍐 Fruits

• Pear (especially steamed) – best for dry heat cough

• Loquat fruit – clears Lung heat

• Persimmon – reduces heat, stops cough

• Watermelon – clears summer heat

🌾 Others

• Lily bulb (bai he) – nourishes Lung yin

• Snow fungus – moistens dryness

• Mung beans – clears heat

• Honey (small amount) – moistens dryness

Avoid fried, spicy, alcohol, and BBQ foods.

Dry cough vs. yellow phlegm cough for more precise TCM guidance.