Winter Melon Seeds come from a large fruit grown throughout Southern Asia. The seeds are known in Chinese medicine primarily as an herb that drains dampness. The winter melon fruit is eaten as a vegetable and cultivated in Southeast China, where it is made into a popular drink. The fruit is also dried, sweetened, and eaten as a special treat during festivals.

Uses

  •  Used for medicinal purposes.

Benefits

  • Winter melon seeds are used in traditional Chinese medicine to influence the stomach, lungs, and intestines. Its cold properties make it useful for clearing heat and phlegm from the lungs and for aiding in the discharge of pus. Traditional Chinese practitioners also use winter melon seeds in medications for helping with urinary problems, lowering cholesterol, and treating kidney disease.

Cautions

Based on experiment results, no toxicity was found in Winter melon seeds. TCM wise, long term consumption of this herb is inadvisable as it may freeze the middle burner.

Interactions

n/a

Other names

Latin name: semen benincasae hispidae
Chinese name: dong gua ren
Other names: ash gourd seed, fuzzy melon seed, wax gourd seed, white gourdseed

References

Source: AskDrMao, http://www.askdrmao.com/natural-health-dictionary/winter-melon-seed/

Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_melon

ChineseHerbsHealing, http://www.chineseherbshealing.com/winter-melon-seeds/

Image source: By 草花写真館 – 草花写真館, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=128157

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