digestive
Hawthorn Fruit (Shan Zha)
山楂 · Shānzhā
Crataegus pinnatifida
Nature
Warm
Saveur
Sour, sweet
Meridian
Spleen, Stomach, Liver
Shan Zha is the Digestive's best friend — the bright red fruit that dissolves meat stagnation after festive feasts, and the heart-circulation ally that modern lipid research has validated. Charred hawthorn stops dysentery; raw, it moves. Tanghulu street candy and hawthorn flakes alike begin with this fruit.
🌿 Fonctions
- •Promotes digestion (especially of meats)
- •Invigorates blood and dispels stasis
- •Transforms phlegm
- •Relieves food stagnation pain
📖 Usage
9–12 g in decoction; raw for stasis, charred for diarrhea; dried slices steeped as tea after meals.
🔬 Recherche moderne
Hawthorn flavonoids (vitexin, hyperoside) and oligomeric procyanidins have a substantial evidence base for cardiac function and lipid profiles.
⚠️ Contre-indications
Avoid with excess stomach acid, ulcers, pregnancy, and in tooth-sensitive individuals.
