Date: 06/28/2025 06/29/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Buddhist Diet and Regimen
Coix Seed and Its Dampness-Dispelling Benefits
Summary
Coix seed, also known as Job’s Tears or Chinese pearl barley, is a widely used grain in traditional Chinese medicine and plant-based diets for its powerful dampness-expelling properties. Mildly sweet and slightly cold in nature, coix seed targets the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians, promoting urination, enhancing digestion, and clearing internal dampness. This article outlines the key active compounds, the mechanisms by which coix seed eliminates dampness, and practical ways to incorporate it into your diet.
1. Key Nutrients and Active Components
1.Dietary Fiber: Enhances bowel movement and reduces bloating caused by internal dampness.
2.Coixenolide: A unique compound with anti-inflammatory, metabolic, and immune-regulating effects.
3.B Vitamins: Support energy metabolism and help relieve fatigue caused by damp stagnation.
4.Potassium: Promotes fluid balance and diuretic effects to reduce water retention.
2. How Coix Seed Dispels Dampness
1.Promotes Urination: Coix seed enhances kidney function to expel excess fluids, reducing swelling and water retention.
2.Strengthens the Spleen: By improving the spleen’s digestive and absorptive functions, it helps eliminate dampness at its root.
3.Relieves Pain from Damp Blockage: Commonly used for joint pain and heaviness in limbs caused by damp obstruction in meridians.
4.Improves Skin Health: Helps clear acne and rough skin associated with internal damp-heat accumulation.
3. Common Preparations and Healing Recipes
1.Coix Seed & Red Bean Soup: Clears heat and reduces swelling—ideal for those with damp-heat constitution.
2.Coix Seed & Lotus Seed Porridge: Calms the mind and tonifies the spleen—good for people with weakness and dampness.
3.Roasted Coix Seed Tea: Warmer in nature, suitable for long-term use by those with cold-prone digestive systems and internal dampness.
4.Coix Seed & Chinese Yam Soup: Supports spleen and stomach function—ideal for people in recovery.
4. Consumption Tips and Precautions
1.Best For: People with symptoms of dampness—edema, loose stools, acne, heaviness in limbs, or obesity.
2.Use With Caution: Not suitable for pregnant women, or individuals with very weak digestion or dry constitutions.
3.Frequency: 2–3 times per week is generally appropriate, adjustable based on personal condition.
4.Preparation Tip: Soak coix seeds for at least 4 hours before cooking to soften texture and improve digestibility.
