Fruit is cute. It’s juicy, colorful, and comes with great marketing: “natural sugar,” “vitamins,” “good for you!” But according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), too much fruit—especially the cold, tropical, smoothie-bowl type—isn’t just overkill. It might be throwing serious shade at your Spleen.
Wait... my Spleen has opinions?
Oh yes. In TCM, your Spleen is the queen of digestion. She transforms food into energy (Qi!) and fluids, keeps everything moving, and basically powers your whole body. But she has very specific preferences. She likes warm, cooked, and grounded. Think porridge, soup, steamed veggies. Not cold, raw, sugar-laden fruit straight from the fridge.
So what’s the issue with fruit?
Fruit, especially in excess, is:
- Cold in nature – Chills your digestive fire.
- Damp-producing – Adds moisture overload to your system.
- Sweet AF – Even natural sugar taxes your Spleen when you go overboard.
TCM says this combo creates “dampness”, which isn’t cute. Think bloating, foggy head, loose stools, skin breakouts, and feeling like a sad, heavy sponge.
But it’s summer! Isn’t fruit good when it’s hot?
Sure! A little seasonal fruit eaten at room temp, in moderation, is okay—especially if you're naturally warm or live in a hot climate. But if you’re snacking on watermelon, mango, and frozen acai bowls every day like it’s your full-time job? Yeah, your Spleen’s filing HR complaints.
Signs your Spleen is over it:
- You feel bloated after “healthy” meals
- You’re craving carbs all the time
- Your energy crashes hard in the afternoon
- Your tongue looks swollen or has teeth marks on the sides (yes, check it)
Okay, but what does this have to do with your period?
Here’s the kicker: your Spleen is also responsible for holding your Blood in place. When it gets weak (from all that cold, damp fruit), your Blood gets messy. Like, PMS-y, clotty, irregular-cycle kind of messy.
Too much cold fruit = weak Spleen = poor Blood production + poor Blood containment = cramps, clots, spotting, mood swings, and cycle chaos.
Plus, all that dampness likes to sink into your lower body, right where your uterus lives. That can lead to excess discharge, yeast infections, and feeling “heavy” or “wet” down there—not in the sexy way.
So yes, your papaya obsession might actually be messing with your period.
How to make your Spleen (and your cycle) love you again:
- Cook some fruit – Poached pears, baked apples. Think cozy.
- Warm your breakfast – Smoothie bowls → congee, oats, or soup.
- Stick to seasonal, moderate portions – Fruit is a snack, not a food group.
- Use warming herbs – Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom—your uterus will say thank you.
- Cut the fridge drama – Let that fruit chill out before you eat it.
Final thoughts?
Fruit is not the enemy—but your Spleen doesn’t want to be in a toxic relationship either. If your digestion’s a mess and your period’s being dramatic, it might not be your hormones. It might just be the pineapple.
Respect your Spleen. Support your cycle. And maybe save the smoothie bowl for Bali.
