TCM Basics 101: Supermarket Herbs - Pineapple
TCM Nature: Cooling
TCM Taste: Sweet, sour
TCM Meridian Affinity: Stomach, Spleen, Bladder
Benefits:
· Tonifies Yin
· Regulates water
· Disperses Wind
· Quenches thirst
· Diuretic
· Supplements the Spleen
· Increases digestion
· Destroys parasitic worms
Spirituality:
Pineapples are symbols of hospitality and warmth. They express the sentiment of “welcome.” This use of pineapple to make a guest feel well-received is from the rarity of pineapples in America in the 18th century.
The pineapple, known as "ong lai" in Hokkien, holds a special place in Singaporean culture. It is associated with rolling good fortune into new homes and with hospitality.
There is a folktale in the Filipino culture that explains that pineapples got their eyes after a spoiled little girl wasn’t putting much effort into helping her mother or helping to look for things. The story goes that the mother, not knowing her own powers, wished that her daughter had a thousand eyes. The next day her daughter was gone but a beautiful many-eyed pineapple was growing in her yard.
Pineapples carry the energies of strength and power. They are associated with wealth, good fortune and good luck. Courage and stamina can be found from charms made with pineapple.
