Insights · General Health
Chicken when coughing, daily Liang Teh, durian with beer: what holds in TCM.
In brief
Soya sauce does not darken scars; UV and scratching do. Liang Teh is not a daily tonic: cooling teas clear excess heat and can weaken a cold gut. Chicken is warming and can worsen a heaty cough, not a cold one. Lemon does not cause gastritis in a healthy stomach. Durian plus beer is not lethal, but both are heaty and hard on the liver. Pulse and tongue decide, not a family rule.
01 · Inheritance
TCM · science · Singapore
“Girl ah. You're coughing, don't eat chicken.”
“Aiyo, your body so heaty. Come drink Liang Teh.”
Growing up in Singapore, most of us followed quirky beliefs passed down for generations.
Some of those rules have a TCM basis. Some mix a real caution with a story that overshoots. Pulse and tongue still decide when signs mix.
| Belief | Verdict | Clinic read |
|---|---|---|
| Soya sauce darkens scars | Myth | UV and scratching drive pigmentation, not ingested colour |
| Drink Liang Teh every day | It depends | Cooling teas clear excess heat; daily use can weaken a cold gut |
| Cannot eat chicken when coughing | True for heaty cough | Chicken is warming; skip it when phlegm is yellow and the throat is sore |
| Lemon juice causes gastric | Not usually | Acid can irritate reflux, ulcers, and tooth enamel |
| Durian plus beer is fatal | Myth, still skip | Both are heaty, high in fat and sugar, and hard on the liver |
02 · Soya sauce
“Don't eat dark soya sauce when you have chickenpox. Later got scar.”
Myth: eating dark soya sauce after chickenpox or an injury will not darken scars.
Leave the wound alone
The surest way to avoid a darker scar is not to scratch. Cover healing skin from the sun.
“To avoid scarring, leave the wound alone and do not scratch it. The pigment in soya sauce is broken down during digestion and does not travel to the skin.”
03 · Liang Teh
Liang Teh · Liang Cha
“Come drink Liang Teh, chrysanthemum, barley. It's good for you.”
It depends. You should not drink Liang Teh every day if your body does not need it.
Not a standing tonic
There is no need to drink Liang Teh all the time if you are not carrying prolonged heatiness. Even when heat is present, long daily use can overshoot.
What heaty and cooling mean for Liang Cha“There is no need to drink Liang Teh all the time if you are not carrying prolonged heatiness. Even when there is an underlying issue, long use can overshoot. Have constitution read first.”
04 · Chicken
“You coughing. Cannot eat chicken!”
True if the cough is heaty. Chicken is a warming food. Yellow phlegm, a sore throat, and constipation can worsen if you add that heat.
“Because there are so many variations of a cough, skip self-diagnosis. What eases one cough can worsen another.”
Heaty or dry cough
Snow fungus with pear, goji, and red dates is a moistening pot when a heaty or dry cough needs fluid, not more warming meat.
Make the snow fungus pear soup05 · Lemon
“Don't keep drinking lemon or lime juice. Later gastric.”
Not usually. Lemon and lime juice do not directly cause gastritis in a healthy stomach.
Moderation, then investigate
Discomfort is a sign to cut back and have underlying gut issues assessed. In TCM, “gastric” pain and Stomach fire are not the same pattern.
“Like most foods and drinks, take it in moderation. If you feel discomfort, cut back and have underlying gut issues assessed.”
06 · Durian
“Cannot drink beer after eating durian! Will die one.”
Myth: eating durian and drinking beer will not kill you, unless amounts are extreme or you have an allergy.
Still skip the pairing
You probably will not die. Overtaxing digestion and the liver is still a poor idea. Wait 8 to 12 hours between durian and alcohol.
What heaty and cooling mean for durian“You probably will not die, but overtaxing digestion and the liver is still a poor idea. For comfort, do not take them together.”
Bring what you have been eating and how you feel after it. We will name the pattern in plain language.
Clinically reviewed
Advisor (Science & Strategy) / Consultant Physician · TCMPB T1303003A
MOH-licensed TCM physician and biomedical scientist, with clinical work in digestion, pain, sleep or fatigue, and constitution patterns that show as heaty or cooling food reactions.
View full profileEducational information based on clinical experience and TCM principles. Not a substitute for personalised consultation, medical care, or urgent attention. Speak with your physician before starting herbs, strong cooling teas, or new self-care in pregnancy or with a chronic condition. Seek urgent care for high fever, severe pain, or acute illness.
FAQs
Common questions before you change diet, skip chicken, or book a first visit.
The idea that the combination is deadly is a myth; the digestive strain is real. TCM physicians generally recommend waiting at least 8 to 12 hours between durian and alcohol. That window lets the body metabolise the high sugar and sulphur in durian before the liver begins processing alcohol.
If you are skipping chicken because of a heaty cough (yellow phlegm and a sore throat), lean on cooling or neutral proteins and hydrating foods. Steamed white fish, tofu, and pears soothe the Lungs without adding internal heat. See Understanding cough and its remedies for types and soups.
It depends on your signs. If the “cold” is a scratchy, dry throat (heat), a small amount of Liang Teh may help. If you have chills or a runny nose with clear mucus (cold), a cooling tea can drive pathogenic cold deeper.
Dark soya sauce darkening scars is a myth, so you can use it. TCM often favours a bland (清淡, qing dan) diet while tissue repairs. Ginger or spring onion can flavour food and help move Blood, which supports healing.
In Singapore, “gastric” often means acid reflux or stomach pain. Lemon and lime juice are acidic. TCM looks at Stomach fire (heat): bad breath and mouth ulcers. Gastric pain is more often irregular meals or Liver-Stomach disharmony.
Constitution is not fixed; diet and lifestyle shift it. Heaty (Yang-excess) signs often include a red tongue, thirst, and irritability. Cooling (Yin-excess) signs often include cold limbs, a pale complexion, and fatigue. See Heaty vs cooling in TCM for food nature, and Understanding your body constitution for the nine types. Pulse and tongue decide.
Selected sources
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Pattern-led shi liao food guidance, including warming and cooling qualities, after pulse and tongue.
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Programme
Physician-led care for sub-health, digestion, fatigue, and everyday constitution support.
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Next step
Bring what you have been eating and how you feel after it. We will name the pattern in plain language and decide whether food guidance, herbs, or acupuncture belong in your plan.