Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2025-12-19
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
Hairy Fig, a Moraceae plant, boosts spleen and lung health while promoting circulation. Discover who should avoid it, plus benefits, contraindications, and proper consumption methods from the Bowtie team.
What is Hairy Fig?
Hairy Fig (scientific name: Ficus hirta) is a perennial shrub in the Moraceae family, containing components such as organic acids, amino acids, triterpenoids, and flavonoids. It mainly originates from mainland China, distributed in South China, Southwest China, and regions like Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Hunan. Both the roots and stems and leaves of hairy Fig can be used as medicine, with the roots being the most commonly used. Traditional Chinese medicine texts describe it as having a sweet and bland taste, warm nature, and tonic effects. In Hong Kong, Hairy Fig is often added to soups or medicinal cuisine for daily care and nourishment.
What are the Benefits and Effects of Hairy Fig?
- Strengthens the Spleen : Enhances spleen and stomach function, promotes appetite, aids digestion, and improves fatigue or physical weakness caused by spleen deficiency.
- Resolves Phlegm and Stops Cough: Its mild nature helps alleviate cough and excessive phlegm, often used with other Chinese herbs to treat respiratory symptoms (such as chronic bronchitis).
- Expels Dampness and Promotes Diuresis: Helps with urination and relieves swelling, suitable for those with dampness-related conditions or edema in the lower limbs.
- Nourishes the Body and Strengthens the Muscles and Bones
- Moistens the Lungs and Strengthens the Liver
- Postpartum Lactation Promotion: Suitable for postpartum women with qi deficiency and insufficient milk production, as its spleen-strengthening and qi-replenishing effects can help promote lactation.
Are There Any Taboos for Consuming Hairy Fig? Who Should Avoid It?
- Individuals with Fever or Colds : Traditional Chinese medicine advises that people with external fever symptoms (such as colds or fever) should avoid it, as the warming and tonic properties of Hairy Fig may worsen the fever.
- Those with Yin Deficiency and Fire Excess Constitution : If symptoms include dry mouth, night sweats, irritability, or a red tongue with little coating, indicating yin deficiency and fire excess, consuming Hairy Fig may exacerbate these symptoms.
- People Allergic to Moraceae Plants : As Hairy Fig belongs to the Moraceae family, those allergic to such plants may experience reactions like rashes, itching, or difficulty breathing.
- Pregnant Women and Breastfeeding Mothers : Due to its warming and tonic effects, which may affect the fetus or breastfeeding, it is recommended to consult a doctor before consumption.
- Individuals with Impaired Liver or Kidney Function : Studies show that Hairy Fig contains flavonoids, and excessive intake may burden the liver and kidneys, so those with liver or kidney issues should be cautious.
What Should Not Be Eaten with Hairy Fig?
There is currently no clear clinical evidence indicating that Hairy Fig causes severe adverse reactions or absolute contraindications when consumed with specific foods or herbs, but precautions should still be taken:
- Avoid Combining with Cold or Strongly Stimulating Foods: Hairy Fig has a warming and tonic nature, so combining it with large amounts of cold foods (such as herbal teas, bitter gourd, or watermelon), or high-fat and spicy items, may reduce its spleen-strengthening and dampness-expelling effects.
- Be Cautious When Combining with Other Tonic Supplements: Taking it in large quantities with high-dose tonics like ginseng or deer antler may cause symptoms of internal heat in individuals with a hot constitution or yin deficiency and fire excess.
- Consult Professionals if Taking with Prescription Medications: When using chronic disease medications (such as anticoagulants, blood pressure drugs, or diabetes medications), it is advisable to consult a doctor or registered Chinese medicine practitioner.
Common remedies like Hairy Fig soup are safe to consume with most typical medicinal ingredients (such as Chinese yam, coix seeds, lotus seeds, lean meat, or chicken). If you have a special constitution or are on long-term medication for chronic conditions, consult healthcare professionals or Chinese medicine experts first.
Top 4 Hairy Fig Soup Recipes
Hairy Fig Red Bean and Hyacinth Bean Soup
[Ingredients] 15g Hairy Fig, 30g red beans, 20g hyacinth beans, one piece of dried tangerine peel, 2 honey dates, 2L water, 500g lean meat
[Benefits] Strengthens the spleen and benefits the lungs, dispels dampness.
[Instructions] Blanch the lean meat. Wash and soak the Hairy Fig for 30 minutes; wash and soak the red beans and hyacinth beans for at least 3 hours. Wash the honey dates and set aside. Soak the dried tangerine peel until soft, remove the white pith, and set aside. In a large pot, add water and the dried tangerine peel. Once boiling, add the remaining ingredients, then switch to medium-low heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. Season with salt and drink at a suitable temperature.
Hairy Fig Chinese Yam Soup
[Ingredients] 30g Hairy Fig, 20g Chinese yam, 15g poria, 12g almonds (north and south), two pieces of dried tangerine peel, 250g lean meat
[Benefits] Strengthens the spleen and benefits the lungs, dispels dampness.
[Instructions] Blanch the lean meat first. Wash and soak the other ingredients for 30 minutes; soak the dried tangerine peel until soft, remove the white pith, and set aside. In a large pot, add 2L of water and the dried tangerine peel. Once boiling, add the remaining ingredients, then switch to medium-low heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. Season with salt and drink at a suitable temperature.
Hairy Fig Smilax Glabra Soup
[Ingredients] 30g Hairy Fig, 30g cowherb, 20g sea coconut, 30g smilax glabra, 1 carrot, one piece of dried tangerine peel, 2 honey dates, 500g lean meat
[Benefits] Strengthens the spleen and benefits the lungs, clears heat, and dispels dampness.
[Instructions] Blanch the lean meat. Soak the dried tangerine peel until soft, remove the white pith, and set aside. Wash and peel the carrot, then cut it into pieces. Wash and soak the remaining ingredients for 30 minutes and set aside. In a large pot, add 2L of water and the dried tangerine peel. Once boiling, add the remaining ingredients (place the herbs in a soup bag), then switch to medium-low heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. Season with salt and drink at a suitable temperature.
Hairy Fig Corn and Carrot Soup
[Ingredients] 60g Hairy Fig, 1 carrot, 250g fresh Chinese yam, 40g chestnut meat, 30g seeds of Job’s tears, 3 dried figs, 1 corn
[Benefits] Strengthens the spleen and benefits the lungs, moistens dryness
[Instructions] Wash and soak the Hairy Fig for 30 minutes. Wash, peel, and cut the fresh Chinese yam and carrot into pieces. Wash and cut the corn into segments. Wash the seeds of Job’s tears and cut a cross into the dried figs. Wash the chestnut meat and set aside. In a large pot, add 2L of water. Once boiling, add all the ingredients, then switch to medium-low heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. Season with salt and drink at a suitable temperature.How to Select Hairy Fig?
When selecting Hairy Fig, first check the color: If the surface is yellowish-brown and the cross-section is yellowish-white, it’s ideal; if it’s brightly yellow, it may have been treated with sulfur for preservation. Next, examine the texture: High-quality Hairy Fig has a dense cross-section with clear concentric rings. Finally, smell it: It should have a faint coconut or milky scent; if there’s no faint aroma or it smells sour, it’s inferior.
Proper Handling Methods for Hairy Fig
- First, soak in clean water for about 15-20 minutes, then rinse off any surface impurities or dust.
- If it’s a whole root, it’s recommended to slice it to facilitate the release of active ingredients when making soup or medicinal cuisine.
- If you need to remove the bitter taste, soak it in warm water for 10-20 minutes, then cook in a pot.
- Storage: Unused dried Hairy Fig should be stored in a sealed container in a cool, dry place to avoid moisture and mold. Fresh Hairy Fig can be refrigerated but should be used within 3-5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What season is Hairy Fig most suitable for drinking?
It can be consumed all year round, especially suitable in the humid and hot summer.
Can confusing Hairy Fig with toxic plants like Gelsemium elegans cause death?
Hairy Fig is non-toxic and can be used as an ingredient or medicinal herb, but be cautious as it often grows near the highly toxic plant Goushiceng (also known as Gelsemium elegans or heartbreak grass), which looks similar. Consuming Gelsemium elegans can lead to poisoning symptoms such as dizziness, slurred speech, muscle relaxation and weakness, difficulty swallowing, drooping eyelids, dilated pupils, burning pain in the mouth and throat, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and difficulty breathing. Therefore, purchase from reputable pharmacies, consult a Chinese medicine practitioner before using any herbal medicine, and follow their instructions. Avoid picking wild plants for consumption to prevent poisoning.
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