Grain Buds · Tea break · Damp-Heat
Bitter melon, celery & apple juice
Blanched bitter melon blended with celery and apple — lightly sweet, pleasantly bitter and refreshing for clearing damp-heat.
- 12 min
- Serves 2
- Blanch
- Easy
CoolingClears heat & dampEases thirst
Why it suits you: Damp-Heat shows up as spots, a bitter taste in the mouth and dark urine, and Grain Buds is the peak of damp-heat. Bitter melon clears heat, celery drains water and apple adds sweetness to balance the bitterness — drink it at room temperature, not iced.
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 2 min- 1Halve the bitter melon, scoop out the seeds and white pith with a spoon and slice thinly. Toss with a pinch of salt, leave for 5 minutes, then rinse.
- 2Blanch the bitter melon in boiling water for 1 minute and drain — this softens the bitterness and raw edge.
- 3Cut the celery into lengths. Core the apple and cut into chunks, keeping the skin for fibre.
- 4Blend everything with the warm water for 1 minute, strain if you like it smooth, and add honey to taste. Drink straight away — no ice.
Cautions
- Avoid during pregnancy, and skip it if your digestion runs cold or you get loose stools easily.
- Bitter melon lowers blood sugar; if you take diabetes medicine, watch your levels and keep to one glass.
Chef's tips
- Dark green, very bumpy bitter melons are more bitter; if you are new to the taste, choose a pale green one.
- Pour into a flask and drink within 3 hours — it oxidises and darkens if left longer.
The TCM view
Bitter melon is bitter and cold, clears summer heat and toxins; celery is sweet, bitter and cool, calms the liver and drains water; apple is sweet, sour and cool, eases thirst and settles the stomach. Bitter dries damp and cool clears heat; blanching and drinking it at room temperature soften the cold so it is gentler on digestion.
