Under-Eye Bags — TCM Food Therapy & Dietary Approach
In TCM, the eyelid is the "flesh wheel" and belongs to the spleen.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Patterns
In TCM, this concern is differentiated into several patterns, each with a classical herbal formula:
Spleen deficiency with exuberant dampness (Water-Dampness Puffiness of the Eye Bags)
Formula: Shenling Baizhu San (Ginseng, Poria and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder) — from *Formulary of the Bureau of the People's Welfare Pharmacies*
Kidney deficiency with blood stasis (Dark Circles under the Eyes due to Essence Deficiency and Blood Stasis)
Formula: Liuwei Dihuang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) — from *Key to Therapeutics of Children's Diseases*; *Corrections of Errors in Medical Classics*
These formulas are for reference under TCM syndrome differentiation and should only be used under the guidance of a qualified practitioner.
Food Therapy & Diet
Dietary Therapy Recipes
- Chinese Yam and Coix Seed Porridge: 50 g Chinese yam (shanyao), 15 g coix seed, 100 g polished round-grained rice. Cook into porridge.
- White Hyacinth Bean and Chinese Yam Tea: 20 g white hyacinth bean (baibiandou), 20 g Chinese yam. Boil in water and drink as tea.
- White Hyacinth Bean Flower Porridge: decoct 10–15 g white hyacinth bean flower to obtain the juice, then add 50 g polished round-grained rice and cook into porridge.
- Wolfberry and Pork Liver Soup: 50 g wolfberry fruit (gouqizi), 400 g pork liver, 2 slices of fresh ginger. Cook into soup.
- Angelica Chicken Porridge: 10 g angelica root (danggui), 3 g Sichuan lovage root (chuanxiong), 5 g astragalus (huangqi), 2 g safflower (honghua), 100 g polished round-grained rice. Cook into porridge.
Dietary Principles
- Favor foods that fortify the spleen and dispel damp (Chinese yam, coix seed, white hyacinth bean, poria, gorgon fruit, jujube).
- Favor foods that supplement the kidney, nourish blood and activate blood (wolfberry fruit, black sesame, walnut, pork liver, black fungus, kelp, egg).
- Favor a light, warm, easily digested diet with adequate quality protein and vitamins A and C.
- Avoid raw, cold, greasy, over-salty and sweet foods and snacks.
- Avoid staying up late, excessive use of the eyes, and drinking too much water before bedtime.
Understanding the Condition
In TCM, the eyelid is the "flesh wheel" and belongs to the spleen. Spleen qi deficiency may allow water-damp to accumulate and flood upward into the eyelid, producing puffy under-eye bags. The kidney governs water and stores essence, and its associated color is black; kidney deficiency with depletion of essence and blood and stagnant blood may be associated with dark circles under the lower eyelid.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.