Is Ginseng Bad for People with a “Hot” Body Type?
A Lesser-Known Fact About Ginseng During the Joseon Dynasty in Korea, ginseng was considered so valuable that ordinary people were not allowed to consume it freely. This was not because ginseng was thought to be dangerous or “too heating,” but because it was regarded as a precious medicinal ingredient capable of significantly influencing the body’s vital energy. For this reason, ginseng has long been viewed not as an everyday food, but as something to be consumed carefully, with close attention to one’s physical condition. So, how true is the commonly heard claim today: “Ginseng is bad for people who have too much heat in their bodies”? Is Ginseng Really a “Heating” Food? In traditional East Asian medicine, ginseng is classified as having a warming nature. This classification often leads to the assumption that ginseng simply raises body temperature or generates excess heat. However, “warming” does not mean that ginseng aggressively increases heat in the body. ...