补肾。
咸温。浓肠胃。补肾气。（能解羊膻。）小儿不可多食。生则难化。熟则滞气。（小儿疳
疮、
生嚼栗子敷之、韦刺入肉、金刃斧伤、方同。）
补脾胃、润心肺、调营卫、和百药。
甘温。补中益气。滋脾土。润心肺。调营卫。缓阴血。生津液。悦颜色。通九窍。助十
二经
。和百药。伤寒及补剂中加用之。以发脾胃升腾之气。（须与姜并行。）红枣功用相仿。
差不及尔。虽补中而味过于甘。中满者忌之。（甘令人满、大建中汤、心下痞者减饧枣、与
甘草同例。经言、枣为脾果、脾病宜食之、又曰∶脾病患毋多食甘、毋乃相戾耶、不知言
宜食者、指不足之脾也、如脾虚泄泻之类、毋多食者、指有余之脾也、如实满肿胀之类、凡
用药者、能随其虚实而变通之、虽寻常品味、必获神功、苟执而泥之、虽有良剂、莫展其长
、故学人以格致为亟也。）凡风疾痰热及齿痛。俱非所宜。小儿疳病亦禁。生者尤为不利。
北产肥润坚实者佳。（金华南枣及徽宁所产、皮薄而皱、花纹甚细而可爱、味虽甘美、而微
带酸、且脂少于北枣、止可充食用、皆不堪入药、宏景曰∶南枣大恶、不堪啖、苏颂曰∶江
南出者坚燥少脂、不可入药。）杀乌附毒。忌葱、鱼同食。（诸疮久坏不愈者、枣膏三升、煎
水频洗、取愈。食椒闭气、食枣即解。）以上五果类。
补肾。
性味咸、温。能浓密肠胃（使肠胃充实）。补益肾气。（能够解除羊肉的膻腥味。）小儿不宜多吃。生吃难以消化，熟吃容易阻滞气机。（适用于小儿疳积疮疡；将栗子生嚼后敷于患处，可治疗韦刺入肉、金刃斧伤等外伤，用法相同。）
补益脾胃，滋润心肺，调和营卫，协调百药。
性味甘、温。补中益气。滋养脾土。滋润心肺。调和营卫。缓和阴血（滋养阴血）。生津液。美容颜。通利九窍。助益十二经脉。协调百药。在伤寒病及补益剂中加入使用，以激发脾胃升发之气。（必须与生姜同用。）红枣的功效与此相似，只是稍差一些。虽然能补中焦，但味道过于甘甜，中焦胀满者忌用。（甘味使人产生胀满感，《金匮要略》大建中汤证见心下痞者减少饴糖和枣，与甘草的使用原则相同。经书说：枣是脾之果，脾病适宜食用；又说：脾病患者不要多吃甘味食物，这难道不矛盾吗？不知道说适宜食用，是指脾气不足的脾，如脾虚泄泻之类；说不要多吃，是指脾气有余的脾，如实邪导致的胀满肿胀之类。凡是用药的人，能根据虚实情况灵活变通，即使是普通的食品，也一定能获得神奇功效；如果固执拘泥，即使有良方妙剂，也无法发挥其长处，所以学习医学的人以探究事物原理为急务。）凡是风疾、痰热以及齿痛，都不适宜服用。小儿疳病也禁止服用。生吃尤其不利。北方产地的肥大、润泽、坚实者为佳。（金华南枣以及徽州、宁国所产的，皮薄且皱缩，花纹非常细密可爱，味道虽然甘美，但微带酸味，且油脂少于北枣，只可充作食用，都不堪入药。陶弘景说：南枣很不好，不堪食用；苏颂说：江南出产的枣坚硬干燥少油脂，不可入药。）能杀灭乌头、附子的毒性。忌与葱、鱼同食。（各种疮疡久溃不愈者，用枣膏三升，煎水频繁清洗，可治愈。吃花椒导致气闭，吃枣即可解除。）以上属于五果类。
Tonify the Kidney.
Salty and warm. Thickens the stomach and intestines (strengthens the gastrointestinal tract). Tonifies Kidney Qi. (Can resolve the muttony odor of sheep meat.) Children should not consume it in excess. Raw consumption is difficult to digest; cooked consumption may stagnate Qi. (Applicable to pediatric gan syndrome sores; chew raw chestnuts and apply as a poultice to treat injuries such as splinter penetration, cuts from blades or axes, using the same method.)
Tonify the Spleen and Stomach, moisten the Heart and Lungs, harmonize Ying and Wei (Nutritive and Defensive Qi), and harmonize with various herbs.
Sweet and warm. Tonifies the Middle Jiao and supplements Qi. Nourishes Spleen Earth. Moistens the Heart and Lungs. Harmonizes Ying and Wei. Softens/nourishes Yin Blood. Generates body fluids. Enhances complexion. Opens the nine orifices. Assists the twelve meridians. Harmonizes with various herbs. Added to treatments for Shanghan (Cold Damage) and tonifying formulas to stimulate the ascending and transforming Qi of the Spleen and Stomach. (Must be used concurrently with Shengjiang [Fresh Ginger Rhizome].) Hongzao (Red Date) has similar functions, though slightly inferior. Although it tonifies the Middle Jiao, its taste is overly sweet; those with fullness in the middle jiao should avoid it. (Sweetness causes fullness. In the Da Jian Zhong Tang formula, if there is epigastric痞 [stagnation/fullness], Yi Tang [Maltose] and Zao are reduced, following the same principle as Gancao [Licorice Root]. The classics state: "Zao is the fruit of the Spleen, suitable for Spleen diseases"; yet they also say: "Patients with Spleen disorders should not eat much sweetness." Are these statements contradictory? One must understand that "suitable" refers to Spleen deficiency, such as Spleen-deficiency diarrhea; while "do not eat much" refers to Spleen excess, such as true fullness and swelling. Practitioners who can adapt flexibly according to deficiency and excess will achieve miraculous results even with common foods. If one is rigid and dogmatic, even good prescriptions cannot display their efficacy. Therefore, scholars of medicine prioritize investigating things to acquire knowledge.) It is not suitable for wind-diseases, phlegm-heat, or toothache. Pediatric gan syndrome is also contraindicated. Raw consumption is particularly disadvantageous. Those produced in the North, which are plump, moist, and firm, are superior. (Nanzao [Southern Dates] from Jinhua and those from Huizhou and Ningguo have thin, wrinkled skins with fine, attractive patterns. Although sweet and delicious, they have a slight sourness and less oil than northern dates. They are only suitable for food, not for medicinal use. Tao Hongjing stated: "Southern dates are very bad and inedible." Su Song stated: "Dates from Jiangnan are hard, dry, and lack oil, unsuitable for medicine.") It can neutralize the toxicity of Wutou [Aconite Root] and Fuzi [Prepared Aconite Root]. Contraindicated with Cong [Scallion] and Yu [Fish]. (For chronic ulcers that fail to heal, wash frequently with water boiled with San Sheng [three sheng units] of Zao Gao [Date Paste] until healed. Eating Jiaojiao [Pepper] causes Qi closure; eating Zao resolves it.) These belong to the category of Five Fruits.