大麦芽，味咸，气温，无毒。入脾、胃二经。尤化米食，消痰亦效。孕妇勿服，多用恐
堕胎
元，若只用一、二钱，亦无妨。惟大麦煎糖，孕妇切戒。多食极消肾水，必损胎元矣。
或问麦芽亦米谷之类，何以能消米食？不知麦芽虽与米谷同类，而气味相克，麦钟四时
之气
，而尤得夏气俱多，米谷则得秋气者也。夏气克秋，米谷逢麦，犹秋得夏气也，安得不消化
乎。
或问麦芽消食，亦能消痰，江北中州之人尤善食面，宜痰食之咸化矣，何以消食多痰之
比比
乎？夫麦芽，乃大麦之芽，非小麦之芽也。大麦与小麦性殊，而功用各别，小麦养人而大麦
伤人，且麦芽与未发芽之麦，功用亦殊也。未芽之大麦性静，已芽之大麦性动，动则变，变
则化矣。又何之疑乎。
或问小麦亦得夏气，何以不克米谷？不知小麦虽与大麦同类，而早晚之性实异。大麦得
夏之
初气，小麦得夏之中气，初气克削，中气和平。故大麦消谷，而小麦养胃，且小麦无须芒，
房亦易脱，形体亦甚不同。试看大麦芒能消无形之水肿，而小麦之房不能消湿，非一补一消
之明验乎。
赤小豆，味辛、甘、酸，气温而平，阴中之阳，无毒。入脾经。下水，治黄烂疮，解酒
醉，
燥湿浸手足肿大，疗香港脚入脐高突。但专利水逐津，久服令人枯燥，亦可暂用以利水，而不
可久用以渗湿。湿症多属气虚，气虚利水，转利转虚，而湿愈不能去矣，况赤小豆专利下体
之水，而不能利上身之湿。盖下体之湿，真湿也，用之而效。上身之湿，虚湿也，用之而益
甚，不可不辨也。
或问赤小豆，即家园之红豆乎？曰∶别是一种，其色如朱而发光，头上一点黑如漆。若
家园
之红豆，名曰红，而色实紫，能疗饥，而不能利水去湿，多食亦败血，功用与赤小豆迥别。
切勿以家园之红豆，而错用之也。
大麦芽，味道咸，性质温，没有毒性。归入脾、胃两条经络。特别擅长消化米面类食物，消除痰饮也有疗效。孕妇不要服用，用量过多恐怕会导致流产，如果只使用一两钱（少量），也没有妨碍。唯独大麦煎制的糖，孕妇必须严格禁忌。多吃会极度消耗肾阴（肾水），必然损伤胎元。
有人问：麦芽也是米谷之类，为什么能消化米食？不知道麦芽虽然与米谷同类，但气味相克。麦钟（指麦子的生长过程或形态）汇聚了四季之气，尤其多得夏季之气，而米谷则是获得秋季之气的。夏季之气克制秋季之气，米谷遇到麦芽，就像秋天遇到了夏季之气，怎么能不消化呢？
有人问：麦芽消食，也能消痰，江北中原地区的人特别善于吃面食，按理说痰和食应该被大量化解，为什么消食多痰的现象比比皆是呢？夫麦芽，是大麦的芽，不是小麦的芽。大麦与小麦性质不同，功效也各自有别。小麦滋养人，而大麦伤害人，而且发芽的麦芽与未发芽的麦子，功效也不同。未发芽的大麦性质静止，已发芽的大麦性质活跃，活跃就会变化，变化就能化生。这有什么可怀疑的呢？
有人问：小麦也得到夏季之气，为什么不克制米谷？不知道小麦虽然与大麦同类，但早晚的性质确实不同。大麦得到夏季之初气，小麦得到夏季之中气。初气具有克削作用，中气平和。所以大麦能消谷，而小麦养胃，且小麦无须芒，麦壳也容易脱落，形体也非常不同。试看大麦的芒能消除无形的浮肿，而小麦的麦壳不能消除湿气，这不是一补一消的明显证据吗？
赤小豆，味道辛、甘、酸，性质温而平，属于阴中之阳，没有毒性。归入脾经。能利水下泄，治疗黄水烂疮，解酒醉，燥湿治疗手足肿大，疗治香港脚（足部肿胀溃烂）导致脐部高突。但是专门利尿逐津液，久服使人干枯粗糙，也可以暂时用来利水，但不能长久用来渗湿。湿症多属于气虚，气虚时利水，越利水气越虚，而湿气越不能去除，况且赤小豆专门利下体的水，而不能利上身之湿。大概下体之湿，是真湿，用它有效。上身之湿，是虚湿，用它反而更严重，不可不辨别清楚。
有人问：赤小豆，就是家里的红豆吗？回答说：是另一种，颜色像朱砂一样发光，头上有一点黑色像漆一样。如果是家里的红豆，名字叫红，但颜色其实是紫色，能充饥，但不能利水去湿，多吃也会败血，功效与赤小豆截然不同。千万不要把家里的红豆错用成赤小豆。
Da Mai Ya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus), salty in flavor, warm in nature, non-toxic. Enters the Spleen and Stomach meridians. It is particularly effective in digesting rice and grain foods and resolving phlegm. Pregnant women should avoid taking it; excessive use may cause miscarriage. However, using only one or two qian (approx. 3-6 grams) is harmless. Specifically, sugar brewed from Da Mai (Hordeum vulgare) must be strictly prohibited for pregnant women. Excessive consumption severely depletes Kidney Yin (Kidney Water), inevitably damaging the fetal origin.
One might ask: Since Mai Ya is also a type of grain, why can it digest rice food? The reason is that although Mai Ya is similar to grains in category, their flavors and properties counteract each other. Mai Ya gathers the Qi of the four seasons, especially possessing abundant Summer Qi, whereas grains possess Autumn Qi. Summer Qi overcomes Autumn Qi; when grains encounter Mai Ya, it is akin to Autumn encountering Summer Qi. How could digestion not occur?
Another question arises: Mai Ya digests food and resolves phlegm. People in the Jiangbei and Central Plains regions consume large amounts of wheat noodles; theoretically, phlegm and food should be largely resolved. Why are cases of food stagnation with phlegm so common? Mai Ya is the sprout of Da Mai (Barley), not Xiao Mai (Wheat). Da Mai and Xiao Mai have different natures and distinct functions. Xiao Mai nourishes the body, while Da Mai can harm it. Furthermore, the function of sprouted Mai Ya differs from un-sprouted wheat. Un-sprouted Da Mai has a static nature, while sprouted Da Mai has an active nature. Activity leads to transformation, and transformation leads to digestion. What is there to doubt?
One asks: Xiao Mai also receives Summer Qi, so why does it not overcome grains? Although Xiao Mai is similar to Da Mai, their early and mid-season natures differ. Da Mai receives the initial Qi of Summer, which has a reducing/overcoming quality, while Xiao Mai receives the middle Qi of Summer, which is peaceful. Therefore, Da Mai digests grains, while Xiao Mai nourishes the Stomach. Additionally, Xiao Mai lacks awns, and its husks detach easily, making its physical form quite different. Observe that the awns of Da Mai can resolve formless edema, whereas the husks of Xiao Mai cannot resolve dampness. Is this not clear evidence of one being tonifying and the other draining?
Chi Xiao Dou (Adzuki Bean), pungent, sweet, and sour in flavor, warm yet neutral in nature, representing Yang within Yin, non-toxic. Enters the Spleen meridian. It promotes urination to drain fluids, treats weeping yellow ulcers, relieves alcohol intoxication, dries dampness causing swelling of hands and feet, and treats Hong Kong Foot (podagra/swollen foot) where the umbilicus protrudes. However, it specifically drains water and expels body fluids; long-term use causes dryness and roughness. It can be used temporarily to promote diuresis but should not be used long-term to seep out dampness. Dampness syndromes often belong to Qi deficiency. If diuretics are used for Qi deficiency, the more one urinates, the weaker the Qi becomes, and the dampness cannot be removed. Moreover, Chi Xiao Dou specifically drains water from the lower body but cannot drain dampness from the upper body. Dampness in the lower body is "true dampness," and treatment is effective. Dampness in the upper body is "deficiency dampness"; using Chi Xiao Dou here exacerbates the condition. This distinction must not be overlooked.
One asks: Is Chi Xiao Dou the same as the red beans found in home gardens? The answer is no; it is a different species. Its color shines like cinnabar, with a black spot on the head resembling lacquer. The garden red bean, named "Hong," is actually purple in color. It can alleviate hunger but cannot promote diuresis or remove dampness. Excessive consumption damages blood. Its functions are completely different from Chi Xiao Dou. Do not mistakenly use garden red beans in place of Chi Xiao Dou.