Hairy crab is best enjoyed in moderation.

It's hairy crab season again, and I can't wait to arrange a meal with friends. But a little is good, too much is bad for your stomach, so I only have two each time. Hairy crabs live in the cold, sunless depths of lakes, making them extremely "cold" (yin-heavy) "發物" (foods that may worsen certain conditions). "發物" means that after eating them, wounds are more likely to become reinfected, and allergic reactions may occur. Pregnant women, those with skin allergies, gout sufferers, and individuals with a "cold" body constitution should not eat hairy crabs. Among them, the crab heart is the most "cold" (yin-heavy), and the crab gills, stomach, and intestines filter waste, so these parts should not be eaten either. Crab meat is salty and "cold" (yin-heavy) in nature, acts on the liver meridian, and can promote blood circulation, dispel stasis, and relieve dampness. Many people consume strong tea with crabs, mistakenly believing it aids digestion. However, the tannins in strong tea combine with crab protein to form indigestible precipitates, causing stomach discomfort. To counteract the "coldness" and detoxify after eating crabs, one can drink ginger and brown sugar tea or perilla and ginger tea. Perilla leaves are pungent and warm in nature, act on the lung and spleen meridians, and can induce sweating to relieve external conditions, regulate qi and broaden the chest, warm the stomach and regulate the middle jiao, and detoxify and reduce fever. They can also improve headaches and joint pain caused by wind-cold. Ginger is pungent and warm in nature, acts on the lung, spleen, and stomach meridians, and can warm the lungs to stop coughing and induce sweating to relieve external conditions. It can treat common colds caused by wind-cold, spleen and stomach deficiency-cold, or disharmony of stomach qi. Brown sugar is sweet and warm in nature, acts on the spleen, stomach, and liver meridians, and can tonify the middle jiao to soothe the liver, harmonize the stomach to reduce rebellious qi, harmonize blood to dispel stasis, and regulate menstruation. Although hairy crabs are "cold" (yin-heavy), they also have benefits. They are rich in protein and trace elements, which can promote wound healing. They also have the effects of promoting blood circulation, dispelling stasis, and regulating the intestines and stomach. For those prone to "internal heat," consuming hairy crabs can help clear heat and nourish yin.