According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), mutton has a warm and heating nature, and regular consumption can easily lead to internal heat. Therefore, when eating mutton, it should be paired with cooling or neutral foods to achieve a balancing, cooling, and heat-dispersing effect. However, both vinegar and tea are unsuitable to consume with mutton.

The 'Compendium of Materia Medica' states: "Consuming mutton with vinegar harms the heart." Mutton is heating, and vinegar is sweet and warm; their combination can more easily cause excessive internal heat, so vinegar should not be added to mutton soup. Drinking tea after eating mutton is also not advised, as the tannic acid in tea leaves reacts with the protein in mutton to form a substance called tannic acid protein, which is difficult to digest and can cause constipation. Therefore, when consuming mutton, attention should be paid to balancing the acidity and alkalinity of accompanying foods.