Summarised by Dr. Sue Xiang with the support of DeepSeek™
In the world of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the line between food and medicine is beautifully blurred. The ancient Chinese believed that "medicine and food share the same source," a philosophy that emphasizes the healing power of everyday ingredients. From ginger to goji berries, many foods we consume are not just nourishment for the body but also potent remedies for balancing our internal systems. In this blog, we’ll dive into the fascinating concept of food as medicine in TCM, exploring how specific foods are categorized by their energetic properties, flavors, and healing effects. Whether you’re looking to boost your energy, cool inflammation, or simply eat in harmony with the seasons, this ancient wisdom offers timeless insights for modern living. Let’s uncover how your kitchen can become your first pharmacy!
在传统中医 (TCM) 的世界里，食物和药物之间的界限非常模糊。古代中国人认为“药食同源”，这一哲学强调日常食材的治愈能力。从生姜到枸杞，我们吃的许多食物不仅是身体的营养，也是平衡我们内部系统的强效药物。在这篇博客中，我们将深入探讨中医中令人着迷的食物作为药物的概念，探索如何根据特定食物的能量特性、风味和治愈效果对其进行分类。无论您是想增强能量、消炎，还是只是想顺应季节进食，这种古老的智慧都能为现代生活提供永恒的见解。让我们来揭秘您的厨房如何成为您的第一家药房！
Below are a series of tables summarizing food properties based on Chinese medicine principles, and all the “Kitchen food” have been categorized, compared based on the Chinese Medicine properties. 下面是一系列根据中医原理总结食物特性的表格，所有“厨房食物”都已根据中医特性进行了分类和对比。
Table 1: General Food Category and Chinese Medicine Properties (表1：一般食品类别及中药属性)
| Food Category 食物分类 | Chinese Medicine Properties 中医特性 |
|---|---|
| Cold (寒性) | These foods help clear heat and reduce internal fire, some also promotes urination; suitable for individuals with “heat” constitutions or during hot seasons. 食材具有较强的清热、解暑、降火, 利尿消肿作用，适合热性体质、暑热季节或内热者。 |
| Cool (凉性) | These foods have a mildly cooling effect and help reduce internal heat in a gentler way. 性质稍弱于“寒性”，有助于降温清火，但作用较温和。 |
| Neutral (平性) | Neutral foods are balanced and generally suitable for most people. 味性温和，适合大多数人群，作为日常饮食均衡之选。 |
| Warm (温性) | Warming foods help support yang and are ideal for individuals with cold constitutions or during colder weather. 具有温补、助阳的作用，适合寒性体质、体虚者或寒冷季节。 |
| Hot (热性) | Hot foods provide a strong warming effect and are useful for dispelling cold; however, they should be used with caution by those with excess internal heat. 性质较热，能够明显温中散寒，但内热者应慎用。 |
Table 2: Vegetables (蔬菜) TCM categories (表2：蔬菜中药类别)
| Category 分类 | Vegetables 蔬菜 |
|---|---|
| Cold (寒性) | Chinese Cabbage (大白菜), Water Spinach (空心菜), Western Celery (西芹), Bitter Melon (苦瓜), Purple Seaweed (紫菜), Kelp (海帶). |
| Cool (凉性) | Leafy veggies: 生菜 (Lettuce),莴笋 (Celtuce/Asparagus Lettuce), Cucumber (黃瓜). Winter Melon (冬瓜), Gourd (葫蘆), Loofah (絲瓜), Chayote (佛手瓜), Eggplant (茄子), Mountain Lettuce (山萵苣), Dragon Beard (龍鬚菜), Wheatgrass, White Phoenix (白鳳菜), Celery (芹菜), Rapeseed (油菜), Okra (秋葵), Red Amaranth (紅莧菜), Sweet Potato Leaves (番薯葉), Seaweed (海藻), Fatty Choy (肥仔菜). Red Leaf (紅菜) Golden Needle Mushrooms (金针菇, Flammulina velutipes) Root veggies: Bamboo Shoots (竹筍): Asparagus (蘆筍): Water Bamboo (茭白筍): White Radish (白蘿蔔): Radish (紅蘿蔔): Burdock (牛蒡): Lotus Root (蓮藕) (Neutral if cooked), Lily Bulb (百合). Neutral to slightly cool: 菠菜 (Spinach), Chinese Spinach (莧菜), Bok Choy (小白菜), Yellow Bean Sprouts (黃豆芽), Straw Mushrooms (草菇, Volvariella volvacea), White Fungus (银耳, Tremella fuciformis) |
| Neutral (平性) | Red cabbage (紫甘藍), cabbage高麗菜, green pepper青椒, alfalfa sprouts (苜蓿芽), baby corn (玉米筍), sweet pepper (甜椒). Western Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), Black Fungus (黑木耳, Auricularia auricula), King Oyster Mushrooms (杏鲍菇, Pleurotus eryngii), Button Mushrooms (白蘑菇, Agaricus bisporus), Abalone Mushrooms (鲍鱼菇, Pleurotus cystidiosus) Root veggies: Potato (馬鈴薯): Yam (山藥), Taro (芋頭), Fox Nut (芡實) |
| Warm (温性) | Chinese Kale (芥蘭), Chives (韭菜), Chive Flowers (韭菜花), Perilla (紫蘇), Neutral to slightly warm: Black Bean Sprouts (黑豆芽), Mustard Greens (芥菜), Red Capsicum (紅椒), Pumpkin (南瓜), Capsicum (燈籠椒). Shitake Mushrooms (香菇, Lentinula edodes) Root veggies: Sweet Potato (地瓜): Carrot (胡蘿蔔) (slightly warm) |
| Hot (热性) | Hot: Garlic (大蒜) Chili Peppers (辣椒) Warm to hot: Onion (洋葱), Green Onion/Scallion (葱), Leek (韭葱) |
| Key Notes: | • Cooling foods are ideal for clearing heat, reducing inflammation, and balancing excess warmth in the body. • Neutral foods are safe for most people and are used to nourish and harmonize without significantly affecting the body's thermal balance. • Slightly warm foods are gentle and can help tonify yang and improve circulation without being overly heating. • True "hot" vegetables are rare, foods with "hot" properties are the most warming and are used to strongly dispel cold, stimulate circulation, and tonify yang energy. Hot: Garlic, chili peppers, or Warm to hot: Onion, green onion, leek. These foods are particularly useful for individuals with cold or yang-deficient conditions, such as cold limbs, poor circulation, or digestive weakness due to cold. |
Table 3: Fruits (水果) TCM categories (表3：水果中药类别)
| Category 分类 | Fruits 水果 |
|---|---|
| Cold (寒性) | Watermelon (西瓜), Bitter Melon (苦瓜) |
| Cool (凉性) | Banana (香蕉), Cherry Tomato (樱桃番茄), Dragon Fruit (火龙果),Grapefruit (葡萄柚), Hami Melon (哈密瓜), Kiwi (猕猴桃), Lemon (柠檬), Loquat (枇杷), Mangosteen (山竹), Muskmelon (香瓜), Mandarin (橘子),Orange (橙子),Pear (梨), Passionfruit (百香果), Pomelo (柚子), Persimmon (柿子), Sugarcane (甘蔗),Strawberry (草莓), Tangelo (橘柚), Tomato (番茄), Starfruit (杨桃). Western Pear (西洋梨) |
| Neutral (平性) | Neutral to slightly cool: Apple (苹果), Avocado, Coconut (椰子), Duck Pear鸭梨, Fig无花果, Grape葡萄, Olive橄榄, Pomegranate石榴, Pineapple菠萝, Rambutan红毛丹 Neutral to slightly warm: Jackfruit, Custard Apple, Dry Persimmon, Jujube红枣, Peach桃子, Bayberry杨梅, Cherry樱桃, Kumquat金橘, Mango芒果 |
| Warm (温性) | Warm to hot: Lychee (荔枝), Longan (龙眼), Red Date红枣 |
| Hot (热性) | Durian榴莲 |
| Key Notes | While most fruits fall into the cool, neutral, or warm categories, a few are classified as cold or hot due to their strong energetic effects. • Cold Fruits: These are strongly cooling and are best for clearing excess heat, inflammation, or dryness. However, they should be consumed in moderation by individuals with cold or deficient constitutions, as they may exacerbate feelings of coldness or weaken digestion. • Hot Fruits: These are strongly warming and are ideal for dispelling cold, tonifying yang, and improving circulation. However, they should be avoided or consumed sparingly by individuals with heat conditions, such as inflammation, acne, or irritability. |
Table 4: Cereals & Grains TCM categories (表4：谷物及杂粮中药类别)
| Category 分类 | Cereals & Grains 谷物及杂粮 |
|---|---|
| Cold (寒性) | N/A |
| Cool (凉性) | Mung Beans绿豆, Barley大麦 , Wheat小麦, Buckwheat荞麦, Water Chestnut Flour马蹄粉 |
| Neutral (平性) | Soybeans大豆 , Tofu豆腐 , Rice大米, Millet小米, Corn玉米, Cowpeas豇豆, Peanuts花生, Kidney Beans腰豆, Peas豌豆, Red Beans红豆, Black Beans黑豆, Yellow Beans黄豆, Green Beans绿豆, Fava Beans蚕豆, Natto纳豆, Fermented Black Beans豆豉, Brown Rice糙米, Short Grain Rice短粒米, Pumpkin Seeds南瓜子, Sunflower Seeds葵花子, Flaxseed亚麻籽, Lotus Seeds莲子, Cashews腰果, Sesame芝麻, Sorghum高粱, White Phoenix Beans白凤豆, Lentils扁豆, Pine Nuts松子, Chestnuts栗子, Walnuts核桃, Oats燕麦, Sago西米, Glutinous Rice糯米. |
| Warm (温性) | Sorghum 高, Red Dates红枣. |
| Hot (热性) | |
| Key Notes | • Cooling Grains: Ideal for clearing heat, reducing inflammation, and balancing excess warmth. • Neutral Grains: Safe for most people and help nourish and harmonize the body. • Warming Grains: Best for dispelling cold, tonifying yang, and improving circulation. |
Table 5: Fish, Meat, Birds, Eggs & Dairy TCM categories (表5：鱼、肉、蛋、奶及畜禽肉中药类别)
| Category 分类 | Fish, Meat, Birds, Eggs & Dairy 鱼、肉、蛋、奶及畜禽肉 |
|---|---|
| Cold (寒性) | Crab螃蟹 |
| Cool (凉性) | Duck鸭肉, Frog青, Clams蛤蜊, Oysters牡蛎, Yogurt酸奶 Neutral to cool: Milk牛奶 |
| Neutral (平性) | Pig Skin猪皮, Pork猪肉, Squid鱿鱼, Eggs鸡蛋, |
| Warm (温性) | Neutral to warm: Goose鹅肉, Black-boned Chicken乌骨鸡, Fish鱼,S ea Cucumber海参, Abalone鲍鱼, Cheese奶酪, Warm: Bacon培根, Beef牛肉, Shrimp虾, Butter黄油, |
| Hot (热性) | Lamb羊肉 |
| Key Notes | • Cooling Meats/Seafood: Ideal for clearing heat, reducing inflammation, and balancing excess warmth (e.g., duck, frog, crab). • Neutral Meats/Seafood: Safe for most people and help nourish and harmonize the body (e.g., pork, fish, eggs). • Warming Meats/Seafood: Best for dispelling cold, tonifying yang, and improving circulation (e.g., beef, lamb, shrimp). • Dairy: Varies from cooling (yogurt) to warming (butter), so choose based on your constitution and health needs. |
Table 6: Major Condiments (调味料) TCM categories (表 6：主要调味品中药类别)
| Category 分类 | Condiments (调味料) |
|---|---|
| Cold (寒性) | N/A |
| Cool (凉性) | Mint薄荷, Cilantro香菜, Lemon柠檬, Neutral to cool: Vinegar醋 |
| Neutral (平性) | Sesame Oil芝麻油, Soy Sauce酱油 |
| Warm (温性) | Neutral to warm: Honey蜂蜜 Warm: Ginger生姜, Scallion葱, Sichuan Pepper花椒, Star Anise八角, Turmeric姜黄, Fennel茴香, |
| Hot (热性) | Warm to hot: Garlic大蒜 Hot: Chili Pepper辣椒, Clove丁香, Cinnamon肉桂. |
| Key Notes | • Warming Condiments: Ideal for dispelling cold, tonifying yang, and improving circulation (e.g., ginger, garlic, cinnamon). • Neutral Condiments: Safe for most people and help harmonize the body (e.g., sesame oil, soy sauce, honey). • Cooling Condiments: Best for clearing heat, reducing inflammation, and balancing excess warmth (e.g., mint, cilantro, lemon). |
Table 7: Beverages TCM categories (表 7：饮料中医类别)
| Category 分类 | Beverages (饮料) |
|---|---|
| Cold (寒性) | N/A |
| Cool (凉性) | Green Tea绿茶, Berry Tea莓茶, Sour Plum Drink酸梅汤, Coconut Water椰子水, Chrysanthemum Tea菊花茶 Neutral to cool: Milk 牛奶 |
| Neutral (平性) | Soy Milk豆浆, Barley Water大麦茶 |
| Warm (温性) | Neutral to warm: Oolong Tea 乌龙茶 (Wūlóng Chá) Warm: Black Tea红茶, Chai Tea印度奶茶, Red Date Tea红枣茶 |
| Hot (热性) | Warm to hot: Coffee咖啡 Hot: Spiced Wine 热红酒, Whiskey 威士忌 |
| Key Notes | • Cooling Beverages: Ideal for clearing heat, reducing inflammation, and balancing excess warmth (e.g., green tea, sour plum drink). • Neutral Beverages: Safe for most people and help nourish and harmonize the body (e.g., milk, soy milk, barley water). • Warming Beverages: Best for dispelling cold, tonifying yang, and improving circulation (e.g., black tea, ginger tea, red date tea). • Hot Beverages: Strongly warming and should be consumed in moderation (e.g., spiced wine, whiskey). |
Conclusion:
The ancient Chinese philosophy that "medicine and food share the same source" reminds us that the choices we make in the kitchen can profoundly impact our health and well-being. By understanding the healing properties of foods—whether warming or cooling, nourishing or detoxifying—we can harness the power of nutrition to balance our bodies and minds. The tables provided in this blog offer a glimpse into the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine, showing how everyday ingredients can serve as both sustenance and remedy. As you explore these principles, remember that eating in harmony with your body’s needs and the seasons is a simple yet powerful way to cultivate vitality and longevity. Let your meals be your medicine, and let your kitchen become a space of healing and harmony.
If you want to know more about healthy eating and weight management, visit us at AcuCare Wellness Clinic and book a session today!
结论：
中国古代哲学认为“药食同源”，我们在厨房里做出的选择会对我们的健康和幸福产生深远的影响。通过了解食物的治疗特性——无论是温热还是冷却、滋养还是排毒——我们可以利用营养的力量来平衡我们的身体和心灵。颐舒堂在此提供的表格让我们一窥传统中医的智慧，展示了日常食材如何既可以作为营养品，又可以作为治疗手段。在探索这些原则时，请记住，根据身体的需求和季节来饮食是一种简单而有效的培养活力和长寿的方法。让你的饭菜成为你的药物，让你的厨房成为一个治愈和和谐的空间。
如果您想了解更多有关健康饮食和体重管理的信息，请访问 AcuCare 颐舒堂预约就诊！