TCM Food Therapy
TCM Food Diets/Food Therapy
The tradition of traditional Chinese medicinal cuisine has a long and rich history, spanning over 2000 years. In China, medicinal cuisine is regarded as a unique culinary practice that combines traditional Chinese medicine principles. It can be traced back to ancient times. People believe that food not only serves as a source of nourishment for the body but also has therapeutic effects for treating illnesses and enhancing health.
Medicinal cuisine is a special type of food that combines traditional Chinese medicine principles with dietary therapy. It possesses both medicinal properties and delicious flavors. It is designed to nourish the body, promote health, and extend longevity.
Depending on the season and individual constitution, medicinal cuisine selects different ingredients and cooking methods to harmonize the body's Yin and Yang and replenish essential nutrients.
In traditional Chinese medicine theory, medicinal cuisine is used to regulate the body's internal systems, enhance health, and prevent diseases. The recipes and preparation methods of medicinal cuisine vary depending on the season, region, and individual constitution, reflecting a profound understanding of nature and human physiology.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that by using the warmth, neutrality, and coolness of food according to individual constitution, it is possible to regulate the body's Yin and Yang and achieve the goal of preventing diseases and maintaining health. Warm-natured foods include grains and legumes such as flour, soybean oil, wine, vinegar, as well as vegetables like ginger, scallions, garlic, carrots, cilantro, fruits like longan, lychee, dates, lotus seeds, walnuts, peanuts, grapes, plums, papaya, apricots, chestnuts, oranges, peaches, and meats such as lamb, dog meat, chicken, deer meat, beef, and aquatic products like eel, shrimp, and grass carp. Cool-natured foods include grains and legumes such as buckwheat, barley, mung beans, tofu, fermented black beans, soy milk, as well as vegetables like amaranth, spinach, rape, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, watermelon, bamboo shoots, taro, eggplant, and fruits like pear, water chestnut, pomelo, banana, sugarcane, meats like rabbit meat, duck meat, and aquatic products like eel, crab, oyster, and snail. Other foods are generally considered neutral in nature. When planning a diet, it is important to consider one's own constitution and make reasonable choices based on the nature of the aforementioned foods, so as to achieve a balanced state of Yin and Yang in the body.
