Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views food not only as a source of nutrition but also as a form of medicine. In TCM, the energetics of food are an essential aspect of dietary therapy. Food is classified based on its energetic properties, which include temperature (cold, cool, neutral, warm, hot), taste (sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, salty), and its effects on the body's organs and systems. These properties are believed to influence the balance of Yin and Yang, the flow of Qi (vital energy), and the harmony of the body. Today we will explore the energetic properties of food (cold, cool, neutral, warm, hot).
Foods are classified as cold, cool, neutral, warm, or hot. These temperatures refer not only to the physical temperature of the food but also to their effects on the body. For example, cooling foods (like cucumber) may be recommended for someone with excess
heat symptoms, while warming foods (like ginger) may be suggested for those with cold conditions. Take for example someone that suffers from rheumatism, a painful condition that can be considerably worse during cold weather. With this in mind eating warming or hot foods can offer symptomatic relief, whereas foods with a cold energy would exacerbate the pain. Another example would be a person suffering from a skin condition that becomes worse when exposed to heat, in this case eating cooling foods with a cold or cooling energy could bring symptomatic relief.
It's important to be aware of how our body reacts to the different energies of the food we consume and the effect it will have on our health. Consuming the same food over a long period of time can have an effect on our health, so it's important that we eat a varied diet to maintain a healthy immune system.
Below are some of the foods and seasonings with warming, cooling, and neutral energetic values.
Warming Foods
🟠Black Pepper, Brown Sugar
🟠Caraway, Cayenne, Chestnut, Chili Peppers, Chives, Cinnamon, Clove,
🟠Coriander, Coconut
🟠Dates
🟠Garlic, Fresh Ginger, Green Onions, Green Pepper
🟠Mustard Greens
🟠Nutmeg, Parsley
🟠Pine Nuts
🟠Red Pepper, Rice Milk, Rice Wine
🟠Squash, Sunflower Seeds
🟠Turmeric
🟠Walnuts and White Pepper
Cooling Foods
🔵 Apples, Asparagus, Aubergine, Avocado
🔵 Banana, Basil, Broccoli
🔵 Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chrysanthemum Tea
🔵 Cucumber
🔵 Duck
🔵 Grapefruit
🔵 Lettuce
🔵 Mung Beans
🔵 Pears, Peppermint, Plums
🔵 Rhubarb, Rye
🔵 Seaweed, Sesame, Soybeans, Spinach
🔵 Water Chestnuts
Neutral Foods
🟡 Almond
🟡 Beef, Berries, Broad Beans
🟡 Carrot, Chinese Cabbage, Corn
🟡 Fig
🟡 Grape, Goji
🟡 Honey
🟡 Kidney Beans
🟡 Liquorice, Lemon
🟡 Olive
🟡 Papaya, Peanut Oil, Potato
🟡 Rice Bran, Rye
🟡 Saffron, Seafood, Sunflower Seed, Sweet Potato
🟡 White Rice, Yellow Soybean
Balancing Your Plate in TCM Style
Incorporating TCM principles into your diet doesn't mean you need to eat exclusively according to these guidelines. Instead, strive for balance. If you're prone to heat, include more Yin and cooling foods in your diet, and vice versa.
This information is a very brief outline of the energetics of food for health. Choosing an experienced TCM practitioner can help you make the appropriate food choices for your personal health concern.