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AN INTRODUCTION TO
TRADITIONAL CHINESE NUTRITION

In TCM, good health requires the abundance and smooth flow of Qi throughout the body. Qi is manufactured in the body from the food we eat and the air we breathe.

According to TCM, the digestive process is governed by the spleen which, with the aid of the stomach and intestines, transforms food into QI.

If the function of the spleen is weak, the digestive process is impaired and Qi production reduced. Consumption of excess cold and/or raw food can damage the spleen, as too much energy is needed to transform it onto Qi. Greasy or highly spiced foods can also damage the spleen.

The spleen not only digests what we eat, but also what we think. Overeating, excessive mental or physical work, worrying and stress can also lead to a weak spleen . This may manifest as fatigue, low energy levels, abdominal bloating, pain, gas, belching, hiccupping, reflux, foul breath, diarrhoea, constipation , bleeding.

Here are a few basic guidelines:

Eat mostly cooked or warm food. Limit cold and raw food

A diet predominantly of salads, sandwiches, fruit, cold drinks, ice cream, sweets, will lead to diminished digestion and energy. This may lead to other organ dysfunction as the Qi is deficient.

Eat a balanced diet

Include vegetables, wholegrain and protein. Mix different flavours-sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent.

Avoid extremes

Too sweet, too greasy or too much!

Reduce amount of cold drinks, and no ice

Drink warm water, herbal teas, and don’t drink more than 1 warm drink with your meals to aid digestion. Reduce alcohol, caffeine, fizzy or canned drinks, and sweetened juices.

Chew well

Just eat!

No reading, worrying or digesting other thoughts, just relax, take your time and enjoy the food.

Don’t skip meals

Eat a large breakfast, preferably easy to digest-porridge/congee. Try not to eat too much just before you go to bed.

Avoid processed, artificially enhanced food. Eat organic

Try to avoid processed or pre-packaged food, artificial colours and flavours, and eat as much organic, non-genetically modified food as possible.

Your body will let you know when to adjust. Food is to be celebrated!

When I mention hot/cold foods, I am talking about their energetic properties, not necessarily their temperature.

In general, cooked foods are warmer than raw foods, and root foods are warmer than the rest of the plant. The following is a brief list of some foods and their energetic properties.


Cool or Cold	Neutral	Warm	Hot
lettuce, tofu, sugar cane, bananas, apples, melons, oranges, mango, wheat, millet, buckwheat, corn, water chestnuts, crab, tomato, cucumber, summer squash, spinach, mushroom, asparagus, broccoli, eggplant, turnip, avocado, sesame oil, soy sauce, green tea.	yam, potato, celery, carrots, string beans, peas, apricot, papaya, grapes, raisins, rice, oats, black beans, kidney beans, pork, beef, milk, cheese, chicken egg, peanuts, almonds, olives, white sugar, honey, vanilla	artichoke, mustard greens, cauliflower, fennel, scallion, pumpkin, peaches, nectarines, cherries, dates, coconut, lamb, chicken, shrimp, pine nuts, chestnuts, walnut, sunflower seeds, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, cardamom, turmeric, vinegar	black pepper, green and red bell pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, soybean oil

Cooking can give cold foods warmth. The more time and pressure the food receives whilst cooking, the warmer it becomes. The following is a list from most to least warmth

roasting > deep frying > baking > grilling > stir-frying/sauteing > steaming

Chewing thoroughly also imparts more warmth.

For more information, ask me specifically, for your individual dietary requirements according to your constitutional type. You may also want to read "Between Heaven and Earth" by Harriet Beinfield, L.Ac., and Efrem Korngold,L.Ac., O.M.D., or "The Tao of Healthy Eating" by Bob Flaws.

AN INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL CHINESE NUTRITION