Chinese medicine classifies food according to its energetic properties, for example some foods are viewed as warming and nourishing while others are seen as cooling and eliminating; some foods are useful for building blood whilst others nourish and build energy.

Your underlying constitution, including the strength of your digestive system, determines what foods are most suitable for you. It is about eating nourishing healthy food that is right for individual body types. Therefore it is important in traditional Chinese medicine, to help identify foods that suit individuals rather than following guidelines that do not account for constitutional differences. If required, as part of your treatment plan I will work in partnership with you on dietary requirements to help you reach your health and wellbeing goals.

The Five Flavours of Food and Examples

In Chinese medicine, food is classified according to five flavours (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty) and four natures (cool, cold, warm and hot). These properties can be used to predict the effects of food on the body. For example raw food is the most cooling for the body, requiring more energy to digest than food that has been cooked.

Salty foods such as soya sauce and kelp are cooling and hold fluids in the body. Sweet foods can have a nourishing effect on the body, some examples are nuts, dairy products, fruits, rice, honey and starchy vegetables. Bitter foods are useful for draining heat and have a cooling effect such as rhubarb. Sour foods also have a cooling effect and can aid digestion for example grapefruit and olives. Pungent or spicy foods such as chillies and onion have a warming property which encourages energy to move upwards and outwards to the body’s surface therefore they have useful properties in dispersing mucus from the lungs.

What are the benefits of Nutritional therapy?

  • Increased energy and wellbeing
  • Weight Management
  • Management of Cravings
  • Improved sleep
  • Mental clarity and concentration
  • Stable and positive mood
  • Improved immunity and resistance to colds and infections
  • Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease e.g. high cholesterol, diabetes
  • Increased libido
  • Increased chances of fertility
  • Healthier hair, skin and nails
  • Better circulation and temperature regulation