Yes it is important to eat:
Another way to consider eating is to balance the Five Tastes.
When you think of flavors, you probably just think of what they are and which ones you tend to crave or dislike.
Flavors not only provide a specific taste to your food, but exert their influence on specific organs and structures.
If you have a craving, your body is trying to resolve a deficiency. If you eat too much of a particular flavor, you could create an excess.
| Element | Wood |
| Organs | Liver and Gallbladder |
| Anatomy sour influences | Tendons, ligaments, eyes |
| Sour’s energy | Astringent |
| Sour’s functions | Prevents leakages of fluids Stimulates digestion Supports bile production |
| Excess sour | Tension, tightness, spasms |
| Deficient sour | Weak connective tissue, visual strain |
| Examples of foods | Lemons Vinegar Fermented foods |
| Examples of herbs | Oregano Hawthorne Goji berries |
| Element | Fire |
| Organs | Heart and Small Intestine |
| Anatomy bitter influences | Blood vessels and tongue |
| Bitter’s energy | Draining, drying |
| Bitter’s functions | Drains heat Clears excess Promotes drying |
| Excess bitter | Dryness, vascular depletion |
| Deficient bitter | Poor circulation, speech issues |
| Examples of foods | Dark, leafy greens Bitter melon Coffee |
| Examples of herbs | Coptis Scutellaria Gentian |
| Element | Earth |
| Organs | Spleen and Stomach |
| Anatomy sweet influences | Muscles, flesh, lips, digestion |
| Sweet’s energy | Tonifies, harmonizes, sometimes moistens |
| Sweet’s functions | Builds energy Harmonizes Moistens dryness |
| Excess sweet | Dampness, muscle heaviness |
| Deficient sweet | Muscle weakness, prolapse |
| Examples of foods | Sweet potatoes Carrots Dates |
| Examples of herbs | Ginseng Astragalus Licorice Codonopsis |
| Element | Gold-Metal |
| Organs | Lungs and Large Intestine |
| Anatomy spicy influences | Skin, body hair, nose, immune system |
| Spicy’s energy | Scatters, disperses, moves |
| Spicy’s functions | Promotes circulation; moves qi Induces sweating |
| Excess spicy | Dryness of skin and mucosa |
| Deficient sweet | Weak immunity, poor barrier function |
| Examples of foods | Ginger Garlic Onion Chili |
| Examples of herbs | Ginger Garlic Cinnamon |
| Element | Water |
| Organs | Kidneys and Urinary Bladder |
| Anatomy salty influences | Bones, teeth, ears, brain, reproductive organs |
| Salty’s energy | Purges, softens |
| Salty’s functions | Softens hardness Moves stagnation Draws fluids downward |
| Excess salty | Bone weakening, fluid imbalance |
| Deficient salty | Hearing issues, structural weakness |
| Examples of foods | Sea salt Seaweed Miso |
| Examples of herbs | Scrophularia Houttuynia Schizandra |
In Chinese Medicine, herbs and foods are classified by their energetic temperature, which describes how a substance affects the body’s Yin-Yang balance, qi movement, and internal heat/cold rather than its literal physical temperature. This is a core principle in dietary therapy and herbal medicine.
| Hot Strongly warms, energizes, dispels cold, dries dampness | Foods – Chili, black pepper, dried ginger, lamb meat Herbs – Aconite, cinnamon bark, dried ginger |
| Warm Warms the body, moves qi, supports circulation, improves digestion | Foods – Ginger, garlic, cinnamon twig, scallion Herbs – Ginger, cinnamon twig, astragalus |
| Neutral Neither warming nor cooling, harmonizes the body | Foods – Rice, carrots, Chinese yam, codonopsis root Herbs – Chinese yam, codonopsis, licorice, goji berry |
| Cool Gently cooling, reduces mild heat, clears mild inflammation | Foods – Lettuce, spinach, watermelon, dandelion Herbs – Mint, mulberry leaf, chrysanthemum |
| Cold Cools heat, clears fire, reduces inflammation, slows metabolism | Foods – green tea, honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, mung beans, cucumber Herbs – Coptis, gypsum, honeysuckle, anemarrhena |
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