Chinese food therapy (食疗, shí liáo) is a 2,000-year-old medical tradition. Every food has therapeutic properties — its thermal nature, flavor, and organ affinity make it suitable for specific conditions, constitutions, and seasons.
「食能排邪而安脏腑，悦神爽志，以资血气。」
— Sun Simiao (孙思邈), Qianjin Yaofang"Food can expel pathogens and calm the organs, refresh the spirit, and nourish blood and qi."
Food Properties · 食物性能
Thermal Nature · 四性
| Nature | Effect | Foods |
|---|---|---|
| Hot 热 | Strongly warms | Dried ginger, chili, cinnamon bark |
| Warm 温 | Gently warms | Lamb, chicken, jujube, walnuts |
| Neutral 平 | Balanced | Rice, pork, sweet potato, corn |
| Cool 凉 | Mildly clears heat | Wheat, celery, apple, tofu |
| Cold 寒 | Strongly clears heat | Watermelon, bitter melon, crab |
Constitutional Eating · 辨体施食
Qi Deficiency 气虚质
Eat: Rice, yam, jujube, chicken, ginseng tea. Avoid: Raw foods, cold drinks, bitter melon.
Yang Deficiency 阳虚质
Eat: Lamb, ginger, walnuts, cinnamon, bone broth. Avoid: Watermelon, banana, crab, iced drinks.
Yin Deficiency 阴虚质
Eat: Pear, white fungus, lily bulb, sesame, duck. Avoid: Chili, lamb, coffee, alcohol.
Phlegm-Dampness 痰湿质
Eat: Barley, adzuki beans, celery, mushroom, green tea. Avoid: Dairy, sugar, fried foods.
Classic Medicinal Recipes · 药膳
Si Shen Tang · 四神汤
Four Spirits Soup — The Spleen Tonic
Huai Shan 30g, Fu Ling 20g, Lian Zi 20g, Qian Shi 20g, pork ribs. Simmer 1.5–2 hours. Strengthens Spleen, drains dampness. Safe for all constitutions.
Dang Gui Sheng Jiang Yang Rou Tang · 当归生姜羊肉汤
Angelica & Ginger Lamb Soup — The Winter Tonic
Lamb 500g, Dang Gui 15g, Sheng Jiang 30g. Simmer 2 hours. From the Jin Gui Yao Lue. Warms interior, nourishes blood.
Ba Bao Zhou · 八宝粥
Eight Treasure Porridge
Rice, red beans, lotus seed, lily bulb, longan, jujube, goji, peanut. Simmer into porridge. Tonifies qi and blood, calms spirit.
Seasonal Eating · 应季饮食
| Season | Goal | Key Foods | Minimize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Spring | Nourish Liver | Greens, sprouts, chives, spinach | Excessive sour, greasy |
| ☀️ Summer | Clear heat | Mung bean, watermelon, bitter melon | Hot/spicy, ice |
| 🍂 Autumn | Moisten Lung | Pear, white fungus, honey, sesame | Pungent (garlic, chili) |
| ❄️ Winter | Warm Kidney | Lamb, ginger, walnuts, bone broth | Cold/raw foods |