I have been talking quite a bit about the thermal natureThe principle that all foods, when consumed, have an either ... (cold and hot, yinRefers to relatively passive processes, female element, nurt... and yangRefers to relatively more active processes, male element, en...) of foods. Another important property that foods possess is its flavor or taste. In Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), there are five distinct flavors that also correlate with The Five Element Theory (another fundamental Chinese medicineTraditional Asian medicine based upon Yin-Yang Theory, Five ... theory). The flavors themselves have a thermal nature (read more about thermal nature here) as well as healing and restorativeA substance that revives strength. actions that can be used therapeutically to affect various organ systems.
The five flavors are sourOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm..., bitterOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine. It is yin, coo..., sweetOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm..., pungentSpicy, one of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yan..., and saltyOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yin (cooli....
Pungent and sweet are considered yangRefers to relatively more active processes, male element, en..., warmingA substance that increases the body’s temperature by dispe..., and their energies travel outward and up the body. SourOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm..., bitterOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine. It is yin, coo..., and salty are yinRefers to relatively passive processes, female element, nurt..., coolingThe property of clearing toxins and reducing internal heat. and move energy inward and down the body.
According to the Five Element theory, the flavors are also closely associated with and affect our internal organs as follows:
- SourOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm... flavor associates with the liver and gall bladder (e.g., lemon, lime, pickles, sauerkraut, sourOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm... apple).
- BitterOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine. It is yin, coo... flavor associates with the heart and small intestine (e.g., alfalfa, bitterOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine. It is yin, coo... melon, romaine lettuce, rye).
- SweetOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm... flavor associates with the spleen, pancreas and stomach (e.g., apple, apricot, cherry, date, fig, beet, carrot, eggplant, squash, sweetOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm... potato, yam, most grains, all legumes such as beans, peas, lentils, most meats, dairy products).
- PungentSpicy, one of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yan... flavor associates with the lungs and large intestine (e.g., spearmint, rosemary, garlic and all onion family members, all hot peppers, cayenne, fennel, anise, dill, mustard greens, horseradish, basil, nutmeg).
- SaltyOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yin (cooli... flavor associates with the kidneys and bladder (e.g., salt, seaweed, soy sauce, miso).
Of course most foods will possess a combination of flavors (e.g., raspberries are sourOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm... and sweetOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm..., scallions are bitterOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine. It is yin, coo... and pungentSpicy, one of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yan..., celery is bitterOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine. It is yin, coo... and sweetOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm...).
The flavors should be balanced in a healthy person’s diet, with the sweetOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm... flavor being the most important flavor, since its associated organs, the stomach, spleen, and pancreas, are located in the central part of the body where we digest and assimilate our food to receive the most nourishment. (As you can see in the above examples, many foods are sweetOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm...). However, while the flavors benefit their associating organs, eating too much will actually result in the opposite effect and weaken the organ’s function. The take home message — flavors should also be balanced and in moderation. Are you sensing a pattern here? Balance is key.
What you need to know:
- All foods are categorized into five flavorsThe five tastes in chinese medicine are sour, bitter, sweet ... – sourOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm..., bitterOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine. It is yin, coo..., sweetOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm..., pungentSpicy, one of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yan..., or saltyOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yin (cooli....
- Each flavor is also associated with and affects different internal organs in our bodies.
- Eating foods of certain flavors, in moderation, benefits the organs it is associated with. (e.g. sourOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine; it is yang (warm... foods strengthen the liver and gall bladder, bitterOne of the five tastes in Chinese medicine. It is yin, coo... foods strengthen the heart and small intestine, etc)
I will revisit this concept later and explain more in depth the function of each flavor.
Have a great day!
In health and wellness,
Dr. Elain
References:
Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford