Food as medicine using Chinese Medicine theory

Have you ever heard the adage, Let Food Be Thy Medicine? Many of us are familiar with the warming comfort a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup can bring us when we have a cold. However, did you know that food can actually help us heal? Read on to see how you can experience food as medicine using Chinese Medicine's 5 Element Theory.

5 element theory

In Chinese Medicine 5 Element Theory, there is the understanding that everything in life is made up of a combination of the five elements: earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. Additionally, each element has corresponding organs and body tissues (see image below). Each element also has a flavor: Earth - sweet, Metal - spicy/pungent, Water - Salty, Wood - sour, Fire - Bitter. Interestingly, these flavors all have certain effects on our bodies as well, but for now, let's just learn the basics!

natures and flavors of foods

According to Chinese Medicine, all foods have an energetic thermal nature (cool, cold, neutral, warm, and hot) and various combinations of the 5 flavors. Therefore, based on these flavors and natures, the foods we eat can have unique effects on our bodies. This is what makes it possible for us to use food as medicine!

How it Works

For instance, if we are having a problem with a low appetite, we may want to eat a sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are neutral and, you guessed it, sweet! Sweet is the flavor of the Spleen and Stomach, the two organs most often associated with digestion. Hence, by eating sweet potatoes, we are strengthening our spleen and stomach! As a result, they are able to do a better job at helping us maintain a healthy appetite and digestion. We will go into more detail in future posts, but for now, check out the table below to learn more about the 5 elements and their associations!