Nature and Flavor of Dietetic Chinese Drugs

Dietetic Chinese drugs belong to the category of traditional Chinese drugs, so the theory of the nature of traditional Chinese drugs is also applicable to dietetic Chinese drugs. Like common traditional Chinese drugs, dietetic Chinese drugs are different from one another in nature and flavor. In medicated diet therapy, better effect can be produced only by paying attention to the nature and flavor of both medicated and non-medicated Chinese crude drugs. Generally speaking, dietetic Chinese drugs, which are warm or hot in nature, such as fresh ginger (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens), Chinese green onion  (Bulbus Allii Fistulosi), Chinese-date (Fructus Ziziphi Jujubae), walnut kernel (Semen Juglandis), mutton, common Fructus Foeniculi (Xiaohuixiang), and so on, have the functions of warming the interior, dispelling cold and restoring yang, and can be used to treat cold syndrome and yin syndrome;

while dietetic Chinese drugs, which are cool or cold in nature, such as mung bean (Semen Phaseoli Radiati), lotus root (Rhizoma Nelumbinis), water melon (Fructus Citrullus), pear (Malum Piri), water chestnut (Heleocharis Tuberosae), purslane (Herba Portulacae), Flos Chrysanthemi (Juhua) and so on, can clear away heat, purge fire, remove heat from the blood and remove toxic materials, so they can be used to treat heat syndrome and yang syndrome. There is another kind of dietetic Chinese drugs which are said to be neutral in nature, because they are moderate, showing no distinct differences between warmth and coolness. Take the meat of domestic animals for example. Mutton and dog meat are warm in nature; while that of rabbits is cool, that of horses is cold, and that of donkeys, pork and beef are neutral in nature. As for the five flavors, dietetic Chinese drugs which are sour, such as black plum (Fructus Mume), pomegranate (Malum Granatum), etc. are astringent and can stop discharge; those that are bitter can clear away heat, send down abnormally ascending qi, purging pathogenic fire and eliminate dampness.

For example, bitter gourd (Frhctus Momordicae) can clear away heat and toxic materials, and apricot seed (Semen Armeniacae Amarum) can send down abnormally ascending qi; those that are sweet, for example, Chinese-date (Fructus Ziziphi Jujubae), Bee Honey (Fengmi), malt sugar, etc., are nourishing and invigorating, and can regulate qi, blood and the function among the viscera, etc, relieve spasm and pain; those that are acrid have the functions of dispersion and promoting circulation of qi, for example, fresh ginger (Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens) and Chinese green onion (Bulbus Allii Fistulosi) can expel wind and clear away cold, and tangerine peel (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae) and amomum fruit (Fructus Amomi) can promote circulation of qi; those that are salty, such as sargassum (Sargassum) and Japanese sea tangle (Thallus Laminariae), can soften indurated mass and disperse accumulation of pathogen; those that are bland, such as Poria (Fuling), Semen Coicis (Yiyiren) and so on, can promote urination. In using medicated diet, the relationship between the five flavors of dietetic Chinese drugs and the five viscera also deserves our attention. Generally speaking, acridity acts on the lung; sweetness on the spleen; bitterness on the heart; sourness on the liver; saltness on the kidney. The purpose of nourishing and invigorating the body, preventing and curing diseases can be reached only when medicated diet is selected and used in light of its nature and flavor.