Commonly used food sex and smell simple table (a) warm food Name Sexual flavor Functions Yang Ming, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, taboo glutinous rice sweet and warm, tonifying Qi, warming the spleen and stomach. Recommended for: Qi deficiency of the spleen and stomach, cold stomach pain, shortness of breath and sweating. Contraindications: Heat syndrome and those with unhealthy spleen and stomach. Sorghum Glycyrrhiza glabra Glycyrrhiza glabra Warms the middle Jiao, strengthens the spleen, astringes the bowels and stops diarrhea. Indications: Weakness of the spleen and stomach, loose stools and diarrhea. Contraindicated in cases of dampness-heat, fullness and abdominal distension. Caramel Glycine Glycine is used to benefit the qi and relieve urgency, moisten the lungs and stop coughing. Suitable for: cold abdominal pain, fatigue, coughing and wheezing in lung deficiency. Contraindications: dampness-heat, fullness, phlegm-heat cough. Chicken: Sweet, warm, invigorating the spleen, nourishing Qi and blood. Suitable for: deficiency, Qi and blood deficiency, Yang deficiency, cold, dullness. Contraindications: solid heat, chronic diseases, avoid rooster meat. Venison Sweet and warm, strengthens the yang and benefits the essence, tonifies the blood and benefits the qi, Suitable: deficiency of qi and blood, weakness of yang. Contraindication: all kinds of fire-heat disease, children and teenagers eat with caution. Beef: Sweet and warm, tonifying the middle Jiao, strengthening the spleen and nourishing the stomach. Good for: weak spleen and stomach, deficiency of qi and blood. Contraindications: hair products, chronic diseases and scabies, itchy rash and other skin diseases. Mutton: Sweet and warm, benefiting Qi and nourishing deficiency, warming the kidney and promoting Yang. Suitable for Yang deficiency, cold, Qi and blood deficiency. Contraindications: external influences, yin deficiency and fire. Buttermilk: Sweet, slightly warm, nourishing the lungs and stomach. Recommended for: deficiency of qi and blood, yin deficiency, daily tonic. Avoid: sour milk should not be drunk. Carp Glycine maxima Glycine maxima is warm and strengthens the spleen and vital energy. Diuretic and reduces swelling. Recommended for: edema, ascites, lack of breast milk. Contraindicated: constipation, skin itching and acne. Carp Glycerine Glycine Warm, invigorates the spleen and stomach, induces diuresis and reduces swelling. Suitable for: edema, ascites, breastfeeding. Contraindicated in constipation, itching and acne. Sea Cucumber Gan Xian Ping Nourishes blood and moistens dryness, tonifies the kidney and benefits the vital essence. Contraindications: phlegm-dampness, loose stools and diarrhea. Shrimp Sweet and warm Nourishing the kidney, tonifying the yang, promoting lactation and toxins. Recommended for: Yang deficiency. Lack of breastfeeding, infertility, coldness, pus and ulcers. Contraindications: Heatiness, skin diseases. Herb Meat Sweet, salty, warm, dispels wind and activates the circulation, and calms fright. Indications: Paralysis with rheumatism, numbness of limbs. Gui Yuan Flesh Sweet and warm, tonifying the heart and spleen, nourishing blood and tranquilizing the mind. Indications: Qi and blood deficiency, deficiency of heart and spleen, insomnia and forgetfulness. Contraindications: phlegm and fire, dampness, fullness, congestion, boils and rashes, pregnancy. Jujube Sweet, warm, tonifying the middle Jiao, nourishing Blood and tranquilizing the mind. Indications: Lack of Qi in the middle and deficiency of Qi and Blood. Contraindications: Dampness and fullness in the stomach and abdomen, heat. Lychee Sweet and sour, slightly warm, nourishes the Blood and fills the essence, tonifies the Qi and replenishes the heart. Suitable for: weakness after prolonged illness. Diarrhea. Contraindications: blood disorders, vegetative heatiness and yin deficiency. Hawthorn Sweet, Sour, Slightly Warm, Eliminating food stagnation, dispersing blood stasis and promoting stagnation. Indications: food stagnation, diarrhea, blood stasis, internal stagnation. Contraindications: weak spleen and stomach, dental caries. Walnut Sweet and warm, tonifying the kidney, warming the lungs, moistening the intestines and relaxing the bowels. Suitable for: coughing with cold, kidney deficiency, lumbago, intestinal constipation. Contraindicated: cough with phlegm-heat, Yang deficiency, loose stools. Chestnut: Sweet, warm, strengthens the spleen, nourishes the stomach, tonifies the kidney and strengthens the tendons. Suitable for: kidney deficiency, lumbar and knee weakness, spleen deficiency and diarrhea, mouth ulcers. Contraindications: Plankton, chancre, food stagnation. Prunes: Sweet, sour and warm, quenching thirst, harmonizing the stomach and eliminating food. Suitable for: summer fever and thirst, abdominal distension, vomiting and diarrhea. Contraindicated: phlegm-heat. Peach: Sweet, sour, warm, generating fluids and moistening the intestines, promoting blood circulation and eliminating stagnation. Suitable for: constipation. Avoid: carbuncles and sores. Apricot Sweet and sour, warm, moistening the lungs to stabilize asthma, promoting the production of body fluid and quenching thirst. Indications: Cough. Thirst. Contraindicated in: carbuncles and boils, heat in the diaphragm. Onion Warm and pungent. Disperses cold and relieves exopathogens. Suitable for: external wind-cold, headache and nasal congestion, skin paralysis. Contraindicated: not suitable for people with fox odor. Chives: Warming the middle Jiao, warming the kidneys. Indications: Vomiting and eructation, constipation, impotence. Contraindications: Yin deficiency, internal heat, stomach heat, eye diseases, sores. Pumpkin: Sweet, warm, tonifying the middle Jiao, removing heat and detoxifying. Indications: Thirst, carbuncle, cough and asthma, ascites. Contraindications: Qi stagnation and dampness obstruction, abdominal distension, poor appetite. Ginger 辛温 disperses wind-cold, warms the body and stops vomiting. Indications: wind-cold, cold stomach, abdominal pain, vomiting, detoxification of fish and crab. Coriander – Pungent, warm, releasing and transmitting measles; aromatic and appetizing. Indications: Measles, cold and wind, indigestion. Contraindications: Skin disorders. Fennel: Warm, expels cold, relieves pain, regulates qi and harmonizes the stomach. Indications: Cold pain in the lower abdomen, cold stomach, vomiting. Contraindicated: deficiency of yin and fire, heat in the stomach. Vinegar: Sour, bitter, warm. Disperses blood stasis and stops bleeding. Suitable for: too little stomach acid, overeating fish, melon and fruit poisoning. Contraindications: excessive stomach acid, wind-cold infection, muscle and vein constriction. Brown Sugar: Sweet and warm, tonifying the blood, activating blood circulation, dispersing cold. Suitable for: cold abdominal pain, post-partum, not yet exhausted. Contraindicated: diabetes, dental caries. (B) hot food Name Sexual flavor Functions Indications and contraindications Dog meat Sweet and salty heat tonifying Qi, warming the kidneys and strengthening the yang. Indications: Yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney, lumbar and knee weakness, cold limbs. Contraindications: heat, Yang deficiency, bleeding disorders, pregnancy, lactation. Cayenne Pepper: Hot, pungent, warming the middle, dispersing cold, invigorating the stomach and eliminating food. Indications: Cold, abdominal pain and diarrhea, poor appetite, wind-cold and dampness paralysis. Contraindications: heat, Yang deficiency, eye diseases, boils, hemorrhoids and all blood disorders, pregnancy, lactation, low breast milk. Garlic is hot and pungent, warming the middle and eliminating food, and detoxifying. Indications: Epidemics, wind-cold, dysentery, loss of appetite. Contraindications: caution for those with yin deficiency and fire exuberance, and those with low breast milk during lactation. Pepper is hot and pungent. It warms the middle and lowers qi, eliminates diseases and removes toxins. Indications: Abdominal pain due to deficiency and cold, cold lungs with excessive phlegm, and internal accumulation without dissolution. Contraindications: Yin deficiency, internal heat, blood, hemorrhoids, pregnancy and lactation with little milk. Pepper: Warming the middle and dispersing cold, relieving pain and killing worms. Suitable for: abdominal pain with deficiency cold, roundworm abdominal pain. Contraindications: deficiency of yin and fire, caution during pregnancy and lactation. Gui Pi Xin Gan Warms the middle and nourishes Yang, disperses cold and relieves pain. Suitable for: pain in the epigastric region. Contraindication: Heat, internal heat in yin deficiency, sore throat, caution in pregnancy and lactation with little milk. White Wine: Hot, pungent, sweet, bitter. Tonifies the veins to protect against cold, and promotes the use of medicines. Indications: Qi stagnation and blood stasis, wind-cold and dampness paralysis. Contraindications: heat syndrome, internal heat in yin deficiency, hemorrhagic pregnancy and lactation with little milk. (C) cool food Name Sexual flavor Functions Indications and contraindications Barley Bitter and salty Cool and stomach elimination of accumulation, diuresis. Indications: Painful urination, indigestion. Contraindication: avoid malt for breastfeeding women. Wheat is sweet and cool, nourishes the heart and kidneys, strengthens the spleen and stomach. Indications: Insomnia and forgetfulness, heat deficiency and night sweating. Millet: Sweet and cool, nourishes the middle and kidneys, removes dampness and heat. Suitable for: deficiency and heat in the spleen and stomach. Insomnia. Postpartum. Mussels Sweet and cool, clearing heat, nourishing Yin, and improving eyesight. Suitable for: Yin deficiency, dark eyes, hemorrhoids, leakage. Contraindications: Spleen-Yang deficiency, pregnancy. Lemon Meat Sweet and cool, tonifying the middle Jiao, nourishing Yin and cooling the Blood. Suitable for: fatigue, thirst, insomnia due to yin deficiency. Contraindication: Cold deficiency. Lemon: Sour, cool, nourishes the body, quenches thirst, dispels summer heat and calms the fetus. Suitable for: fever and thirst, heatstroke, pregnancy obstruction, high blood pressure. Contraindicated: wind-cold syndrome, ulcer disease. Pei Pa Koa Sweet and sour, cool, moistening the lungs to quench thirst, and lowering qi. Suitable for: fever, thirst, dry cough. Contraindicated: loose stools due to spleen deficiency. Plum Sweet and sour, cool, soothing the liver and relieving depression, promoting the production of body fluid and quenching thirst. Suitable for: quenching thirst and thirst-inducing drinks, and fevers due to yin deficiency. Contraindication: weak spleen and stomach. Mango: Sweet, sour, cool, quenching thirst and promoting the production of body fluid, eliminating food and relieving cough. Suitable for: fever, thirst, dry cough. Contraindicated: late stage of fever, after satiety. Luo Han Guo Sweet and cool, clearing the lungs and moistening the intestines. Suitable for: dry cough, constipation, whooping cough. Avoid: wind-cold, phlegm-damp cough. Radish Glycyrrhiza glabra Glycyrrhiza glabra is cool, eliminating food and gas, clearing heat and resolving phlegm. Good for: food accumulation and gas distention, cough with excessive phlegm, thirst, relieving alcohol. Contraindication: cold lung and stomach, avoid taking with ginseng and other warm tonic drugs. Oleander: cooling, dispersing blood, subduing swelling. Suitable for: labor injuries, vomiting blood. Contraindication: sores, fox odor, postpartum. Loofah: Sweet and cool, clearing heat and removing toxins, cooling blood and clearing collaterals. Suitable for: chest pain, breast carbuncle, contracture of tendons and veins. Contraindication: coldness in the spleen and stomach. Spinach: Sweet and cool, nourishing blood to stop bleeding, moistening dryness and quenching thirst. Suitable for: blood deficiency, dizziness, dry eyes, constipation, hemorrhoids, impotence and blood. Contraindications: diarrhea in spleen deficiency, urinary stones. Celery: Sweet, bitter and cool, clearing heat and cooling blood, calming the liver and extinguishing wind. Suitable for: hyperactivity of liver yang, dizziness and headache, irritability and insomnia. Contraindication: indigestion. Eggplant: Sweet, cool, clearing heat, activating blood circulation, opening up the channels. Suitable for: sores and swelling, constipation, rheumatism and paralysis. Avoid: indigestion. Cauliflower Glycolic, nourishes blood and calms the liver, induces diuresis and reduces swelling. Suitable for: dizziness, edema, various blood disorders, lack of milk. Contraindication: should not be eaten raw. Tofu: Sweet and cool, nourishes Qi and promotes fluid production, clears heat and removes toxins. Indications: Weakness of the spleen and stomach, thirst. Tea: Bitter, sweet, cool, diuretic, digestion. Indications: Dysuria, dysentery, thirst, loss of appetite. Heat and thirst, urination, carbuncle and sores. Contraindication: cold spleen and stomach, loose stools. (d) Cool foods: Name, flavor, function, contraindication Cowpea, sweet, slightly cold, strengthens the spleen and stomach, and tonifies the kidney. Indications: Weakness of the spleen and stomach, diarrhea and dysentery, spermatorrhea. Contraindication: Constipation with stagnation of Qi. Pear Sweet and sour Cold Clearing heat and promoting generation of body fluid, relieving cough and clearing phlegm. Suitable for: cough due to lung heat, drunkenness, fever, constipation. Contraindications: loose stools in spleen, cold cough, cold stomach and vomiting, postpartum. Persimmon: Sweet, astringent, cold, clearing heat and moistening the lungs, quenching thirst. Indications: hemoptysis, bleeding from ulcer disease, blood in urine, hemorrhoids. Contraindication: cough, phlegm-dampness, do not eat with crab and wine. Tangerine – Sweet, Slightly Cold – Promotes the production of body fluid to quench thirst, soothes the body and induces diuresis. Suitable for: fever, thirst, cough with phlegm, constipation, drunkenness. Pomelo Sweet and sour, cold, stimulates the stomach and digestion, and soothes the body. Suitable for: thirst, indigestion, drunkenness. Contraindications: cold and flu, phlegm and asthma, cold spleen and stomach. Orange: Sweet, sour, slightly cold; relieves chest pain and vomiting; relieves alcohol and induces diuresis. Indications: Vomiting and vomiting in febrile illnesses, dyspepsia, alcoholism. Contraindication: Not to be eaten by those with spleen yang deficiency. Banana: Sweet and cold, clearing the lungs and moistening the intestines, detoxifying the bowels. Suitable for: fever, ulcer disease, hemorrhoids, habitual constipation. Avoid: loose stools, chronic enteritis. Mulberry Glycine Nourishes yin and blood, generates fluids and moistens the intestines. Suitable for: deficiency of Yin and Blood, dizziness, insomnia, premature whitening of hair, constipation due to deficiency of Blood and intestinal dryness. Sugarcane Slightly cold, clearing heat and harmonizing the stomach, promoting the production of body fluid and moistening dryness. Suitable for: fever with thirst, dry stools. Blood disease, injury to wine. Dry cough, vomiting and regurgitation, pregnancy obstruction. Contraindications: Spleen deficiency and loose stools. Watermelon: Sweet and cold, clearing heat, quenching thirst. Suitable for: heat stroke, high fever and thirst. Urinary tract infections, mouth and tongue sores, high blood pressure. Contraindications: those who suffer from cold and dampness, and those who eat less after giving birth. Melon: sweet and cold, clearing heat, diuretic. Suitable for: fever, thirst, dry cough. Reflux and vomiting. Contraindication: abdominal distension, loose stools in spleen deficiency. Water chestnut Glycy cold, removes heat, dissolves phlegm and eliminates stagnation. Suitable for: high blood pressure, sore throat, chest and abdominal distension, constipation, mouth and tongue sores, hot cough, excessive menstruation. Contraindications: loose stools, blood deficiency. Cucumber: Sweet, slightly cold, clearing heat and inducing diuresis. Quenches thirst. Suitable for: fever, thirst, edema. Contraindication: cold spleen and stomach. Winter Melon Sweet, slightly cold, clearing heat and removing toxins, inducing diuresis and eliminating phlegm. Suitable for: edema and fullness, dysuria, thirst, summerheat. Contraindication: Yang deficiency of the spleen and kidney, diarrhea after prolonged illness. Bitter Melon Bitter Cold Clearing heat and removing toxins, expelling summer heat. Indications: Fever, fever, thirst, sore eyes, hot diarrhea. Contraindication: Not suitable for people with cold spleen and stomach. Bamboo shoots are cold, diaphragmatic, clearing away heat and phlegm, and are not greasy. Recommended for: obesity, food stagnation and abdominal distension, alcohol, measles. Contraindicated: after the disease. Easy to relapse after childbirth. Lotus root Sweet and cold, clearing heat and promoting the production of fluids, cooling the blood and dissipating blood stasis. Suitable for: fever and thirst, heat showers, hemorrhage, cooked food can strengthen the spleen. Avoid: Not to be used in cold conditions. Cooked food is recommended for those with weak spleen and stomach. Tomato: Sweet and sour, slightly cold, promoting production of body fluid to quench thirst. Strengthens the stomach and digestion. Suitable for: fever, dry mouth and thirst, loss of appetite. Contraindications: urinary stones, cold spleen and stomach should not be eaten. Kelp becomes cold, softens and disperses knots, and induces diuresis. Indications: Gall tumors, scrofula and tuberculosis, edema. Contraindication: cold spleen and stomach should not be eaten. Purple cabbage Gan cold, clearing heat, diuretic, phlegm soft solid. Recommended for: lymphatic tuberculosis, lung abscess, goiter. Contraindicated: skin diseases, purulent inflammation. (E) flat food soybean Ganping spleen and wide middle, moistening dryness and eliminate water. Suitable for: all the deficiency labor injury, constipation and thirst. Contraindications: Do not eat more than those who are full of phlegm. Suitable for: edema, urinary incontinence, heat and poisonous canker sores. Contraindication: Do not eat too much. Black Bean Ganping Benefiting qi and stopping sweating, inducing diuresis and activating blood circulation. Suitable for: edema, excessive sweating, kidney deficiency, lumbago, blood deficiency. Contraindication: fried warm, not easy to digest, do not eat. Lentils: Sweet and flat, invigorate the spleen and the middle, eliminate summer heat and dampness. Suitable for: summer vomiting and diarrhea, edema. Corn Glycine Glycine is neutralizing and appetizing, diuretic and diuretic. Suitable for: diarrhea and edema, dysuria, jaundice. Japonica Rice Ganping strengthens the spleen and harmonizes the stomach, quenches vexation and quenches thirst. Indications: Weakness of the spleen and stomach, dullness, diarrhea, fatigue. Sweet Potato Ganping Tonifies the middle Jiao, harmonizes the blood, invigorates the qi and promotes the production of body fluid. Indications: Dampness and heat, yellow gangrene, habitual constipation. Contraindicated: fullness and bloating, excessive stomach acid. Soymilk Glycine max tonifies deficiency and moistens dryness. Suitable for: nausea, deficiency of Yin, dryness and heat, rough skin. Pork Ganping tonifies Qi and nourishes blood, benefits the essence and fills in the marrow. Suitable for: weak constitution, malnutrition, rough skin. Malnutrition, rough skin. Duck Meat Sweet, salty and flat. Nourishes yin and nourishes the stomach, induces diuresis and reduces swelling. Good for: Yin deficiency and internal heat. Contraindicated in cases of external wind-cold. Spleen deficiency and diarrhea. Egg Gan Ping nourishes Yang and nourishes blood, nourishes blood and calms the mind. Indications: Qi and blood deficiency, insomnia. Goose Glycine Glycine is good for nourishing Qi, nourishing the stomach and quenching thirst. Indications: Yin deficiency and fever, chest tightness. Contraindications: Dampness and heat, hypertension and sores. Horse Meat Sweet, sour and flat. Strengthens the waist and spine, reinforcing the tendons. Suitable for: lumbar and leg pain and weakness, paralysis. Avoid: diarrhea, skin diseases. Quail Glycolic, flat, strengthens the spleen and strengthens qi. Suitable for: Qi and blood deficiency, malnutrition, loss of appetite. Turtle Glycyrrhiza glabra nourishes yin and cools blood, nourishes tendons and fills the marrow. Indications: Weakness of yin, deficiency of vital essence. Mass impediment. Bird’s nest Ganping nourishes Yang and moistens dryness, tonifies the middle Jiao and benefits Qi. Suitable for: deficiency of qi and yin, coughing and wheezing in the lungs, noma. Honey Bird’s nest Ganping nourishes the spleen and moistens the lungs, moistening the intestines and relaxing the bowels. Indications: Spleen deficiency with little food, lung deficiency with dry cough, constipation with dry intestines. Contraindications: damp-heat phlegm, chest and abdominal congestion, loose stools and diarrhea. White Fruit: Sweet, bitter, astringent and flat. Astringent, astringent and flat. Suitable for asthma and cough with excessive phlegm, and leucorrhea. Contraindication: slightly poisonous, easy to cause poisoning by eating more. Tangerine: sweet and sour; appetizer; quenching thirst and moistening the lungs. Suitable: loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, pregnancy obstruction. Contraindication: wind-cold cough, eating too much can produce fire and phlegm. Grape Glycolic Acid Flat Tonifying Qi and blood, stomachic and diuretic. Suitable for: paralysis, loss of appetite, painful urination. Contraindication: excessive consumption generates internal heat, should not be eaten too much at a time. Apple: Sweet and sour, tonifying the heart and vital energy, promoting the production of body fluid and stomach. Indications: Constipation, chronic diarrhea, loss of appetite. Pineapple Glycyrrhizic acid Flat Quenches summer heat and quenches thirst, digestion and diuresis. Suitable for: heat stroke, fever and thirst, indigestion. Contraindicated: allergy in some people. Sesame Glycolic Flat Tonifying the liver and kidneys, nourishing the blood and relaxing the bowels. Suitable for: deficiency of essence and blood, premature graying of hair, dizziness and constipation. Contraindication: Spleen deficiency, loose stools, diarrhea. Peanut Ganping Tonifying the spleen and moistening the lungs, nourishing Blood and harmonizing the stomach. Indications: Deficiency of qi and blood, disorders of the spleen and stomach, weakness and constipation. Contraindications: diarrhea and loose stools, warmth after frying, heat generation after eating. Lotus Seeds: Sweet, astringent, flat, tonifying the spleen, nourishing the heart and benefiting the kidneys. Indications: Diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, spermatorrhea due to kidney deficiency. It is recommended for: diarrhea due to deficiency of spleen, spermatorrhea due to deficiency of kidney. Contraindication: constipation, fullness and distension. Yam Gan Ping Nourishes the spleen, strengthens Qi, nourishes the lungs and benefits the kidneys. Suitable for: loose stools in spleen deficiency, cough and asthma in lung deficiency, and thirst in kidney deficiency. Contraindications: Dampness and fullness in the middle, stagnation in the stomach and intestines. Potato: Sweet, flat, invigorates the spleen and strengthens qi. Suitable for: loss of appetite, weakness and constipation. Contraindication: Sprouted, rotten and green potatoes are poisonous and are forbidden to eat. Mushroom Ganping invigorates the spleen, opens the stomach, and penetrates rashes. Indications: Loss of appetite, prolonged illness, weak body, impenetrable measles. Shiitake Mushroom Ganping nourishes the spleen and qi, and supports measles. Indications: Weakness of the spleen and stomach, fatigue, impenetrable measles. Contraindicated: after measles, after childbirth, after illness. Taro: Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza glabra. Indications: Lymphatic tuberculosis. Contraindicated in: food stagnation, stomachache, stomach and intestines with dampness and heat. Carrot Glycine Soja, Ping, strengthens the spleen and harmonizes the stomach, and reduces qi. Suitable for: stuffy epigastric region, constipation, pediatric acne and rash. Contraindication: Do not eat with vinegar. Bok choy 甘平 Clearing heat and removing vexation, facilitating intestines. Suitable for: dry mouth and thirst, constipation. Toon bitter and pungent Asia dry dampness to kill worms, stomach and astringent intestines. Suitable for: long term diarrhea, spermatorrhea, leucorrhea, chancre. Contraindication: easy to cause old diseases, people with chronic diseases should eat with caution. Mullein Fungus Gan Ping Nourishing Yin, nourishing the stomach, benefiting Qi and blood. Indications: Qi and blood imbalance, limb pain and numbness, postpartum blood deficiency and leakage. Contraindication: Spleen deficiency, loose diarrhea. Silver Fungus Ganping Moistening the lungs and relieving cough, nourishing the stomach and promoting the production of body fluid. Suitable for: insufficient qi and yin coughing, dry mouth and throat, menstrual disorders. Contraindicated: wind-cold cough.