In today’s world, we often joke about our “heavy flavoring” habits. But in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the intensity of flavors isn’t a laughing matter. According to TCM’s Five Elements theory, the five flavors – sour, pungent, bitter, sweet, and salty – have special “affinities” with the five internal organs.
The Five Flavors and Their Affinities
- Sour: Foods like green plums, hawthorn, and oranges can control liver fire and nourish liver yin.
- Pungent: Ingredients such as green onions, ginger, and garlic excel at dispersing wind-cold, promoting qi circulation, and safeguarding the lungs.
- Bitter: Foods like bitter gourd and lotus heart can clear heat and fire, benefiting heart health by alleviating symptoms like insomnia and irritability.
- Salty: Naturally salty foods, including kelp, seaweed, and nori, connect with kidney qi, nourishing essence and softening hardness.
- Sweet: Items such as yam, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes nourish qi and blood while harmonizing the spleen and stomach.
The Importance of Moderation
Moderation is key in maintaining balance. While appropriate consumption of these flavors supports organ health, overindulgence disrupts this balance and can harm the organs. “Pengzu’s Treatise on Nourishing Life” reminds us: “The five flavors should not be consumed excessively. Too much sour damages the spleen, too much bitter damages the lungs, too much pungent damages the liver, too much sweet damages the kidneys, and too much salty damages the heart.”
Harmful Effects of Overconsumption
- Excess Sour: Damages the spleen, leading to digestive issues.
- Excess Pungent: Hurts the liver, causing tendon tension and brittle nails.
- Excess Bitter: Impacts the lungs, resulting in dry skin and hair loss.
- Excess Salty: Affects the heart, leading to pulse congestion and complexion changes.
- Excess Sweet: Damages the kidneys, causing bone pain and hair issues.
Dietary Tips
- People with weak digestion should limit sour foods.
- Those with liver deficiencies should avoid excessive spicy foods.
- Lung deficiency calls for moderation in bitter foods.
- Heart problems? Limit salty foods.
- If you have kidney issues, control your intake of sweet foods.
This TCM wisdom encourages us to maintain a balanced diet, avoiding excessive consumption of any single flavor.
