The Art of Eating Vegetables

Author: Zhao Sheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: Chinese traditional culture has long advocated the principle of "medicine and food being of the same origin." As early as the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, it was written: "Grains are for nourishment, fruits are for assistance, meats are for benefit, vegetables are for replenishment. When their flavors are harmonized and taken together, they can enhance vital energy." In my clinical practice, I have also proven that using food to prevent illness, treat diseases, promote health, and even extend life all have their functions. However, food has properties of cold, heat, coolness, and warmth, as well as flavors of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy. According to folk customs, people are divided into those with a cold constitution and those with a hot constitution. People with a cold constitution are suitable for eating warm and spicy foods, while those with a hot constitution are suitable for eating cold and bitter foods. During our late-night talks by candlelight, my wife and I often discussed two questions: whether there truly are cold and hot constitutions, and how to cook food so that it leaves a lingering fragrance in the mouth when enjoyed. Our conclusion is that if you eat a small amount of hot and dry food, such as fried chicken, pan-fried shrimp, onions, or garlic, and experience dry mouth, sore throat, a feeling of intense heat, or even get sick as a result, then you are a person with a hot constitution. Conversely, if you eat cold and cooling foods, such as winter melon, cabbage, mung bean sugar water, or mustard greens soup, and then feel dizzy, nausea, frequent urination, or get sick, then you have a cold constitution. However, in clinical practice, having a cold or hot constitution does not necessarily mean the body is weak or strong. The key is to choose food that suits your body as your staple. This is also the reason why I decided to write The Art of Eating Vegetables. This book is divided into categories such as leaves, stems, flowers and fungi, fruits, and underground roots. It details the botanical family, origin, scientific composition, ancient botanical records, material combinations, cooking methods, and dietary therapeutic functions of each vegetable. Health is the greatest wealth. I believe that after reading this book, you will thoroughly understand the dietary knowledge of each vegetable introduced, allowing you to choose food according to your constitution to achieve the goal of health and longevity.