Tag: Yin and yang food

According to the World Health Organization, the average Chinese diet has seen significant changes over the past few decades, moving from a predominantly plant-based, traditional diet to one with more fat and processed foods. Understanding what is the average diet of a Chinese person requires examining both historical traditions and contemporary shifts in eating patterns.

Chinese food therapy, or *shíliáo*, is a cornerstone of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that has been practiced for over two thousand years, rooted in the philosophy that food is medicine. This comprehensive approach deeply influences what are some Chinese beliefs about food and health, emphasizing balance and harmony with nature for overall well-being.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), many foods, including pork, are classified by their thermal properties as either cooling, warming, or neutral. The concept behind this classification is that certain foods affect the body's internal balance and energy, known as 'qi'. This article explores whether pork is cooling or warming from a TCM perspective, contrasting it with Western nutritional science.