Posted - 6/7/2020 12:42:01
The acting directions foods are mostly based on their energetic properties or origins:
Upward and outward: warm or hot in energy, pungent or sweet in flavor, e.g. ginger, garlic and chili pepper.
Downward and inward: Cool or cold in energy, sour or bitter or salty in flavor, e.g. apricot, plum, lotus seed and wax melon.
See the tables in:
http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/lifestyles/food_property_food_tcm.htmlIn general, foods like leaves and flowers and those with light and loose qualities possess a tendency to move upwards or outwards; while roots and seeds and fruits that are heavy and hard in qualities possess a tendency to move downwards or inwards. The movements of foods can be changed after prepared in certain ways, e.g. mixed with wine develops a tendency to move upwards; mixed with ginger juice develops a tendency to move outward; mixed with vinegar develops a tendency to be astringent; fired with salt will develop a tendency to move downwards.
|
