Chinese Name: 西兰花
Thermal Nature: Cooling
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Kidney, stomach, spleen
Properties: Strengthens kidney, spleen and stomach
Best Use For: Speeding up recovery after illness, treating weakness in the limbs and/or stomach
Dietary Caution: None
Suitable For: All types of body constitution
Also Known As: Poria Cocos
Chinese Name: 茯苓
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Heart, lung, spleen, kidney
Properties: Promotes urination to remove dampness, strengthens the spleen and calms the mind
Best Use for: Relieving water retention and difficulty in urination, strengthening the spleen, calming the mind which relieves people from insomnia
Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g
Dietary Caution: Not known
Suitable For: All types of body constitution
Also Known As: Cordyceps Sinensis
Chinese Name: 冬虫夏草
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Lung, kidney
Properties: Strengthens kidneys and lungs, stops bleeding, dissolves phlegm
Best Use For: Relieving knee and waist pain due to deficiency in the kidneys, relieving persistent coughing due to lung deficiency
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 9g
Dietary Caution: People with flu symptoms (fever, sore throat, running nose, etc) should avoid consuming cordyceps
Suitable For: Yang deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Rehmannia Glutinosa
Chinese Name: 生地黄
Thermal Nature: Cold
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Heart, liver, kidney
Properties: Cools the blood, promotes Yin
Best Use For: Relieving heatiness in the blood, treating fever caused by Yin deficiency
Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g
Dietary Caution: People with weak spleen and loose stools should avoid consuming sheng di huang
Suitable For: Yin deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Panax Quinquefolium
Chinese Name: 西洋参
Thermal Nature: Cooling
Flavor: Sweet, bitter (slight)
Organ Meridian: Heart, lung, kidney
Properties: Boost Qi, nourish Yin, cools the body
Best Use For: People with Qi and Yin deficiency, boosting energy levels for people who are recovering from illness
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 6g
Dietary Caution: People with flu symptoms should avoid consuming ginseng for the time being. Never consume American Ginseng with Hellebore as they have clashing effects on each other.
Suitable For: Yin deficiency body constitution, Qi deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Wolfberry, Lycium Barbarum
Chinese Name: 枸杞子
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Liver, kidney
Properties: Nourish the liver and kidney, relieves eye problems
Best Use For: People with liver/kidney Yin deficiency who are likely to have knee, waist issues, ear ringing, dizziness or cloudy vision in the eyes
Serving Per Day For One Person: 6 to 12g
Dietary Caution: People with weak spleen or flu symptoms should avoid consuming goji alone
Suitable For: Yin deficiency body constitution
Chinese Name: 熟地黄
Thermal Nature: Warm (Slight)
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Liver, kidney
Properties: Nourish blood, boost Yin
Best Use For: Yin deficiency in kidney and liver (people with these deficiencies will experience weakness in the knees and waist, dizziness and temporal ringing sound in the ears)
Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 15g
Dietary Caution: People with loose stools should avoid consuming shu di huang alone
Suitable For: Blood stasis body constitution
Also Known As: Reishi, Ganoderma Lucidum
Chinese Name: 灵芝
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Heart, lung, liver, kidney
Properties: Boost Qi, calm the mind, relieve cough
Best Use For: Relieving insomnia, relieving cough due to Qi deficiency in the lungs, improving appetite
Serving Per Day For One Person: 6 to 12g
Dietary Caution: People with flu symptoms should avoid consuming ling zhi
Suitable For: Qi deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Acanthopanax Senticosus
Chinese Name: 刺五加
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Sweet, bitter (slight)
Organ Meridian: Spleen, lung, kidney, heart
Properties: Boost Qi and strengthen the spleen, strengthen kidney and calm the mind
Best Use For: Ciwujia is used for treating weakness (Qi deficiency) in both the spleen and lungs or kidney and lungs. It is also used to treat insomnia caused by Qi deficiency in the heart and spleen. Nowadays, it is more commonly used to treat deficiencies in the kidney.
Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 20g
Dietary caution: People with Yin deficiency body constitution should avoid consuming ci wu jia
Suitable For: Qi deficiency body constitution
Also Known As: Panax Ginseng
Chinese Name: 人参
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Bitter (mild), sweet
Organ Meridian: Spleen, lung, heart, kidney
Properties: Greatly replenishes energy (Qi), stops excessive bleeding and sweating, vitalizes spleen, strengthen lungs and nourishes blood.
Best Use For: Elderly or people with very weak body constitution
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 9g
Dietary Caution: People with flu symptoms should avoid consuming ginseng for the time being. Never consume ginseng with hellebore as they have clashing effects on each other.
Suitable For: Qi deficiency body constitution
