Chinese Name: 芥菜
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Pungent
Organ Meridian: Lung, stomach, kidney
Properties: Strengthens lungs, purges phlegm, dissolves clots, relieves swelling
Best Use For: Relieving cold-type cough, dissolving phlegm that causes coughing
Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g
Dietary Caution: People with eye diseases and Yin deficiency body constitution should avoid consuming mustard
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution
Chinese Name: 黄花菜
Thermal Nature: Cooling
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Liver, kidney
Properties: Cools the body, promotes urination, relieves discomfort in chest area, cools the blood, helps with detoxification
Best Use For: Improving sleep quality, treating short urination (strong yellowish color)
Serving Per Day For One Person: 15 to 30g
Dietary Caution: It is safer to consume dried long yellow daylily
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution, Yin deficiency body constitution
Chinese Name: 韭菜
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Pungent
Organ Meridian: Kidney, stomach, lung, liver
Properties: Strengthens kidneys, warms the body, encourages Qi flow, disperses clots
Best Use For: Strengthening kidneys, relieving stomach pain (due to coldness in stomach)
Serving Per Day For One Person: 60 to 120g
Dietary Caution: People with Yin deficiency body constitution and people with eye diseases should avoid consuming chives
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Yang deficiency body constitution, Qi deficiency body constitution
Chinese Name: 葫芦瓜
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Spleen, kidney, lung
Properties: Promotes urination, relieves swelling, disperses clots
Best Use For: Relieving water retention in legs and stomach
Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 30g
Dietary Caution: People with loose stools should avoid consuming gourd
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution
Chinese Name: 豇 豆 (jiang dou)
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet, salty
Organ Meridian: Spleen, kidney
Properties: Strengthen spleen, remove excessive liquids from spleen, strengthen kidney
Best Use For: Weakness in spleen and kidney, recommended for people who experience frequent urination and lower back pain
Serving Per Day For One Person: 30 to 60g
Dietary Caution: People who have hard stools should avoid consuming cowpea
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution
Chinese Name: 黑豆
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Spleen, kidney
Properties: Promote blood flow and urination, expel wind and detoxify the body, strengthen spleen and kidney
Best Use For: Relieving difficulty in urination, relieving back pain and weak kidneys, recommended for people with blood clots
Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 30g
Dietary Caution: Children and people with weak spleen and bloated stomach should limit consumption of black beans
Special Note: In traditional chinese medicine, black beans (together with licorice) are used to treat poisoning caused by the wrong consumption of herbs.
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Phlegm and dampness body constitution, Blood stasis body constitution, Yang deficiency body constitution
Chinese Name: 山药, 淮山
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Spleen, lung, kidney
Properties: Strengthens spleen and lungs, protects kidneys
Best Use For: Treating weakening of spleen and loose stools, cough due to weakness in lungs, frequent urination due to weakness in kidneys
Serving Per Day For One Person: 15 to 30g
Dietary Caution: Do not consume chinese yam if you have flu or fever symptoms
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Qi deficiency body constitution, Yin deficiency body constitution, Yang deficiency body constitution
Chinese Name: 番薯, 地瓜, 红薯
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Spleen, kidney
Properties: Relieves constipation, promotes energy and body fluids
Best Use For: Treating constipation, relieving water retention due to weakness in spleen
Dietary Caution: People with loose stools should avoid consuming sweet potato
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Qi deficiency body constitution
Chinese Name: 小米
Thermal Nature: Cooling
Flavor: Sweet, salty
Organ meridian: Spleen, stomach, kidney
Properties: Cools the body, strengthens kidney and helps with detoxification
Best Use For: Relieving stomach upset and vomiting, relieving bloated stomach, replenishing fluids in stomach and spleen hence reducing heatiness in both organs
Serving Per Day For One Person: 15 to 30g
Dietary Caution: Avoid eating millet with almonds as it may cause vomiting and diarrhea for some people
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution, Yin deficiency body constitution
Chinese Name: 大麦
Thermal Nature: Cooling
Flavor: Sweet, salty
Organ Meridian: Spleen, kidney
Properties: Strengthen spleen and promote urination
Best Use For: Treating bloated stomach and difficulty in urination
Serving Per Day For One Person: 30 to 60g
Dietary Caution: People with cooling body constitution should avoid consuming barley. People who have loose stools should avoid it as well.
Special Note: Barley is different from chinese barley. Chinese barley has an additional effect that is beneficial for phlegm and dampness body constitution.
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Yin deficiency body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution