Chinese Name: 三文鱼
Thermal Nature: Slight warm
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Spleen, stomach
Properties: Strengthen body constitution and stomach, promote urination
Best Use For: Relieving indigestion, relieving water retention, recommended for people who are overworked
Serving Per Day For One Person: 100 to 200g
Dietary Caution: None
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution
Also Known As: Jiang Huang
Chinese Name: 姜黄
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Bitter, sweet, pungent
Organ Meridian: Liver, spleen
Properties: Promote Qi flow, relieve pain
Best Use For: Relieving chest pain, swelling pain due to fall, amenorrhea, rheumatic shoulder and arm pain
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 9g
Dietary Caution: People with blood deficiency should limit the consumption of turmeric
Suitable For: Balanced body constitution
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: Rose Rugosa
Chinese Name: 玫瑰花
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Bitter, sweet
Organ Meridian: Spleen, liver
Properties: Harmonize liver Qi, stop bleeding and relieve pain, promote blood circulation
Best Use For: Harmonizing liver and stomach Qi, relieving menstruation irregularity
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 6g
Dietary Caution: People with Yin deficiency should reduce intake of rose
Suitable For: Blood stasis body constitution
Also Known As: Citrus Medica
Chinese Name: 佛手
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Bitter, pungent, sour
Organ Meridian: Spleen, lung, liver, stomach
Properties: Harmonize liver and stomach Qi, dissolves phlegm
Best Use For: Relieving stagnant Qi in the liver and stomach
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 10g
Dietary Caution: People with Yin deficiency should reduce their intake of fingered citron
Suitable For: All types of body constitution
Also Known As: Citrus Reticulata
Chinese Name: 陈皮
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Bitter, pungent
Organ Meridian: Spleen, lung
Properties: Strengthen the spleen and harmonize Qi flow in the stomach and spleen, dissolves phlegm
Best Use For: Highly effective for people who experience bloated stomach especially after eating dairy or foods that obstruct Qi flow in the stomach. Click here to read more about its benefits and usage.
Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 10g
Dietary Caution: People with Qi or Yin deficiency should reduce the intake of tangerine peel
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: Angelica Sinensis
Chinese Name: 当归
Thermal Nature: Warm
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Heart, liver, spleen
Properties: Nourish the blood, harmonize menstruation and relieve pain
Best Use For: People with blood deficiency and experiencing dizziness, relieving menstruation pain, relieving constipation due to dryness in the intestine
Serving Per Day For One Person: 6 to 12g
Dietary Caution: People with loose stools should avoid consuming dang gui
Suitable For: Blood stasis body constitution
Also Known As: Glycyrrhiza Uralensis
Chinese Name: 甘草
Thermal Nature: Neutral
Flavor: Sweet
Organ Meridian: Heart, lung, spleen, stomach
Properties: Boosts Qi and strengthens the spleen, cools the body and helps with detoxification, dissolves phlegm and stops coughing, relieves pain and harmonizes other herbs
Best Use For: Gancao is commonly used in Chinese medicine and herbal soups as its sweet taste can be accepted by most people. Alone, it can be used for strengthening the spleen and boosting Qi for the heart. It can also be used to relieve cough due to phlegm.
Serving Per Day For One Person: 2 to 10g
Dietary Caution: Avoid consuming gan cao above the recommended dosage as it will lead to water retention in the body. It has a clashing effect with seaweed, so avoid consuming them together.
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
