Chicory Root

Chicory Root

chicory root

Chinese Name: 菊苣根

Thermal Nature: Cooling

Flavor: Bitter (Slight)

Organ Meridian: Stomach

Properties: Relieves inflammation, strengthens the stomach, improves digestion

Best Use For: Relieving gout symptoms (as it can reduce the uric acid in the blood), reducing inflammation in the body

Serving Per Day For One Person: 3 to 6g

Dietary Caution: None

Suitable For: Balanced body constitution, Dampness and heat body constitution

Salmon

Salmon

salmon

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

Bell Pepper (Capsicum)

Bell Pepper

Bell pepper tcm

Also Known As: Capsicum

Chinese Name: 青椒, 灯笼椒

Thermal Nature: Hot

Flavor: Pungent

Organ Meridian: Large intestine, stomach

Properties: Dispels coldness, improves appetite

Best Use For: Strengthening immunity and the spleen, especially for people with Yang deficiency body constitution. Bell pepper also contains rich vitamins and minerals so it is ideal to be included in the diet for most people.

Dietary Caution: People with fever or sore throat should reduce their intake of bell pepper

Suitable For: All types of body constitution

Broccoli

Fingered Citron

Fingered Citron

fingered citron

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

Dandelions

Dandelions

Dandelion

Also Known As: Taraxacum Mongolicum

Chinese Name: 蒲公英

Thermal Nature: Cold

Flavor: Sweet, bitter

Organ Meridian: Liver, stomach

Properties: Cools the body and helps with detoxification, relieves swells and eases water retention in the body

Best Use For: Detoxifying, removing toxins in the liver

Serving Per Day For One Person: 10 to 15g

Dietary Caution: People with weak spleen should avoid consuming dandelions alone

Suitable For: All types of body constitution

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle

honeysuckle

Also Known As: Lonicera Japonica

Chinese Name: 金银花 (Jin Yin Hua)

Thermal Nature: Cold

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Lung, heart, stomach

Properties: Cools the body, helps with detoxification, expels heat (wind-type)

Best Use For: Cooling the body when the person has heat-type flu (sore throat, fever etc), treating acne that is caused by heat toxins (due to wrong diet or foods)

Serving Per Day For One Person: 9 to 15g

Dietary Caution: Honeysuckle is a very cooling herb, do not consume it for long term. People with weak spleen should also avoid consuming honeysuckle alone. 

Suitable For: All types of body constitution

Solomon’s Seal

Solomon's Seal

Solomon's Seal

Also Known As: Polygonatum Odoratum

Chinese Name: 玉竹

Thermal Nature: Cold

Flavor: Sweet

Organ Meridian: Lung, stomach

Properties: Nourish Yin, relieve cough, quench thirst

Best Use For: Treating Yin deficiency in the lungs, relieving dry cough, relieving Yin deficiency in the stomach (dry mouth, poor appetite, etc)

Serving Per Day For One Person: 6 to 12g

Dietary Caution: People with bloated stomach should minimize consumption of solomon’s seal alone

Suitable For: Yin deficiency body constitution

Gan Cao

Gan Cao

Gancao

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

Bai Zhu

Bai Zhu

Bai zhu

Also Known As: Atractyodes Macrocephala

Chinese Name: 白术

Thermal Nature: Warm

Flavor: Sweet, bitter

Organ Meridian: Spleen, stomach

Properties: Strengthen the spleen and boost energy, reduce dampness in body, stops excessive sweating

Best Use For: Bai zhu is the number one effective medicine known to strengthen the spleen and promote energy at the same time. It is commonly used to strengthen the spleen and vitalize people with weak or low energy or poor appetite. 

Serving Per Day For One Person: 6 to 12g

Dietary Caution: Avoid consuming bai zhu if you have Yin deficiency body constitution or if you are experiencing flu symptoms 

Suitable For: Qi deficiency body constitution, Yang deficiency body constitution