TCM food recommendations as winter approaches

November 7 marked the Beginning of Winter according to the 24 Chinese solar terms. The weather is changing from dry, rainless to cold with much rainfall, and traditional Chinese medicine believes that life needs to enter a stage of recuperation to build up strength.

To protect yourself against the cold weather, the theory recommends food with relatively high calories for most people so as to preserve your (hot) energy. There are some easy-to-get healthcare food that have been used as seasonal nutrition supplements in China for hundreds of years.

Red jujube might be one of the top choice in winter. Traditional Chinese medicine says it is a "warm" food to help nourish the spleen and stomach, boost energy, promote blood circulation and soothe the nerves.

It can replace white granulated sugar to gain calories. As a fruit, jujube is often used in TCM as an auxiliary to cure diseases and maintain health, but rarely used as a main therapeutic medicine.

People who suffer fatigue, shortness of breath and cold fear should first seek advice from Chinese medicine practitioners before eating jujube, which might cause abdominal distension, constipation and inner heat.

Sesame and walnut powder that are ground and stir-fried are popular winter health-care food for the elderly. Chinese believe black-colored sesame can help make hair strong and look shiny black, and the brain-shaped walnut is good for memory. As a matter of fact, the two are rich in vegetable oils and unsaturated fatty acids.

Sesame contains a large amount of fat and protein, as well as sugar, vitamins A and E, lecithin and other ingredients. It is suitable for people with dry skin and brittle hair, who have difficulty defecating or a thin body.

The oil content in walnut is nearly 70 percent. Its calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc and a variety of vitamins are good for children's brain development, prevent the aging of human cells and slow down the decline in memory. The linoleic acid can also prevent and treat vascular diseases.

So it can be concluded that sesame and walnut powder is not suitable for people with high blood fat, obesity, fatty liver, and others. Excessive intake may also cause excessive sebum secretion and seborrheic alopecia.