The four basic theories of Chinese food culture are food therapy theory, food nutrition theory, traditional Chinese medicine theory, and diet structure theory.

1. Food therapy theory: There is a long tradition of food therapy in Chinese history, in which it is believed that different foods have different effects and can cure different diseases of the body. For example, it has the functions of clearing away heat and detoxifying, nourishing the liver and kidneys, etc. The traditional eating habits and dish combinations in Chinese food culture are also deeply influenced by food therapy, which focuses on the tonic, warming, and cooling effects of food.

2. Food nutrition theory: Food nutrition theory is another important basic theory in Chinese food culture. It is recorded in the ancient Chinese medical book "Huangdi Neijing" that food is rich in nutrients, such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, etc.

3. The theory of traditional Chinese medicine: The theory of traditional Chinese medicine is another core theory of Chinese food culture. The Chinese believe that medicine and food have the same properties, and medicine has three parts of poison, that is, the dosage and method of use are extremely important. important. People boil Chinese medicinal materials into decoctions and often use them with food to obtain better therapeutic effects. Therefore, the theory of traditional Chinese medicine links food, Chinese medicinal materials and human body health, thus forming a systematic theoretical system.

4. Diet structure theory: Diet structure theory is another important basic theory in Chinese food culture, focusing on the structure of the diet and the balance of the five flavors. Chinese food culture believes that the balance of the five flavors can maintain normal physiological activities of the human body, and it also reflects people's dietary taboos and aesthetic concepts. The core of the dietary structure theory is "less salt, less oil, less sauce, and less sugar", which emphasizes the reasonable combination of salt, fat, and sugar in food and the control of food intake, which is in line with the development trend of food and health.

Introduction to Chinese food culture

Chinese food culture is a Chinese culture with a long history and is extensive and profound. Under the influence of the yin-yang and five-element philosophy in traditional Chinese cultural education, Confucian ethics and moral concepts, traditional Chinese medicine nutrition and health theory, as well as cultural and artistic achievements, dietary aesthetic trends, and national character traits, Chinese cooking techniques have been created that shine through the annals of history. Form a broad and profound Chinese food culture.