There is a saying in Chinese medicine that "medicine and food are homologous". Traditional Chinese medicine believes that most commonly used foods have four flavors and five flavors, so they have certain medicinal value. Although food is generally mild in taste, normal people will not have adverse effects if they eat it for a long time. However, if they suffer from diseases, it is best to pay attention to the medicinal properties of food and choose it pertinently, which is more conducive to treatment and rehabilitation. This is called dialectical feeding in dietotherapy.
The principle of dialectical feeding is consistent with the principle of medicinal properties. For example, sweet taste enters the spleen, and eating sweets has the functions of harmonizing the spleen and stomach, nourishing qi and blood, supplementing calories, etc., but overeating sweet and greasy products will cause congestion of the spleen and stomach or endogenous phlegm; Sour taste into the liver, moderate consumption of sour food can promote appetite, strengthen the spleen and stimulate appetite, but excessive consumption will hurt the stomach; Bitter taste enters the heart, which has the functions of clearing away heart fire and relieving heat and toxicity, but eating too much will hurt the spleen and stomach; Spicy into the lungs can dispel wind and cold, promote qi circulation and promote blood circulation, but overeating will cause fire and blood circulation; Salty taste into the kidney, salt supplement, can be soft and firm, and overeating will hurt the kidney, leading to stagnation of water and dampness. Diet in different seasons is also particular, such as light in summer, moist in autumn and tonic in winter.