"Spicy, sweet, sour, bitter and salty" are actually the "five flavors" of whole grains, so what are their functions and significance? If you eat spicy food every day, your nose will be hot and runny. A stuffy nose and runny nose. At this time, the elders will cook a bowl of ginger soup for us, drink it while it is hot, and then sweat. Baishanwang's whole grains make people feel much better. Dispel the characteristics of cold.
So by analogy, Chinese medicine divides all grains and medicines into "pungent, sweet, sour, bitter and salty".
The five flavors also widely divide the functions of grains and food and medicine. Everyone can choose the appropriate whole grains for health care according to their physical condition and the characteristics of homology of medicine and food.
Spicy food and medicine have the functions of dispersing stagnation, promoting qi circulation and promoting blood circulation. Such as ginger, cinnamon, scallion, Xin can dispel the evil of cold; The pungent taste of Radix Aucklandiae and Rhizoma Cyperi can promote qi circulation and eliminate acne; The pungent taste of Ligusticum chuanxiong and Carthamus tinctorius can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.
Sweets and drugs have nourishing, neutralizing and aphrodisiac effects. For example, the sweet taste of Codonopsis pilosula and Astragalus membranaceus can replenish qi; Rehmannia glutinosa and Lycium barbarum are sweet and can nourish blood and nourish liver and kidney; The sweetness of licorice and caramel can neutralize the pain in the middle and relieve the pain.
Acid foods and drugs have astringent and astringent effects. For example, the acid of Populus alba and Prunus mume can astringent the stomach and stop diarrhea; Rosa laevigata acid can astringe semen and stop leukorrhagia; Schisandra chinensis can restrain sweating; The sour taste of red dates can soothe the nerves and help sleep.
Bitter food medicine has the functions of relaxing bowels, clearing away heat, lowering blood pressure and eliminating dampness. For example, the bitter taste of cassia seed can clear away heat and relieve constipation; Buckwheat is bitter, which can clear away heat and trouble; The bitter taste of bitter almond can moisten the lungs, relieve asthma and relieve cough; The bitter taste of Rhizoma Coptidis can clear away heat and dry dampness.
Salty food and medicine have the effect of moistening the intestines and relaxing the bowels. For example, the salty salt of mirabilite can soften and harden the intestine;
Therefore, when you choose grain medicine for health, you must be clear about the "taste" of each grain medicine, and combine your actual physical condition with diet therapy to get twice the result with half the effort.