FOOD AS MEDICINE PART III: PROCESSING, PREPARING AND EATING PRACTICES

photo courtesy of Bronwyn Davies

PROCESSED AND MODIFIED FOOD FORMS

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is ancient. At its foundation are texts written over 2000 years ago. Its tools, practices and health conclusions have with them the unique benefit of time; these have had hundreds of years to form and establish; centuries worth of discoveries, application, peer reviews, correction, and results; and TCM has had a great deal of time throughout to assess food natures and the actions that specific food have on the body. But this has always been done as the whole food form.

Once a whole food is change, so too is its nature; Which means, so too is its actions within the body. This is what modified and processed foods are; altered whole foods. They do not act on the body in the same exact same way that their whole food form would. The more modified and more processed, the further from its original whole food form it becomes, and the greater the differences in its actions on the body.

Modification and Processing are relatively new. We have not had hundreds of years; not even decades; and in some cases not even a few years; to assess, discuss, determine and confirm what the  exact natures of each of these new modified forms of food might be. We can at best apply our knowledge of flavors and temperatures; and continually assess the health of those individuals consuming these foods for future knowledge. Over the limited decades that we have been able to observe older forms of modification and processing, TCM has been able to acquire some traditional understanding on these food forms and processes, and their altered natures. It is generally understood that most processing forms creatWith some of these modification and processes, there show no immediate concern to health; benefiting the body as the whole food would. In some cases, however, these processes and modifications are being linked to effecting the body negatively; encouraging further imbalances by creating taxations and excesses within the body at a compounded rate (the idea of too much of a good thing becoming a bad thing is the case with some). 

STORING PRACTICES:

Storing and cooking practices also effect the nature of a food. Anything with greater degrees of physical heat and cold effect the body more drastically; and that which is cold in particular, makes the body work harder to process it. Foods when consumed frozen have a great influence on lower the body temperature and on creating cold complexes with the body’s systems. For this reason, frozen foods (such as  ice-cream and popsicles) are highly discouraged, especially on a regular basis. Refrigerated and chilled foods have the same effect, only to a lesser degree.

COOKING PRACTICES:

Raw food, especially produce, are considered naturally physically cool in temperature, and remaining at this natural temperature, they are slightly harder to process. When raw foods are consumed on a regular basis and in greater quantities, these foods can have effect in lower body temperature, creating cold complexes and taxing systems that must work harder to processes colder foods (the digestive system). Individuals with heat complexes, constitutions more hot, or strong digestive constitution, will often not find  noticeably negative effect; However, on a person with a colder constitution or  who already has a cold complex or weak digestion, this can become quite noticeable and can have harsh negative effects.

When cooking foods, Traditional Chinese Medicine follows the idea of balance as key; where raw is on one end and overcooked on the other. The best and most effective form of cooking is in the middle. This means cooking processes that lightly cook the food are best. light cooking introduces some heat to counter the cooler temperature of raw, and heat of this nature begins the break down process of food, helping the digestive system in breaking food down so that it isn't such a taxing process and allows the best absorption of nutrients; but at the same time it doesn't introduce so much heat as to completely break down the food beyond the point of being nutritious.  Included in this style of cooking is a light steam or partial bake.

Most cooking practices that retain the fluids of the food for consumption are considered better practices, such as in the case of soups, stews, and congees. Of course, what foods are used also influences the health of the dish. Boiling foods is considered a good to moderate form of cooking depending. Boiling often leads to a loss of nutritional aspects leached out into the water. If one can somehow consume the water itself (boil the vegetables and then cook the rice in this water, for example), this would increase the healthy aspect of boiling food. Full baking and roasting are considered moderate healthy cooking practices.

Frying, grilling, and barbequing are all considered less effective forms of cooking food. These are high heat and long heat cooking which are considered practices bordering on creating a more highly processed food. Any sort of frying process has harsh effects on digestion. Stir-frying, pan-frying and deep-frying all rely upon the use of oils to cook the food. Most oils in TCM are seen as damp creating. Dampness creates sluggish digestion and makes food harder to digest. This leads to less efficient digestion and overuse of the body’s digestive energy. Alongside this, dampness and damp foods are often stored as fat and can lead to phlegm accumulation. Combined, these can lead to weakening of digestion, obesity, phlegm congestion and multiple cascading systems issues from there.

Charring food (including char-grilling, char-frying and barbeque charring), is in one respect considered overcooking but in another respect is actually used medicinally. Unless used specifically for medicinal purposes, it is considered an inferior and even harmful cooking practice.  Cooking in wine and vinegar are also practices used medicinally for specific effects on the body. Their effects are powerful enough that constitution has much consideration on whether it would be a beneficial or detrimental cooking practice. 

EATING PRACTICES:

Eating practices can be divided into the actual act of eating and seasonal awareness. First off, chewing is the first line of digestion. The chewing process mechanically breaks food down, and enzymes in saliva chemically break food down. Proper mastication (chewing) means less work for the other processes of digestion. This means food is more efficiently and properly broken down and thus, more easily and efficiently absorbed during digestion. In TCM, this means less taxation on the digestive system, which is always encouraged.

Traditional Chinese Medicine highlights the importance of intent and focus in everything we do; mindfulness as they say. To be focused on and to give attention and time to the practice of eating, while we are eating, is important. This is why eating while on the go, eating while working, and eating while watching television or studying or playing games, are all highly discouraged. This moves the subtle focus of digestion, away from digestion. This can cause inefficient processing of food, even stagnating of digestion. Emotional eating is also hard on digestion. The body is holistic, everything effects everything. Emotional upset causes digestive upset. Eating while angry, while frustrated, while stressed or even while excited can all have negative effects on the body. Some of these emotions can cause stagnation of digestion (overfull filling, heaviness and bloating); some cause upset of digestion (think literally up - such as hiccoughs, need to burp, acid reflux, nausea and vomiting). All emotions tax digestion (cause weakness).  Stagnation, Upset, and diverted attention may cause little harm in the short term, but over long periods can cause great harm to digestion and interacting systems of digestion.

Eating in tune with the season is another cherished dietary practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Each season bring with itself certain themes and characteristics; among these are health taxation, excesses and patterns particular to the season. TCM encourages seasonal attunement to help the body adapt and proactively prepare for the seasons. Most seasonal attunements are done during the transition period from one season to the next, after which is continued practices throughout the season. With regards to food, the consumption of foods local to the region, ripe and ready within that season, are normally those best equipped to work with the seasonal taxations and excesses. Some seasons bring rain to one region but dryness to another during that same season; some places experience damp and hot summers, while others consistently dry and hot. For this reason, eating foods local and native to the climate can be highly effective to treating issues effected or caused by seasonal conditions.

If taking into account various foods and their natures wasn’t complex enough, we also must consider processing and modifications, storage, preparation and cooking practices, as well as eating practices. This can be overwhelming. The most important thing, as mentioned before, is that we approach "everything in moderation." Should you still be discouraged, allow me to finish the saying by adding to it; "everything in moderation, even moderation itself." Its okay to have that deep-fried deliciousness every now and again; allow yourself that bowl of ice-cream from time to time; Even moderation needs to be moderated now and again, with a little dabbling from time to time in the things that make life just a little fuller.

Next we will wrap up this Food as Medicine series with Food as Medicine Part IV: The Whole Picture. Here will be discussed how we as TCM practitioners approach food as medicine with our patients, and other considerations given.