A Healing Cuisine 食补 ── 中国吃的艺术

Chinese cuisine is widely known and enjoyed in all four corners of the world. Who could not confess to longing for a favorite Chinese dish? But there is one interesting concept concerning Chinese food which is almost unheard of in the West, and which is becoming increasingly ignored by the youth of the East—the ancient custom of “tonic food.”

Tonic food is food which is consumed to improve one’s well-being, or stave off sickness, particularly at times when one is more prone to illness. For instance, it was once the custom for new mothers to eat a sesame- oil hot pot every day for the first month after giving birth. It was believed that this dish would benefit the muscles, reduce pain, improve circulation, stimulate sweating, and warm the body.

In fact, these Chinese beliefs parallel some Western theories of health, although each takes a different path toward the very same goal. Western medicine actually recommends some of the exact same ingredients that make up the chicken hot pot dish. Sesame oil has been found to promote contraction of the womb while providing lots of calories, and chicken meat is particularly high in protein. Any Western doctor should be happy to suggest such a Chinese dish after childbirth.

The elderly, weak, and young can also benefit greatly from tonic foods, especially during the winter. Some foods, such as goat meat and spinach, are seen as “hot,” while others, such as Chinese cabbage and radish, are seen as “cold.” One should be careful not to eat too much of either “hot” or “cold” food. However, how much “hot” or “cold” food one should eat depends on the time of the year, how the food is prepared and what it is prepared with, and the individual’s health.

“Warm” or “cool” tonic foods are strongly recommended. The choices for “warm” and “cool” foods range from simple sea cucumber to the delicacy of bird’s nest soup, depending on the individual’s economic circumstances.

The concept of tonic food is far from losing credibility, either with Westerners or practitioners of modern medicine. For example, up until two years ago, tonic foods were added to the meals served at a renowned hospital.

The custom of prescribing tonic foods for a healthier life also spills over into the catering industry. Although tonic foods themselves are losing popularity among the younger generation, Chinese herbal medicines, such as wolfberry fruit, can be found on many a restaurant menu, either added to fruit tea or as a beneficial addition to a dish. These herbs attract customers, such as over-worked office staff, in need of a modest pick-me-up.

So, whether you need to boost your masculinity with a large helping of bull penis, or increase your mental powers with a serving of pig’s brain soup, you may find that this ancient Chinese custom could be just the tonic you were looking for.

中国菜誉满天下，为全世界人所喜爱。谁敢说自己不想尝一道美味的中国佳肴？不过中国菜有个有趣的观念──“食补”，这个古老的习俗在西方几乎是前所未闻，而在东方则逐渐被年轻人忽视。

食补是指通过食用某些食物以增进健康，或防止疾病，尤其在人容易生病的时候。举个例子，在过去的习俗里，产妇在产后一个月内每天都要吃麻油鸡。人们认为这道菜对肌肉有益，并能减轻疼痛、促进循环、刺激排汗和暖和身子。

事实上，这些中国人的信念与西方的某些健康理论相似，可谓殊途同归。西方医学确实建议摄食几种和麻油鸡材料相同的成份。经证实麻油可以促进子宫收缩，同时提供高热量，而鸡肉的蛋白质含量特别高。西方国家的医生应该也乐于建议妇女产后食用这道中国菜。

老年人、体弱者和年轻人也可以从食补中获得很大收益，尤其在冬季。一些像羊肉和菠菜之类的食物，被视为“热性”食物，其它如大白菜及小红萝卜等，则被视为“凉性”食物。要注意热性或凉性的食物都不能吃太多。而热性及凉性食物摄食的多少，则应视时令、烹饪方式、烹饪调料及个人体质而定。

“温性”与“凉性”食物受到大力推荐。“温性”与 “凉性”食物的选择从简单的海参到美味的燕窝汤不等，视个人经济情况而定。

对西方人或现代医学的医生而言，食补的概念还远未丧失其可信度。比如大约两年前，一家著名的医院就将食补纳入其供餐服务中。

将食补作为养生之道的习俗也影响到了公共饮食业。虽然食补在年轻人中受欢迎的程度正在减退，但在许多餐厅的菜单中都能看到中药，像枸杞被加到水果茶中或是被当作有益的配料使用。这些中药吸引了需要适度提神的顾客，如加班时间过长的上班族等。

因此，不管你是需要大力借助牛鞭来提振男性雄风，还是用猪脑汤来增进你的脑力，你会发现古老的中国食补习俗可能就是你在寻觅的补药。