Winter is cold; and many living things slow down to save energy while some animals hibernate. It is the time when yang qi becomes latent and yin qi dominates. It's the season when man conserves energy and builds strength as a prelude to spring. People now have hearty appetites and a lower metabolic rate, enabling absorbed nutrients to be stored more easily.
Appropriate greasy food should be consumed in order to retain warmth. According to the five elements theory in TCM, winter corresponds to the kidneys which are highly active in winter and its astringent properties have an active storage function that help save energy.
It is advisable to eat more food with bitter flavors and reduce salty flavors, in order to reduce the work load of the kidneys. Since eating too much hard, glutinous, uncooked and frozen food damage the spleen and stomach, they should be taken in moderation. Examples of suitable foods include; mutton, goose, duck, Chinese yam, glutinous rice, dates, eggs, longan flesh, black fungus, leek and nuts.
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