Barbecue Season
There is no doubt that these long, hot summer days have us wanting to spend as much time as possible away from cooking in the kitchen. Grilling and sizzling outdoors with a barbecue is much more appealing! But what does that mean in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine? Chinese dietetics lists over 50 ways of preparing and cooking food, taking into account cooling and warming properties, and keeping in balance with nature’s rhythms and seasons. So what does barbecuing food do to its energy?
Yang qi of food is increased whenever it is prepared or cooked in the following ways: grilling, broiling, barbecuing, roasting, baking, smoking, slow simmering in liquid, cooking with alcohol, using hot/warm spices. The cooling properties of foods are reduced and the warming properties prevail. The more intense is the source of direct heat, the warmer the food becomes in energy, in particular most meats, which are already considered warm or hot. Cooking in this way may also lead to the development of more toxins. If you do barbecue, try and balance the meal with yin foods, such as cucumbers, zucchini, clams, crab, water melon and lemon barley.
When heat symptoms occur in the person, it is better to choose another form of cooking method that does not provide direct contact with high heat. Using a wok, with little or no oil, is a better alternative to grilling as it cooks food quickly cutting down on the amount of time the food is exposed to direct heat. A crisp and crunchy outside will give yang energy, whereas the fresh and juicy inside will still provide a balancing yin energy. Frying and roasting in general should also be avoided for people with internal heat symptoms. Using too much oil or fat will cause damp heat which in turn may damage the liver/gallbladder network.
Other warming cooking methods
Baking
This method provides a gentle way of supplying yang qi to foods, in particular vegetables which are baked in casseroles. This can be useful to avoid too much yin qi normally consumed by vegetarians, and is a good cooking method in cooler months when heat is needed to balance the body’s energy.
Boiling and Simmering
In this cooking method the amount of yang qi produced is determined by the length of time and the quantity of liquid used. The longer the cooking, the higher the heat produced. Brief boiling has little effect on adding yang energy to food. However, boiling and simmering a pot of vegetables or a meat stew for many hours can provide an excellent healing way of bringing more yang qi to a body suffering from cold symptoms. It is a great way to cook in cold seasons of the year when yang qi is needed for the body.
Cooking with Alcohol
Using alcohol promotes upward movement of yang qi, blood circulation and relieves stagnation. It warms food, increases the body’s energy and provides an emotional uplift.
Cooking with spices
Spices in general are warm or hot in energy. For this reason they should be used sparingly in cases of internal heat but are welcomed to raise yang qi in cooler seasons. They also benefit spleen and stomach in their ability to promote digestion.
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