In Chinese Medicine, food is the first tool that is used for healing any "dis-ease" before any other modalities are considered. Nutritional therapy in Chinese Medicine is just as comprehensive and sophisticated as Chinese Herbal Medicine. Each food has its own energetic property and is classified for its thermal nature and flavor.

Foods are differentiated according to cold (Yin) and hot (Yang), and the five flavors of sour, bitter, sweet/bland, pungent and salty.