Wheat
For Chinese dietary therapy, Wheat (小麦) is a food of Cool nature and Sweet flavor. The staple grain of northern China, traditionally associated with the Heart; the base of noodles, steamed breads, and doughs.
Traditional energetics
- Nature
- Cool
- Flavor
- Sweet
- Affinity
- Heart · Spleen · Kidney
- Direction of Qi
- Neutral · harmonizes the center and calms
- Season
- All year
- Group
- Grains
How tradition reads it
The staple grain of northern China, traditionally associated with the Heart; the base of noodles, steamed breads, and doughs.
The classic study pairing is wheat with jujube and licorice (the gan mai da zao decoction) in the Heart chapter; it combines with most savory and sweet preparations.
In the kitchen
Noodles, steamed bread, dumplings, and wheat porridge.
Commonly available; for gluten-free study use rice or corn.
Current nutrition note
A gluten-containing grain and energy staple of many diets; excluded in celiac disease.
Precautions
Contains gluten: unsuitable for celiac disease or diagnosed gluten sensitivity; it is also a recognized allergen.
Health notice. Educational and study content. It describes concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Needling, medicinal herbs and invasive techniques must be applied by trained professionals. Safety guide.
