Ingredients for Qi Stagnation

Aged tangerine peel

陳皮

Moves qi, aids digestion — a Hong Kong pantry staple.

Rose buds

玫瑰花

A calming tea for stressful days.

Mandarin orange

柑橘

Moistening; its aged peel becomes chenpi.

Kelp

海帶

Resolves phlegm and eases puffiness.

Chinese chives

韭菜

Traditionally warms kidney yang and moves qi and blood.

Coriander

香菜

Promotes light sweating and appetite.

Fresh ginger

生薑

Warms you after a chill and settles nausea.

Red dates (jujube)

大棗

Nourishes qi and blood and is gently calming.

Mugwort

艾草

Warms the channels and eases cold-type aches.

Walnuts

核桃

Warms the kidneys and lungs; moistens the bowels.

Onion

洋蔥

Moves qi and aids digestion.

Garlic

大蒜

Warms the middle and aids digestion.

Eel

鱔魚

Nourishes qi and blood.

Pumpkin

南瓜

Supports the spleen and energy.

Apricot kernel

杏仁

Eases cough and moistens the bowels.

Chestnut

栗子

Supports the spleen and kidneys.

Beef

牛肉

Nourishes qi and blood and strengthens.

Lamb / mutton

羊肉

Warms the body and the kidneys.

Longan

龍眼

Nourishes the heart and spleen; calming.

Glutinous rice

糯米

Warming and comforting.

Chicken

雞肉

Warms and nourishes qi.

Ginseng

人參

A strong qi tonic.

Spring onion

青蔥

Warming; traditionally used at the first sign of a chill.

Thai basil

九層塔

Fragrant and warming.

Black rice

黑米

A nourishing whole grain.

Lychee

荔枝

A warming fruit — the classic "heaty" treat.

Cherry

車厘子

A warming fruit.

Peach

桃

Moistening and gentle.

Hawthorn

山楂

Helps after rich, meaty meals.

Prawn

蝦

A warming protein.

Grass carp

鯇魚

A warming, everyday fish.

Salmon

三文魚

A rich, nourishing fish.

Pork liver

豬肝

Traditionally nourishes blood.

Astragalus root

黃芪

A classic qi tonic.

Dong quai (angelica root)

當歸

A classic blood tonic.

Star anise

八角

A warming spice for braises.

Sichuan pepper

花椒

A warming, numbing spice.

Honey

蜂蜜

Moistens dryness and soothes a cough.

Chinese yam

山藥

Supports digestion, the lungs and the kidneys — a very gentle tonic.

Poria

茯苓

Drains dampness, supports digestion and calms the mind.

Lotus seed

蓮子

Supports digestion and calms the mind.

Snow fungus

銀耳

Nourishes yin and moistens the lungs.

Egg

雞蛋

Nourishes yin and blood.

Goji berries

枸杞

Nourishes the liver and kidneys; traditionally good for the eyes.

Black sesame

黑芝麻

Nourishes the liver and kidneys and moistens the bowels.

Adzuki beans

紅豆

Drains fluid and eases puffiness.

Corn silk

玉米鬚

A mild diuretic tea that eases puffiness.

Smoked plum (wumei)

烏梅

Generates fluids; astringent.

Lemon

檸檬

Quenches thirst.

Carp

鯉魚

Supports digestion and eases puffiness.

Lotus leaf

荷葉

Clears summer heat.

Lean pork

豬肉

Nourishes yin and moistens dryness.

Sweet corn

玉米

Neutral and gentle on the stomach.

Sweet potato

地瓜

Supports digestion and regularity.

Grapes

葡萄

Nourishes qi and blood.

Sesame

芝麻

Moistens the bowels and nourishes.

Black beans

黑豆

Supports the kidneys.

Wood-ear fungus

黑木耳

Nourishes blood.

Cashew nuts

腰果

Nourishing nut.

Peanuts

花生

Supports digestion.

Pork ribs

排骨

Nourishing in soups.

Napa cabbage

白菜

Eases restlessness and keeps digestion moving.

Broccoli

西蘭花

Gentle and nourishing for digestion.

Cabbage

椰菜

Gentle on the stomach.

Carrot

紅蘿蔔

Supports digestion; traditionally good for the eyes.

Potato

薯仔

A gentle, filling staple.

Taro

芋頭

Filling and supportive of digestion.

Shiitake mushroom

香菇

Nourishing and supports appetite.

Edamame

毛豆

Plant protein that supports digestion.

Green peas

豌豆

Gentle and filling.

Green beans

四季豆

Supports digestion.

White rice (cooked)

白米

The everyday staple that steadies digestion.

Brown rice (cooked)

糙米

Whole grain with more fibre.

Rolled oats

燕麥

A warm, steady breakfast grain.

Soybeans

黃豆

Plant protein; nourishing.

Fox nut (euryale seed)

芡實

A classic soup ingredient for digestion.

Papaya

木瓜

Supports digestion.

Pineapple

菠蘿

Refreshing and helpful after rich meals.

Sea bass

鱸魚

Light, easy-to-digest fish.

Crucian carp

鯽魚

The classic milky fish soup.

Oyster

蠔

Nourishing.

Quail

鵪鶉

A light, nourishing meat.

Squab (pigeon)

乳鴿

A traditional recovery meat in Hong Kong.

Soy milk

豆漿

A light, nourishing drink.

Milk

牛奶

Nourishing.

Dried tofu skin

腐竹

A protein-rich soup ingredient.

Codonopsis root

黨參

A gentle qi tonic often used in soups.

Liquorice root

甘草

Harmonises herbal formulas.

Job's tears (coix seed)

薏苡仁

Drains dampness and supports digestion.

Spinach

菠菜

Nourishes blood and moistens dryness.

Asian pear

梨

Clears heat, moistens the lungs and eases a dry cough.

Chrysanthemum

菊花

Clears heat and soothes tired eyes.

Celery

芹菜

Calms the liver and clears heat.

Spring bamboo shoots

春筍

Light and refreshing; clears heat.

Bean sprouts

豆芽

Clears summer heat.

Green tea

綠茶

Refreshes the mind and clears heat.

Asparagus

蘆筍

Clears heat and moistens.

Lotus root

蓮藕

Raw it cools; cooked it supports digestion.

Tomato

番茄

Quenches thirst and aids digestion.

Cucumber

黃瓜

Cooling and hydrating.

Winter melon

冬瓜

Clears heat and eases puffiness.

Duck

鴨肉

Nourishes yin and supports the stomach.

Pearl barley

大麥

Settles the stomach.

Loquat

枇杷

Moistens the lungs and eases cough.

Millet

小米

Gentle on the stomach.

Lily bulb

百合

Moistens the lungs and calms the mind.

Daikon radish

白蘿蔔

Aids digestion and resolves phlegm.

Apple

蘋果

Moistening and good for digestion.

Choy sum

菜心

Light and cooling; supports regularity.

Chinese broccoli (gai lan)

芥蘭

Traditionally soothes the throat.

Luffa (silk gourd)

絲瓜

Cooling and light for hot days.

Aubergine

茄子

Cooling; traditionally helps circulation.

Tofu

豆腐

Light protein that moistens and gently cools.

Buckwheat

蕎麥

Light grain that supports digestion.

Orange

橙

Refreshing and thirst-quenching.

Mango

芒果

Quenches thirst.

Strawberry

士多啤梨

Light and moistening.

Dragon fruit

火龍果

Cooling and good for regularity.

Ophiopogon root

麥冬

Moistens dryness.

American ginseng

西洋參

A cooler ginseng, popular in Hong Kong.