Summer favorites from Chinese dietetics

In Chinese Medicine, summer heat is described as aestus and in Chinese as shu.

Summer heat is a climatic factor that can influence the body and may even lead to heat stroke.

As examples, here are some foods with cool, cold and neutral thermal qualities that are considered especially suitable in summer. As a general rule, raw foods are regarded as cooler than more processed foods, for example cooked foods.

Grains: sprouted grains, wheat, barley

Legumes: mung beans, tofu

Vegetables: cucumber, radish, seaweed, eggplant, tomato, leafy salads, celery

Fruits: watermelon, citrus fruits, pineapple, kiwi, mango

Meat: duck, hare

Seafood: crab, oysters

Other foods: salt, green tea, peppermint tea, soy sauce, cow's milk, yogurt

Sample recipes for hot days

Glass noodle salad

Ingredients: 100 g glass noodles, 1 pack crayfish tails (150 g), 1/2 cucumber, 2 small carrots, 2 small stalks celery, 2 spring onions, 1 clove garlic, 1 piece ginger, 20 g peanuts, juice of 1-2 limes, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 4 sprigs coriander, 2 sprigs mint.

Prepare the noodles: Pour hot water over the noodles according to the package instructions, let them soak for about 5 minutes, rinse briefly with cold water, drain and shorten slightly with kitchen scissors.

Cut the vegetables: Cut carrot, celery and cucumber into fine strips, slice the spring onions into thin rings and roughly chop the coriander. Cut the mint into thin strips. Drain the crayfish tails and fold them in.

Mix the dressing: Stir together the juice of 1-2 limes, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1-2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil, a little honey and garlic.

Combine: Mix the noodles, vegetables, peanuts and crayfish meat well with the dressing in a large bowl. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Glass noodles are considered cool and sweet and are therefore associated with the functional systems of the stomach and heart. They are described as cooling “heat”, directing Qi downward and supporting detoxification.

They are considered suitable in the context of inner restlessness, thirst, puffiness and edema.

Cucumber is cool and sweet and is associated with the functional systems of the stomach and large intestine as well as the bladder. It is described as cooling “heat”, promoting urination, supporting detoxification and reducing swelling.

Tomato and watermelon juice

If there is no weakness of the “middle”, meaning the functional systems of the spleen and stomach, this juice is considered especially suitable in hot seasons with “heat” processes.

Preparation: Prepare the juices separately from tomatoes and watermelon. After cooling, both juices can be mixed as desired and diluted with water if needed. After cooking, lemon balm or mint may be added.

Tomato juice: Wash the tomatoes and cut them into coarse cubes, removing the stem base. Put the tomato cubes into a pot, bring to a boil and simmer at low temperature for 10-15 minutes. Mash the tomato pieces with a masher or fork to release as much juice as possible. Pass the mixture through a fine metal sieve or a food mill.

Fill into clean bottles while hot, seal tightly and keep cool.

Watermelon juice: Cut the melon in half and cut the red flesh into coarse cubes. Roughly remove the large black seeds. Small white seeds do not interfere in a blender. Put the pieces into the container of a stand mixer and, if needed, pass through a fine metal sieve. Keep cool until mixing.

References

1. Engelhardt U., Nögel R.: Rezepte der chinesischen Diätetik, Elsevier, 1st edition 2009
2. Engelhardt U., Nögel R., Krinninger P.: Leitfaden Chinesische Diätetik, Elsevier, 1st edition 2025