Yang Nourishing Foods

Diet is one of the best ways to nourish yang steadily over a prolonged period, to prevent and remedy yang deficiency. This article explores some of the most yang-nourishing foods and cooking methods.

The Best Foods for Nourishing Yang

The most yang-nourishing foods tend to be warm in nature and have either a sweet or pungent flavour. This means naturally sweet foods like root vegetables and grains rather than refined sugars, and gently warming and mildly pungent foods like ginger and onions rather than very hot spices like chilli. Very hot foods can cause sweating, which cools the body, meaning yang has reached its peak and transformed into yin, which is not what we are trying to achieve.

Furthermore, we should always remember to balance warming foods with an appropriate amount of cooling foods to avoid overheating the body. Therefore, eating a yang-nourishing diet means leaning towards eating more of these foods rather than consuming them solely all the time. In the practice of yangsheng, moderation is always key.

All of that being said, some of the best foods for nourishing yang are listed below:

Grains

• Oats

• Quinoa

• Spelt

• Sweet rice

Vegetables

• Bulb fennel

• Brussel’s sprouts

• Leeks

• Onions

• Parsnips

• Red peppers

• Winter squash

Fruit

• Cherries

• Citrus peel

• Dates

• Raspberries

• Other cooked fruit

Legumes

• Black beans

• Kidney beans

• Cook beans with warming spices and oil

Nuts and Seeds

• Chestnuts

• Pine nuts

• Pistachios

• Pumpkin seeds

• Walnuts

Herbs and Spices

• Cayenne

• Cinnamon

• Ginger

• Horseradish

• Mustard

• Nutmeg

• Rosemary

Meat

• Beef

• Chicken

• Lamb

• Mutton

• Turkey

• Pheasant

• Venison

Seafood

• Anchovies

• Lobster

• Mussels

• Prawns

• Salmon

• Shrimp

• Trout

Dairy

• Aged cheese

• Butter

• Goat milk

• Sheep milk

Beverages

• Chai

• Coffee

• Fennel tea

• Jasmine tea

• Oolong tea

• Pu’er tea

• Red wine

• Spirits

Yang Cooking Methods

Slow cooking methods that directly infuse food with warmth are considered more yang than quick cooking methods or those that utilise water. Therefore, some of the best ways to cook food to nourish yang include:

• Baking

• Roasting

• Casseroles

• Slow simmering

Cooking with warming spices or alcohol is also a great way to infuse additional warmth into food.

Things to Avoid

When eating a yang-nourishing diet, it is important to include some cooling, yin-nourishing foods too. However, we should avoid eating too many cold foods, such as:

• Raw food

• Refrigerated food or drinks

• Fruit juice

• Cow's milk

• Refined sugar

• Wheat

• Soya milk

• Tofu

Some people can enjoy these foods in moderation as an occasional treat, but many yang-deficient individuals do not tolerate them well. For more personalised advice, book a consultation and learn about the best foods to nourish you.

References

• Leggett D (2005) Helping Ourselves (second edition) - Meridian Press, Totnes

• Legget D (2025) Qi Nutrition Online Course