Yin and yang classification of foods

Here's is a simple Yin and yang classification of foods, based on an understanding of what yin and yang mean.

This understanding – rather than learning by rote – is important because there are thousands of different foods. It is not practical to remember all of them. This is where yin and yang classification based on broad principles is helpful.

This article forms part of a series based on macrobiotic lectures that Herman Aihara gave in Singapore in 1995. Following that, I published an entire issue of The Good Life, summarising his key teachings in Singapore.

Herman Aihara passed away on 25 February 1998 and Cornelia Aihara passed away exactly eight years later, on 25 February 2006.

The forces of Heaven and Earth

The traditional yin and yang classification talks about “heaven energy” and “earth energy”.

“Heaven energy” comes from the heavens towards earth. It is contracting and downwards.

“Earth energy” is from the earth towards the heavens. It is expanding and upwards.

In general, plants are more yin and animals are more yang. But within each category of food, some are more yin while others are yang. The following examples of yin and yang will make this clearer:

More yang foods

Plant foods are more yang (or less yin) if they:

grow vertically downwards
grow horizontally above the ground
grow slowly and are shorter
grow in cold climates or during winter
take longer time to cook (that is, to soften during cooking)
are hard, heavy and dry
are yellow, orange, red, brown or black.

Animal foods are more yang if they:

are warm-blooded, like mammals and poultry
grow bigger in cold climates, like whales
don’t hibernate during winter
are fast-moving.

Fish are more yang if they:

live in salt water
live / swim near the water surface.

More yin foods

Plant foods are more yin if they:

grow vertically above the ground
grow horizontally underground
grow faster and taller
grow in hot climates or during summer
can be cooked quickly
are soft, light and watery
are violet, indigo, blue, green or white.

Animal foods are more yin (or less yang) if they:

are cold-blooded, like fish and shell-fish
grow bigger in warm climates, like pigs
hibernate during winter
are slow-moving;

Fish are more yin if they:

live in fresh water
live at the bottom of the sea, lake or river.

Click here to read about acid and alkaline, rather than yin and yang classification of foods.