TCM Basics 101: Supermarket Herbs - Leek
TCM Nature: Warm
TCM Taste: Sweet, sour, pungent
TCM Meridian Affinity: Lungs, Stomach Spleen, Kidney
Benefits:
· Reinforces the Kidneys
· Warms the body
· Improves blood circulation
Spirituality:
Because of its Chinese name – 蒜苗/大蒜 (Suan Miao/Da Suan), where “蒜” sounds like calculating (“算”) in Mandarin, those celebrating Chinese New Year like to consume this vegetable (usually on the eve and 7th day) as an auspicious symbol of wealth (lots of money to count) in the coming year.
The leek has been cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean region for at least four thousand years. In ancient Egypt it was not only a common vegetable but, like the onion, it was regarded as a symbol of the universe—each layer of leaves standing for a stage of the demonic or divine other worlds.
Read more about TCM Herbal Medicine Prescription on my TCM Wellness page.
Further reading:
