The Yin and Yang Food

Food can also be classified into groups according their predominant yin and yang qualities. Kushi and Jack (2003) have divided the entire spectrum of foods and beverages into the following three broad categories. To stay healthy, we select to consume moderate foods in daily eating. See Kushi, M. & Jack, A. (2003). The Macrobiotic Path to Total Health. New York: Ballantine Books.


Moderate foods, consisting of a relatively harmonious blend of yin and yang qualities, is suitable for regular, occasional or infrequent use as a part of a balanced daily way of eating.

Extreme yang food items, which create tightness, hardness and other strong contractive effects, are generally to be avoided or minimized in a temperate climate.

Extreme yin foods, which create looseness, softness and other strong expansive effects, are generally to be avoided or minimized in a four-season climate.

In general, we may also associate food high in sodium and low in potassium as well as extreme yang and extreme yin food as acidic food. On the other hand, food high in potassium and low in sodium are alkaline. It is this classification that influences the pH value, i.e. the level of acidity of the body. If you consume more acidic food, your body will become acidic. If you continue to consume acidic food, the diseases and sickness will come to you. It is a matter of time. When inflicted with critical diseases and illnesses, you will age faster than expected. You will fall into the vicious cycle of diseases, if you do not change your eating habits.


Extreme yang food items (strongest at the top) Source: Kushi & Jack (2003)
1 Medication (some), refined salt or high-mineral salt
2 Eggs, caviar
3 Meat
4 Hard cheese
5 Poultry
6 Ginseng, shark fin, and some roots, herbs and supplements
7 Tobacco
8 Seafood, shellfish, red meat and blue-skin fish
9 White-meat fish
10 Salted, smoked, baked, grilled, roasted or crunchy foods and salty foods such as chips
11 Bread, crackers, cookies and other hard baked flour products

Moderate food items (strongest at the top) Source: Kushi & Jack (2003)
1 Sea salt
2 Sea vegetables
3 Whole grains
4 Beans and bean products
5 Vegetables
6 Temperate seeds and nuts
7 Temperate fruit and juices such as apple cider and carrot juice
8 Unrefined vegetable oils
9 Grained-based sweeteners such as amasake, barley malt and rice syrup
10 Bancha tea, barley tea and other traditional, nonstimulant, nonaromatic beverages
11 Spring, well or filtered water

Extreme yin food items (strongest at the top) Source: Kushi & Jack (2003)
1 Medication (many)
2 Drugs such as marijuana, LSD and cocaine
3 Chemically grown, processed or treated foods and water; gene-altered foods; irradiated foods
4 Vitamin pills and supplements (most)
5 Alcohol
6 Sugar, honey and other refined sweeteners
7 Coffee, decaf, black tea, mint tea, soft drinks and other stimulant or aromatic beverages
8 Tropical vegetables, fruits and nuts; spices and herbs
9 Saturated and refined vegetable oils, mayonnaise and margarine
10 Milk, butter, soft cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and soft dairy foods
11 White rice, white flour and other polished grains