The yin and yang of eating

Macrobiotics looks at universal energy, which splits into two energies — ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang.’ This applies to foods, cooking styles, a person’s constitution, ailment or condition and other facets of our physiology.

Foods that fall under yang are heavy (non-vegetarian foods); hard, dense, and those that grow underground (eg. potatoes); hardy and dry (eg. eggs); warm, cooked, salty, that keep longer (eg. meats); dry, cool, thick, and slower growing (eg. turnips).

Similarly, cooking styles that fall under yang are pressure cooking, slow cooking, stewing, and baking. The classification is based on the movement of energy: does the cooking style shift energy inward or outward. For instance, pressure cooking means inward energy, and sautéing, outward, hence yin.

Yin foods are lighter (vegetarian options); grow above the ground (leafy greens); wet and moist (eg. a soup versus a dry, baked product); and cool, raw, spicy, sweet, juicy and oily.

Refer to the chart; overeating extreme yin (bottom left) foods will have you crave extreme yang foods (bottom right) and vice versa, to balance the energies. For instance, a diet of too many eggs may have you crave sugar. For a balance, also include quality yin foods like leafy greens, seasonal fruits, nuts, and vegetable juices.

Another example: if you were a meat eater, know now from the chart that meat is yang in nature and will produce heat and make you tight and tense. To release this, your body will seek vegetables, possibly leafy greens or even a glass of wine (yin).

Sometimes yin foods will also have you crave more yin foods; like sugar craves more sugar, and you need good quality yin like a carrot juice to balance sugar and alcohol.

For calmer, more settled energy, stick to foods towards the middle (of the chart) like whole grain, vegetables, beans, fish, nuts, fruit, and use a mix of yin and yang cooking styles.

Round vegetable soup to settle energies (Serves 4)

Ingredients
Yam (suran): ½ cup, cubed; turnips: 2, cubed; arbi: 3-4, cut small; carrots: 2, diced; white raddish: 1, cut small; onion: 1, sliced long and thin; cinnamon sticks: 3-4; cloves: 3-4; curry powder: 1 tsp; dark or light miso: 4 tsp; olive oil: 1 tbsp; water or vegetable stock: 3 cups

Method
In a pan, add oil, and follow with onions, cinnamon and cloves. Sauté till onions soften. Add vegetables in the following order: turnips, yam, arbi, raddish and carrots. Sauté for 10 min, then add curry powder. Add water or stock, and after first boil, simmer on low for 20 min. Once vegetables are tender, blend it all. Take some soup in a cup, add miso, mix well.M ix it with the rest of the soup. Garnish with parsley.

(Shonali Sabherwal is a macrobioticnutritionist, chef, and instructor)

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