ForkBytes

Note: this piece first appeared in the November 2005 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

“[I]f you want inner freedom, peace of mind, and a healthy, beautiful body, it’s important to understand the fundamental forces of the universe. These forces, yin and yang, are creating the natural world, your body, the food you eat, and everything else in your environment. By recognizing and understanding yin and yang, you can make food and lifestyles choices that help you harmonize with the bigger picture. And when you ‘tune in’ to the greater whole, freedom and happiness will follow you like puppy dogs.” —Jessica Porter, The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics

The world is full of opposites. Light and dark… day and night… male and female… big and small… and yin and yang. Yin and yang energies or forces are applicable to all aspects of life, from activities to attitudes to foods.

Yin refers to expansive energies. Yang refers to contractive energies. In terms of foods, yin foods are those that make you feel light and open, while yang foods make you feel powerful and purposeful. Yin and yang properties apply to both the food itself and the preparation method. Yin foods are the “yoga” foods; yang foods are the “weightlifter” foods.

Yin and yang is a system of balance; if you’re eating too many yin foods, your body will try to correct this imbalance by making you naturally crave more yang foods—and vice versa. Have you ever noticed how bars always serve peanuts? That’s because the salty snacks are very yang, and they make the body crave a very yin food (in this case, alcohol) as a “remedy” to bring the body back to its natural state of balance.

Neither yin nor yang is “good” or “bad”. In fact, you need foods from both categories. Use the chart below (adapted from The Self-Healing Cookbook by Kristina Turner) to see where your favorite foods fall in terms of yin and yang. Remember this is a continuum rather than a system that uses absolute categories.

The Balance Chart

Using the chart and your own knowledge of your body’s desire for balance, you can begin to see how some cravings originate. If you eat a lot of very yang foods (salt, meat, cheese), you might notice a strong craving for yin foods (sugar, red wine). To stay off the cravings roller coaster, choose foods closer to the balance point.