General Introduction
The Chinese have a traditional belief in the medicinal value of food, as they believe that food and medicine share the same origin. This view could be considered a forerunner of nutritional science in China.
Chinese medicated diet is not just a simple combination of food and Chinese drugs, but rather a special highly finished diet made from Chinese drugs, food, and condiments under the theoretical guidance of diet preparation based on traditional Chinese medicine's (TCM's) differentiation of symptoms and signs.
Chinese medicated diet has not only the efficiency of medicine but also the delicacy of food, and can be use d to prevent and cure diseases, build up one's health, and prolong one's life.
Two Types of Medicated Diet
Dietetic Chinese Herbs:
Also known as "edible Chinese herb," "dietetic materia medica," or "medicinal foods," dietetic Chinese herbs refer to drink and food, which can be used either for prevention and cure of diseases, or for health care and recovery.
Dietetic Chinese herbs of this type include cereals, fruits, nuts, vegetables, seasonings, birds and animals, aquatic products and so on.
Medicated diet for dietetic therapy:
It is a diet made from beneficial drugs, food, and condiments. Concretely speaking, medicated diet can be prepared either from edible Chinese drugs alone, or from Chinese crude drugs and food according to certain prescriptions, by processing and cooking.
In light of its form and process, medicated diet can be divided into ten kinds: fresh juice, medicated tea, drink, medicated wine, decoction (liquid extract of a material via boiling), medicated gruel, honey extract, medicated cake, medicated pancake, and soups.
http://www1.chinaculture.org/library/2008-01/31/content_67720.htm
