Grains as Chinese Herbal Medicine Substitutes – Part 1: Rice (粳米 Jingmi) as a Powerful Remedy

In Thailand We often say, "Eat food as medicine, so you don't have to take medicine as food." (Tan A Han Ben Ya, Ya Tan Ya Ben A Han) For this saying to be complete and truly realized, 4 important factors are needed:

1. More Life KNOWLEDGE

2.Diligence, seriousness, or discipline

3.Critical thinking and knowing how to choose what to believe

4.Rest and exercise

Today, let's share some KNOWLEDGE. I often say this phrase to Chinese people using the Chinese proverb: "人为财死，鸟为食亡" (People die for wealth; birds die for food). But now I see it has reversed: "鸟为财死，人为食亡" (Birds die for wealth; people die for food). Birds die because of money – they are caught and eaten, or because they are valuable, their feathers and beaks are used as ornaments. As for humans, we die because of food – there is so much food poisoning, or because we lack knowledge about ingredients, temperature (which ancient Chinese placed great importance on), and cooking utensils.

A very common example: we believe plastic containers are microwave-safe because we see the small label underneath saying "MICROWAVE OVEN SAFE". This term means the container is safe for the microwave, leading us to think the plastic box is safe. But recently, reliable Thai government sources have reported that this term means the container is safe – it won't warp, dent, or melt – not that the person eating from it is safe. That is, if you put the whole container in the microwave and eat the food from it, it doesn't mean the food is safe. Plastic is simply not good with heat. Believe it.

I believe that knowledge of nutrition is essential, because it is factor No. 1 mentioned above, and it concerns what we eat and drink every day. The most important things are rice and water. Today we will talk about rice, but not about its general properties. We will discuss it from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), understanding rice and grains in terms of health promotion – what should or should not be eaten together, with what foods. We want to gain new knowledge that is not easily found on general online media.

Foods that should and should not be eaten together with grains, according to TCM texts.

1. Rice (ข้าวเจ้า, i.e., white rice, cooked rice)

   
   

 1.1 Compatible foods

Chinese rice, called 粳米 (Jingmi), which is somewhat similar to Thai rice but slightly sweeter and stickier, is often used as an aid to enhance the effects of medicinal herbs that tonify Qi (氣, life energy), strengthen the Spleen (脾), such as ginseng (人参, Renshen), Chinese yam (山药, Shanyao), and lotus seed (莲子, Lianzi).

Local Chinese medical texts also record using Chinese herbs boiled into congee (rice porridge) to treat diseases. As stated in the text Yaoxing Caijie (药性裁戒):

Cooking rice with "lotus leaf water" (荷叶汤) helps the respiratory system, chest, lightens the body, and relaxes the mind (宽中).

Cooking with amaranth leaves (苋菜叶) helps resolve phlegm (豁痰).

Cooking with perilla leaves (紫苏叶, Zisu ye) helps move Qi and relieve muscle tension (行气解肌).

Cooking with mint leaves (薄荷叶, Bohe ye) helps reduce fever, clear heat, and relieve internal heat (清热).

Cooking with lophatherum leaves (淡竹叶, Danzhuye) helps relieve heatstroke or chronic heat stagnation in the body (避暑).

As for making congee (porridge), besides plain congee:

Adding "Poria cocos cheese" (茯苓酪, Fuling lao) helps clear the upper body and strengthen the lower body (清上实下).

Adding Chinese yam powder (薯蓣粉, Shuyu fen) helps balance the stomach.

Adding Sichuan pepper oil (花椒汁, Huajiao zhi) helps prevent jungle fevers and epidemics (辟岚瘴).

Adding a mix of ginger, scallion, and fermented soybean juice (姜、葱、豉汁) induces sweating, expels toxins, removes waste, and refreshes the body.

1.2 Foods incompatible with rice

Do not eat rice with Xanthium sibiricum (苍耳, Cang'er; in Thai traditional medicine called ลูกกระสุนพระอินทร์). Eating them together causes chest tightness or angina.

1.3 Basic TCM description of 粳米 (Jingmi)

Properties and channel tropism: Sweet, cool. It obtains the balanced Qi of Heaven and Earth. Harmonizes the stomach and tonifies the middle. White color enters the Lung channel.

Actions: Removes irritability, clears heat. Boiled juice stops thirst.

Additional notes:

Jingmi is the general name for rice. There are three harvests: early, mid, and late. Late-harvest rice obtains more Metal element, thus is cool in nature and especially good at clearing heat.

"Old granary rice" (陈廪米, Chenlin mi) is bland in taste, can nourish the stomach. Boiled into juice or used to decoct herbs, it regulates the intestines and stomach, promotes urination, removes damp-heat, and relieves irritability and thirst. This aligns with the ancient Indian Ayurvedic text which states that old rice is easier to digest.

Zhang Zhongjing (张仲景, Zhang Zhongjing) used Jingmi in Baihu Tang (白虎汤), Taohua Tang (桃花汤), and Zhuye Shigao Tang (竹叶石膏汤) to clear heat and tonify deficiencies.

Zhang Wenqian (张文潜, Zhang Wenqian) wrote in his Congee Record (粥记) that congee smoothes Stomach Qi (畅胃气), generates body fluids (生津液). Eating it on an empty stomach every morning brings no small benefit.

Northern Jingmi is cool; southern Jingmi is warm. White Jingmi is cool; red Jingmi is warm. New rice may disturb Qi movement.

1.4 Additional interesting information from ancient Ayurvedic texts (e.g., Charaka Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya) In Ayurveda, rice (especially Shashtika Shali and Basmati rice) is considered a Sattvic food (pure, calming to the mind). Its notable properties are:

Rasa (taste): Madhura (sweet)

Guna (qualities): Snigdha (oily/moist), Laghu (light), Mradu (soft)

Virya (energy): Sheeta (cool)

Vipaka (post-digestive effect): Madhura (sweet)

Ayurvedic actions of rice:

Dhatu Vardhaka (nourishes tissues): Strengthens tissues, increases strength (Balya), and enhances reproductive essence / Ojas (Vrishya).

Mutrala (diuretic): Relieves internal heat and promotes urination.

Easy to digest and safe: Old rice (stored for one year or more) is very easy to digest, does not cause gas, and does not disturb digestive fire (Agni).

1.5 Rice and the three Doshas (which correspond to the five elements in Chinese medicine, but explained from a different perspective)

Vata (wind element): Rice reduces and balances Vata because it is moist (Snigdha) and provides stable energy, effectively reducing dryness and restlessness of Vata.

Pitta (fire element): Rice effectively reduces and balances Pitta because of its cool nature (Sheeta) and sweet taste; it extinguishes internal heat, relieves acid reflux, and various inflammations.

Kapha (water/earth element): Rice may increase Kapha (water element, comparable to TCM's Dampness, 湿) if consumed in excess (due to its moisture and sweet taste).

Remedy for Kapha-dominant people – those who are plump, prone to obesity, or have excess dampness accumulation: Ayurvedic texts recommend roasting the rice grains before cooking (Roasted Rice) or choosing old rice (Purana Shali) to reduce stickiness and make it easier to digest. In this case, Dr. Luo when making millet congee for nourishment, roasts the millet and a small amount of other rice ingredients before cooking, according to his own formula.

Moreover, Ayurveda states that different rice varieties affect the Doshas differently. Basmati rice and Shashtika Shali are considered the best because they help balance the Doshas. This knowledge does not contradict TCM texts, even though TCM does not widely use such rice varieties in its pharmacopoeia and instead extols Chinese Jingmi as highly efficacious, using it in many formulas to treat emotional disorders, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, brain and nervous system disorders, and digestive issues. This is due to the significant differences in geography and genetics between China and India; food or medicine must adapt to local conditions and the native people.

1.6 Compatible and incompatible foods with rice according to Ayurveda (Dietary Combinations)

Ayurveda has strict rules about "incompatible foods" (Viruddha Ahara). The pairings for rice are as follows:

Compatible foods

Rice + Ghee and Rice + Mung Dal (Mung Dal): This is the sacred dish called Khichdi (Khichdi). Ayurveda considers it the most perfect food – easy to digest, nourishes all tissues, and detoxifies (Ayurvedic Detox).

Rice + warm spices: such as turmeric, ginger, cumin, coriander seeds, cardamom, and green cardamom. They stimulate digestive fire (Agni) and reduce the dampness of rice, preventing accumulation of fat or damp phlegm (痰湿, Tan Shi) in the body.

Rice + cooked vegetables: Vegetables cooked with a little water, oil, or ghee add fiber, moisture, and warmth to the body, improve appetite, aid intestinal function, and nourish the nervous system. Importantly, adding oil when stir-frying, lightly roasting with oil, blanching, or boiling then adding a little oil enhances aroma, taste, color appeal, and ease of eating.

Incompatible foods (Viruddha Ahara):

Rice should not be eaten with milk (unless made into Kheer – rice pudding – where only rice, milk, sugar, and sweet spices like cardamom are used; absolutely no salt or sour ingredients), highly sour foods, or salt (in the same meal). Mixing these leads to blood toxicity and skin diseases.

Undercooked or overly soggy rice destroys digestive fire (Agni Mandya), creating toxin residue (Ama) – undigested food deposits.

Leftover rice (Leftover Rice): Rice cooked and left overnight (even if reheated) loses its life energy (Prana) and becomes a Tamasic food, making one feel heavy, fatigued, and increasing fat accumulation / phlegm (Kapha).

Note: The Charaka Samhita (จรกสัมหิตา) was recorded by Maharishi Agnivesha (อัคนิเวศ), later compiled and revised by Charaka (จรกะ), the great royal physician (around 100-200 BCE – nearly 2,200 years ago). Its main focus is on Ayurvedic medicine, the three Doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha – wind, fire, water/earth), disease diagnosis, and Dietetics (โภชนบำบัด) – which foods should be eaten together and which are forbidden (Viruddha Ahara).

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