The phenomenon of vilifying carbohydrates is very modern; for much longer, this highly varied macronutrient category has been honored for serving accessible, energizing nourishment. While many try to recover from susceptibility to overly-restrictive dietary guidance, there is something almost revolutionary in remembering the importance of being fed. If we take a peek at cultures around the world, the vast majority have traditionally relied upon various carbs as dependably satiating staple foods. Per usual, traditional wisdom can help us find meaningful sustenance and a balanced path that withstands the test of time.
Firstly, we have to acknowledge that the energetics of carbs can fluctuate wildly depending upon a variety of factors, especially how they are processed. As a general rule of thumb, TCM favors carbs that are recognizable as food and relatively close to their natural form. In Chinese culture and medicine, carbohydrates like rice, millet, squash, dates, barley, and sweet potato have long been valued for their nutritional or medicinal properties. These foods are all associated with the Earth element, which governs nourishment, digestion, stability, and how centered and supported we feel.
The Earth element also corresponds to the TCM flavor category of sweet, which again highlights the nuance required in this conversation. Just as cereal and congee have differing energetics despite both qualifying as carbs, what we often think of as “sweet” today might be an extreme and adulterated form of this flavor category. Still, almost all carbs would be classified as sweet in TCM, a category that generally: supports increased energy (especially after depletion), tonifies deficiency, moisturizes Dryness, and provides a sense of comfort. Of course, there can be variation here depending upon the type of processing, the form/concentration of sweetness, and even a person’s individual bodily constitution.
Carbohydrates that are sweet from a traditional lens provide immediate, sustainable energy when our deeper reserves are low, which helps explain why TCM regards them as supportive for recovery. Modern scientific insights confirm that carbs generate energy for our bodies’ cells. This energy comes mainly in the form of glucose, which also helps generate the crucial energy currency of ATP. Carbs additionally replenish glycogen, or our back-up reserves stored in the Liver and muscle tissues, supporting blood sugar balance and providing a fuel source for muscle activity. While TCM recognizes deeper energy reserves in the body, a little more energy when on the brink of depletion can in turn support the replenishment of our deeper reserves.
Sweetness and the Earth element correspond to the Stomach and Spleen, the organ pair responsible for receiving food and transforming it into bioavailable nourishment. Preparation matters greatly, as we can essentially begin the process of digestion while we are cooking. When it comes to generating energy and tonifying deficiency, we have to understand that the Spleen can best complete its task of metabolizing Qi (life force energy) from food that’s easily digestible. This brings to light one of the most important questions when it comes to the energetics of all foods, including carbs: after accounting for the energy required to digest it, will there be an energy net or deficit?
Rather than counting carbs, we might do some energetic accounting, assessing whether a food enhances or burdens the body’s ability to be transformed into Qi; we can receive potent hints from how we feel after eating it. Well-digested carbs are great generators of Qi, especially restorative for anyone feeling depleted or Qi deficient. Think whole grains and root vegetables, with preparations that are hydrating (e.g., porridge, soups, stews) and warming (i.e., cooked rather than raw, paired with warming herbs). Refined sugars and carbohydrates, on the other hand, can compromise digestion and cause Dampness, one one of the six pathogenic forces in TCM, causing stagnation that prevents the smooth flow of Qi (indicated in most health conditions).
Fruits perfectly exemplify the sweet and hydrating nature that carbs can hold, as well as reminding us of the great energetic variety captured in this macronutrient family. Usually cooling and lubricating, fruits help moisturize Dryness, another of the six pathogenic forces. Dryness affects the Lungs, skin, and is yet another force that compromises digestion, often manifesting as constipation (resulting in the reabsorption of toxins), and jeopardizing the distribution of Qi. However, unless the weather is hot and one has strong Spleen Qi, TCM prefers stewed fruits, which safeguard the digestive process and maximize the energetic yield of their consumption.
When we talk about metabolic health, what we eliminate is just as important as what we transform into bioavailable nourishment or energy. Fiber is another crucial component of wholesome carbohydrates, providing bulk and supporting healthy intestinal movement. This helps prevent stagnation and encourages the proper excretion of what the body no longer needs. If waste is not optimally eliminated (constipation) or if nutrients are not properly extracted and are eliminated with waste (diarrhea), we experience Qi stagnation or deficiency.
Far from being “empty calories,” carbs play important roles in the complex bodily interactions between nourishment, transformation, movement, and elimination. When done intentionally, eating carbohydrates feeds the Earth element within us, serving multifaceted sustenance that helps us feel taken care of, balanced, and vital (or revitalized).
