Warm, well-sated, but still light as a feather and full of energy to start the day?
According to TCM ( T raditional C hinese M edicine), all of this is possible – if you prepare a warm breakfast in the morning and follow a few basic rules.
That's why we've taken a closer look at it in this blog post and we'll tell you why warm breakfasts according to TCM are so healthy, what the internal body clock has to do with it and what should ideally be on the breakfast table.
TCM breakfast – eat like an emperor in the morning
At Verival, we love to constantly develop ourselves and our recipes, drawing inspiration from all over the world. One type of nutrition that is becoming more and more important is 5-element cuisine, which describes nutrition according to TCM.
Breakfast – or, to be precise, a warm breakfast – is often referred to as the centrepiece of TCM nutrition. The saying ‘like an emperor in the morning, like a king at noon and like a beggar in the evening’, which describes how generously meals should ideally be spread throughout the day, is exactly right according to TCM nutrition.
The concept of the so-called ‘internal organ clock’ explains why this is so.
The TCM internal organ clock – when should I eat breakfast?
The internal organ clock simply states that our organs function better or worse at different times of the day. So if we follow this schedule, we can support our body in its work in a completely natural way.
The stomach is most active between 7 and 9 o'clock in the morning. This means that it can best process food during this time. After the stomach has done its part in the digestion process, it is the turn of the spleen, according to TCM.
Its task is to transform food into energy (Qi). It works best between 9 and 11 o'clock in the morning. Exactly 12 hours later, these two organs are in their resting phase, which speaks in favour of an easy dinner.
Breakfast when you are hungry
So, if you follow TCM nutrition, it is best to eat breakfast during this most active time, i.e. between 7 and 11 am. Ideally, you should always eat breakfast at around the same time, because our body likes routine. But as always, listen to your body. Only eat when you feel slightly hungry.
If you have been skipping breakfast for years but would like to change this habit, we recommend starting each day at the same time with a small, easily digestible meal – you will see that you will soon feel hungry on its own.
What should be on the TCM breakfast table?
According to this ancient science, it is not only important to pay attention to when you eat breakfast in the morning, but also to what you eat. This means choosing meals that can be easily processed by the stomach and spleen, which brings us back to the warm breakfast.
A warm breakfast strengthens your organs
This is because warm food is already at the body's ‘operating temperature’, so to speak, and therefore does not have to be warmed by the stomach in an energy-intensive process before it can be further processed.
This is because a stomach that is strained by heating cannot ideally prepare the spleen for its task. This subsequently leads to digestive problems and a weakened immune system. However, if you treat your body to a warm, cooked breakfast, your stomach and spleen can work together ideally and build up qi, which in TCM can be roughly translated as ‘life energy’.
Breakfast according to the 5 elements
It is essential for all TCM dishes that each of the 5 elements wood, fire, earth, metal and water is included in the form of the ingredients. According to the nutritional theory of Chinese medicine, all foods are assigned to one of the elements based on their taste and how they work.
So it's sometimes not that easy to whip up a warm, balanced and tasty breakfast that's also quick to prepare. Simple options include warm porridge, scrambled eggs or soup .
How to make a warm breakfast according to TCM
Whether you prefer your morning meal savoury or sweet, you're on the right track if you follow these key principles of TCM breakfast:
Superfood oats
If you take a closer look at the foods that should not be missing from a TCM breakfast, there is one ingredient that stands out: oats. Since we have already written in detail about oats and their healthy properties in another article , we just want to give a brief overview of the miracle grain from a TCM perspective here.
Cereals are generally very important in TCM nutrition, as they are among the most important staple foods and are said to have a positive effect on the organs of the stomach and spleen. Although cereals tend to taste rather sweet, oats are the sweetest and at the same time the warmest variety among the otherwise rather neutral or cooling cereals.
This makes it particularly suitable for the cold season, for example as a delicious oat porridge – because porridge is perfect for a warm breakfast. Since oats are also associated with the element metal, they are also said to have positive effects on the lungs and large intestine.
Plant-based milk instead of animal products
According to TCM nutrition, dairy products are not a good idea in the morning, as they have a strong mucus-forming effect and are also comparatively difficult to digest. Try preparing your morning porridge with a plant-based drink such as oat, almond or cashew milk.
These vegan milk alternatives are now available in many different varieties from a wide range of suppliers in every supermarket. But if you're more of a DIY type and like to avoid packaging waste where possible, you can also try making your own plant-based drink.
Avoid raw food
This news is less good for those who like to drink fresh smoothies in the morning: a warm breakfast obviously doesn't include raw vegetables. This means that you should ideally cook all the fruit and vegetables you eat in the morning. This is because raw foods are harder to digest, and according to TCM, they also have a cooling effect on the body, which should be avoided in the morning.
However, there are different views on this point, because some people think that small amounts of raw food together with a warm meal are well tolerated. But you should make sure to serve the fruit and vegetables at room temperature and not directly from the refrigerator.
Bye, bye, breakfast bread
According to TCM, bread is unfortunately not very suitable for the breakfast table. In general, foods made from flour, especially wheat flour, are difficult to digest. In addition, bread is not a warm or cooked food, which is why it tends to sap our energy during digestion rather than giving us energy, since our body has to work hard to warm it up first. Bread should therefore generally not be eaten on its own, but accompanied by a cooked dish such as soup or a stew.
5 benefits of a warm breakfast according to TCM
We have already gone into the advantages of a warm breakfast in detail in another blog post. Here is the short version for you:
- Easy on the digestion
- Better absorption of nutrients
- Longer feeling of satiety
- Strengthening of the immune system
- Faster preparation than you might think
Hot breakfasts made easy with TCM: TCM porridge from Verival
We all know the situation – unfortunately, most of us only have time to prepare a hearty breakfast at the weekend. But that doesn't mean that you have to go without a balanced, hot breakfast on weekdays. With the three new TCM varieties from Verival, developed according to the 5-element theory, your TCM breakfast will be ready to enjoy on your breakfast table in just a few minutes.
How does it work? It's quite simple! We have combined all the ingredients needed for a well-balanced dish according to TCM nutritional theory in our porridge mixes. This means that the ingredients have been selected to ensure that each of the 5 elements, wood, fire, earth, metal and water, is represented in a balanced way. Let's take a closer look at our three new varieties:
Warming recipe: Sour Cherry-Cocoa Oat Porridge
Those who tend to have cold feet and hands, not only during the cold season, might find their new favourite breakfast in the sour cherry-cocoa oat porridge. As already mentioned, the grain has – among many other positive properties – a warming effect on the body.
The porridge is vegan, contains lots of vegetable protein and is ready in just a few minutes. Simply pour hot water, milk or – our recommendation – warmed oat drink over the porridge mix and let it steep for 3 minutes.
Harmonising recipe: Coconut Orange Rice Porridge
If you sometimes need a little longer in the morning to find your balance, we can recommend our gluten-free porridge with a rice base, coconut and orange. According to TCM, rice has a harmonising effect on our body and is also easily digestible.
To make sure the rice grains are really soft, you should let this porridge steep for at least eight minutes. However, this time can easily be bridged, for example with a short meditation, oil pulling, some yoga exercises or journaling.
Lightly cooling recipe: apricot-strawberry spelt porridge
Our slightly cooling apricot-strawberry spelt porridge is perfect for the warmer months or for all you hotheads out there. Thanks to the fruity flavour of its ingredients, the porridge does not need any added sugar, is also vegan and a high-quality, plant-based source of protein .
Just like the oat porridge, after mixing it with water, milk or a vegetable drink (depending on your preference), it only needs to swell for three minutes and is then ready to eat in no time. You are also welcome to add nuts such as cashews and hazelnuts or try chia seeds.
Curious? We'd love to hear on Facebook or Instagram if you've acquired a taste for warm breakfasts.
BMI calculator from Verival
Have you ever had your BMI calculated? With the Verival BMI calculator, you can do it quickly and easily. You can also find out a lot of great information about body mass index.
