- Sept 10, 2026
Cooling Foods and Warming Foods: Why Hong Kong Already Understands Macrobiotics
Food Wisdom You May Already Know
Habits passed down through Hong Kong families, without needing to be explained
In Hong Kong, food is closely connected with the seasons, the weather and family traditions. A warm bowl of soup, a simple congee or a slowly cooked meal can express care as much as it provides nourishment.
You may have grown up hearing that certain foods are better on hot days, while others are more suitable when you feel tired or run down. These ideas are often passed down through families without being explained in terms of nutrition or diet.
They may not have been called macrobiotic, but they share an important idea with macrobiotic practice: food should be prepared with awareness and chosen in a way that supports balance in everyday life.
Cooling, Warming and the Language of Heatiness
How Traditional Chinese Medicine and macrobiotic practice describe food
In Traditional Chinese Medicine and macrobiotic practice, food is often described according to its energetic qualities. Some foods are considered warming, sometimes called heating foods, some cooling and others more neutral.
This is not a measurement of body temperature. It is a way of describing how a food tends to affect you, and whether it seems to add to or settle the sense of heat in the body.
In Hong Kong this idea is often described as heatiness. When someone says a dish is heaty, or that you should have something cooling, they are using everyday language for the same principle.
This is not about deciding that one group is always good and the other is always bad. A cooling food may feel refreshing on hot days, while a warm soup or cooked meal may feel more comforting when you are tired or your digestion feels unsettled. The aim is to notice what supports you at different times.
Examples in a Balanced Diet
A general guide, not a rulebook
The groupings below cover fruits and vegetables, grains, proteins and drinks. They are the ones commonly used in Chinese medicine and in macrobiotic practice. Preparation can shift where a food sits, so these are a starting point for noticing, not a fixed rule.
Cooling foods for hot days
Cucumber, winter melon, bitter gourd, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, celery and tomato are usually described as cooling. So are watermelon, pear and most citrus, along with mung bean, tofu, barley and millet. Among drinks, green tea, chrysanthemum tea, peppermint tea and coconut water belong to the same group — the foods Hong Kong families already reach for in summer.
Warming foods, herbs and spices
Ginger, spring onion, chives, leek and garlic are the most familiar warming ingredients in a Hong Kong kitchen. Chilli, cinnamon, pepper and mustard sit with them, along with pumpkin, chestnut, walnut, cherry and Chinese red dates. Among proteins, lamb, chicken and prawns are described as warming, alongside drinks such as ginger tea, black tea and pu'er.
Neutral foods and where yoghurt sits
Between the two groups sit the neutral foods that most meals are built on: white rice, carrot, sweet potato, potato, corn, shiitake mushroom and peanut. Dairy is worth a note — some Western guides group yoghurt with cooling foods, while in the Chinese tradition cow's milk is more often described as neutral.
Why the Way We Cook Matters
The same ingredient, transformed by preparation
The same ingredient, such as an onion, can taste very different depending on how we prepare it. Raw, it is sharp and pungent, but when cooked slowly, its flavour becomes softer, sweeter and more rounded.
A carrot is another good example. Raw, it is crisp and refreshing. Steamed or gently cooked, it becomes softer and naturally sweeter, while still retaining its character.
Cooking also changes how easily we take up the nutrients in a food. Some people prefer raw food, while others find gently cooked meals easier to enjoy and digest. In macrobiotic counselling, I pay attention not only to the ingredients we use, but also to how we prepare them — the most important question is often how the meal suits you and how you feel afterwards.
Finding Balance in a Busy Hong Kong Life
Making room for home-cooked meals
Hong Kong is a busy city, but being busy does not change our need for proper nourishment and balance. Eating out can be part of a healthy social life, but it should not replace home cooking.
Home cooking does not need to take hours. A balanced meal might combine a whole grain such as brown rice, quinoa or millet with gently cooked vegetables, leafy greens, tofu or tempeh, and a small serving of soup. Sea vegetables, legumes or fermented foods can add further variety.
The aim is not to prepare complicated meals every day. It is to make home-prepared food a natural part of our routine, alongside meals enjoyed outside the home.
How Macrobiotic Nutrition Counselling Works
A personalised process built around you
We begin by looking at your health history, daily routine and current eating patterns. We discuss what and when you eat, whether you cook at home or eat outside, how you prepare your meals and how your body responds afterwards.
From there, we create practical changes that fit your schedule, preferences and goals. The aim is not to follow rigid rules or a fixed diet. It is to develop a balanced approach to food that supports your digestion, energy and long-term wellbeing.
Who Macrobiotic Counselling Is For
A practice best suited to those ready to look at their habits
Macrobiotic counselling may suit you if you want to improve your relationship with food, prepare more meals at home or find a balanced approach that fits your daily life.
It may not be right for you if you are looking for a rapid fix, a rigid meal plan or a list of foods that will solve everything for you. The process works best when you are willing to look at your habits and make practical changes over time.
What to Expect
Before, during and after your consultation
Before your first consultation
I will ask you to complete a health questionnaire covering your health history, eating habits and current concerns. Your answers will help me understand your current situation and make our consultation more focused.
During your consultation
We will discuss your health history, eating habits and current concerns in more detail. Together, we will identify practical changes and develop an individualised approach that fits your needs, preferences and daily routine.
After your consultation
You will leave with practical guidance to try at home. Over the next few days, I will prepare tailored ingredient recommendations and dish suggestions. In follow-up sessions, we will review your progress and adjust the approach as needed.