Abstract:

Food and Chinese traditional medicine was recognized from cold, cool, warm, and hot properties according to the physiological responses of human body in traditional Chinese culture. The chemical basis of these physiological properties is expounded in this paper based on the research achievements in food science and modern pharmaceutical studies on Chinese traditional medicine. This paper presents the chemical basis of the concept of phlogistic food and points out that advanced glycation endproducts, acrylamide, and trans-fatty acid contaminations and destruction and loss of vitamins during immoderate food processing are attributed to the real causes of junk foods.

Key words: food, Chinese traditional medicine, physiological properties, chemical basis, food processing