中文版
前言
2026年1月7日，美国卫生与公众服务部和农业部发布了《2025-2030年美国人膳食指南》，称其为”几十年来联邦营养政策最重大的重置”。新指南强调”真实食物”、增加蛋白质、摄取健康脂肪，并大幅减少添加糖和加工食品。
不过，这些建议在西方营养专家中引发了不少争议，尤其是关于红肉、饱和脂肪和蛋白质摄入量的部分。美国心脏协会就对鼓励红肉和黄油的做法表示担忧。
从新加坡的中医角度看，这份指南是一幅复杂的图景：有些建议与古老的中医原则相当契合，另一些则可能给脾胃带来负担。而脾胃，正是中医眼中消化与代谢健康的核心。
下面，我们试着用中医食疗的视角来读这份新指南，既看它有价值的转变，也看中医建议谨慎对待的地方。
新指南的主要变化
新指南的几项关键调整包括：
更高的蛋白质建议： 每公斤体重每天1.2至1.6克（150磅的人约为81-109克），强调每餐都摄入优质的动植物蛋白。
更严格的糖分立场： 指南明确写道”不推荐任何添加糖或非营养性甜味剂”，每餐添加糖限制在10克以内，并建议家长为四岁以下儿童完全避免添加糖。
鼓励全脂乳制品： 每天三份无添加糖的全脂乳制品（以2000卡路里饮食为基准）。
优先健康脂肪： 建议从肉类、鸡蛋、富含omega-3的海鲜、坚果、种子、全脂乳制品、橄榄和鳄梨等全食物中获取脂肪。烹饪时使用橄榄油等天然油脂。
减少精制谷物： 强调富含纤维的全谷物（每天2-4份），同时大幅减少白面包、面粉玉米饼、饼干这类高度加工的精制碳水。
倒置的食物金字塔： 新的视觉指南把蛋白质、乳制品、健康脂肪、蔬菜和水果放在前面，谷物则退居其后。
中医食疗理论基础
西方营养学主要关注宏量营养素（蛋白质、碳水、脂肪）。中医则把食物看作能量的载体，直接影响身体的生命活动。
食物即谷气： 进食时，我们摄取的不只是营养，还有”谷气”，也就是脾胃从食物中提取的生命能量。脾胃把食物精华转化为气、血和津液，维持各种生命活动。
脾为后天之本： 在中医里，脾胃被称为”后天之本”，意思是消化的好坏是全身健康的根基。脾的作用不止于消化：它转化营养、把营养运送到全身，还负责防止湿气堆积。脾一旦虚弱，食物无法正常转化，就容易疲劳、腹胀、体重上升，也可能出现代谢方面的问题。
食物性味： 每种食物都有寒、凉、平、温、热的属性，影响体内的平衡。要注意的是，这说的不是食物入口时的温度，而是它进入身体后的作用。比如牛肉性温，鸭肉性凉，大米性平。
阴阳平衡： 食物可分为阴（偏凉、滋润、有形）和阳（偏温、偏燥、能提振）。中医营养通常建议阳性与阴性食物大致为3:2，以维持平衡，但这会因个人体质和季节而变化。
五味归经： 食物按甘、酸、苦、咸、辛分类，每一味对应不同的脏腑：
- 甘 → 脾胃：滋养与调和
- 酸 → 肝胆：收敛，帮助代谢
- 苦 → 心：清热、燥湿
- 辛 → 肺：宣散、行气
- 咸 → 肾：软坚、滋养
因人制宜： 中医的饮食建议高度个性化，会看一个人的体质、当下状态、季节以及阴阳的平衡，而这一点在西方膳食指南里基本是缺席的。
中医与新指南的契合之处
一、强调全食物、未加工食品
新指南对”真实食物”的看重、对超加工食品的减少，与中医的老观念很合拍。几千年来，中医食疗一直主张吃接近天然、少加工的食物。
从中医看，加工会改变食物的能量属性。新鲜生姜性温，能促进气血循环；但大量干燥研磨后，它的性味会浓缩、变得更烈。全食物保留着天然之气，也更容易被脾胃转化成可用的气血。
二、减少糖分摄入
对添加糖的严格态度，正好呼应中医对甘味的理解。适量从全食物（红薯、大米、枣）里获得甘味，可以养脾；但过量的甜，尤其是精制糖，在中医理论中会生湿。
湿气常表现为消化迟缓、体重增加、疲劳、脑雾，也和高胆固醇、脂肪肝这类情况有关。脾恶湿，太多甘味会压垮它转化和运送营养的能力。新指南那句”不推荐任何添加糖”，和中医”过甜会削弱身体代谢之火”的提醒，说的是一回事。
三、从全食物获取健康脂肪
从鸡蛋、海鲜、坚果、鳄梨这类全食物里取脂肪，也与中医偏爱滋阴养血的食物相符。
在中医看来，健康脂肪能深养阴分，也就是身体里滋润、偏凉、有形的那一面。蛋黄、芝麻、核桃、富含脂肪的鱼，既能助生血，也滋养组织、皮肤和激素平衡。从高度加工的种子油转向橄榄油这类天然油脂，同样契合中医”食物越接近天然、越好吸收”的想法。
中医的关键顾虑
一、蛋白质过量，脾胃吃不消
新指南建议大幅增加蛋白质（每公斤体重1.2-1.6克）。蛋白质当然重要，但从中医角度看，这里有值得留意的地方。
中医讲究”中庸之道，因人而异”。脾的运化能力有限，它得把食物转成可用的气血。蛋白质过量，就是给脾胃压上重担，尤其是脾胃本就虚弱的人、中老年人（脾阳随年龄减退），以及消化能力偏弱的人。
当蛋白质超过脾的转化能力，食物会积滞，生出湿和痰。表现出来就是腹胀、疲劳、消化缓慢，时间久了还可能牵连代谢。西方营养学者玛丽昂·内斯特（Marion Nestle）也质疑过这条建议，指出美国人本就摄入了足够的蛋白质。从中医看，更要紧的是蛋白质的质量与好不好消化，而不是绝对数量。
中医评价：偏多。对多数人来说，每天80-100克已经够用，怎么做、好不好吸收，比冲高数字更重要。
二、全脂乳制品：寒湿之患
每天三份全脂乳制品，这条在中医看来是要打个问号的。
在中医理论中，乳制品（尤其是牛奶）多归为”寒湿”之性。过量食用可能削弱脾阳、加重体内湿气，带来消化不适、腹胀和疲劳。对脾胃虚弱者、湿热体质者，以及消化之火本就随年龄减弱的中老年人来说，尤其需要留意。此外，工业化乳制品有时还含有激素和抗生素残留，进一步加重消化负担。
中医评价：值得商榷。三份全脂乳制品对许多人可能偏多。中医主张按体质来定：不少人只需少量，甚至可以不喝。
三、烹饪方法：一处关键的缺失
美国指南完全没提烹饪方法。从中医看，这是个不小的遗漏。
在中医里，烹饪不只是为了食品安全或保留营养，更是把生食材转化成脾胃容易消化的形态。不同做法各有作用：
- 蒸： 温和的湿热，既保留营养，又好消化
- 煮／汤： 借汤水把食物精华析出，特别适合体弱和年长者，如骨头汤、粥
- 清炒： 少油快熟，兼顾新鲜与好消化
- 炖： 小火慢煨，把食物化成易吸收的形态，如各式粥品
相比之下，油炸和大量生食就该有所节制，它们比较伤脾。新指南强调多吃蔬菜水果，中医想补一句：怎么做，同样很关键。生的沙拉、冰的果昔、加冰的饮料，时间久了会削弱消化功能，在新加坡到处开着冷气的环境里尤其如此。
中医评价：这是美国指南的一处明显短板。“吃真实食物”吃得好不好，很大程度上取决于你怎么烹调它。
中医还想补充的两点
因人制宜，优于一刀切
美国指南面向的是整个人群，给的是普遍建议。中医则强调：养一个人的食物，未必适合另一个人。
体质有别。阳虚、偏寒的人常怕冷、精力不足、面色偏白，适合羊肉、牛肉这类温性蛋白，配上温性的香料。阴虚、偏热的人容易盗汗、皮肤干、总觉得燥热，则更适合鱼、鸭这类凉性蛋白，再搭些滋润的食物。
季节也要考虑。在新加坡这种湿热气候，盛夏时可以多用凉性、祛湿的食物；待在冷气房或碰上雨季，就适当加些温性食物。新指南强调蛋白质，方向是好的，中医只是想追问一句：哪种蛋白，最合你此刻的体质和当下的季节？
五味的作用
新指南主要按食物类别来分（蛋白质、乳制品、谷物等）。中医会补上一点：五味也要搭配得当。
- 甘： 滋养、调和（大米、红薯、枣）
- 酸： 收敛、固护津液（柠檬、醋、梅）
- 苦： 清热、燥湿（苦味蔬菜、茶）
- 咸： 软坚、养肾（海藻、味噌、少量优质盐）
- 辛： 宣散、行气（姜、蒜、葱）
一餐里五味都沾一点，各脏腑更容易和谐，也有助消化、避免气滞。新指南多吃蔬菜和全食物，本身就带来了味道的多样，中医不过是把这层道理说明白。
实用的中医饮食建议
日常习惯
一、早餐吃点温的。 从温热的粥或燕麦开始，而不是冷麦片或果昔，先温和地把消化之火唤醒。
二、蔬菜多数煮熟吃。 轻蒸、清炒或烤，比生吃更养脾。在新加坡的空调办公室里更该如此，因为身体已经在应对外来的凉。
三、加点温性香料。 姜、蒜、肉桂、黑胡椒，帮着行气和消化。
四、多喝温的。 全天喝温水或花草茶，少碰冰饮，用餐时尤其如此。
五、慢慢吃，细细嚼。 消化从口腔就开始了，充分咀嚼能让脾胃更好地转化营养。
按体质选蛋白质
如果你偏寒、容易累（阳虚）：选温性蛋白，如羊肉、牛肉、鸡肉、虾；加姜、肉桂、黑胡椒等温性香料；配一些煮熟的根茎类蔬菜。
如果你偏燥、容易上火（阴虚）：选凉性蛋白，如鱼、鸭、豆腐；多吃滋润的食物，如芝麻、鸡蛋、海藻、梨；再添些苦味蔬菜清清热。
结语
2026年美国膳食指南转向全食物、营养密集的食品，远离加工食品和过量糖分，这是一个可喜的方向，其中不少建议与中医坚持了千百年的原则相当合拍。
中医也有值得补上的地方：看重食物的性味，主张多吃温热、熟制的食物来护住消化，尊重个体体质的差异，也讲究用五味来调和脏腑。
与其用一套死板的通用规则看待营养，中医更希望我们听听身体的反馈，留意不同食物吃下去的感觉，再按自己的需要、体质和所处环境去调整。
如果你想知道怎样把这些中医饮食原则用到自己的体质或具体健康问题上，欢迎向我们咨询。
English Version
Introduction
On January 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and USDA released the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, calling it “the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades.” The new guidelines emphasize “real food,” more protein, healthy fats, and a sharp cut in added sugars and processed foods.
The recommendations have drawn plenty of debate among Western nutrition experts, particularly around red meat, saturated fats, and protein levels. The American Heart Association has voiced concern about encouraging red meat and butter.
From the TCM perspective we practise in Singapore, the guidelines are a mixed picture. Some recommendations sit comfortably alongside long-held TCM principles. Others may burden the Spleen and Stomach, the organs TCM regards as central to digestion and metabolic health.
What follows reads the new guidelines through the lens of TCM food therapy (食疗), looking at both the welcome shifts and the places where TCM would counsel caution.
What’s new in the 2026 guidelines
The key changes include:
Higher protein recommendations: 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight daily (81-109 grams for a 150-pound person), with high-quality animal and plant protein at every meal.
A stricter stance on sugar: the guidelines now state that “no amount of added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners is recommended,” with a limit of 10 grams of added sugar per meal. Parents are advised to avoid added sugar entirely for children under four.
Full-fat dairy encouraged: three servings of full-fat dairy with no added sugars daily (for a 2,000-calorie diet).
Healthy fats prioritized: fats are to come from whole-food sources such as meat, eggs, omega-3 rich seafood, nuts, seeds, full-fat dairy, olives, and avocados, cooking with natural oils like olive oil.
Fewer refined grains: an emphasis on fibre-rich whole grains (2-4 servings daily) while cutting back sharply on highly processed refined carbs like white bread, flour tortillas, and crackers.
An inverted food pyramid: the new visual guide puts protein, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables, and fruits up front, with grains de-emphasized.
The basics of TCM food theory
Western nutrition focuses mainly on macronutrients: protein, carbohydrate, fat. TCM sees food as a carrier of energy that directly shapes the body’s vital functions.
Food as qi (谷气): when we eat, we take in more than nutrients. We take in “grain qi,” the vital energy the Spleen and Stomach draw from food. Those organs turn food essence into Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids, which sustain everything the body does.
The Spleen, the foundation of postnatal life (脾胃为后天之本): in TCM, the Spleen and Stomach are called the “foundation of postnatal life,” meaning that good digestion is the base of overall health. The Spleen does more than digest. It transforms nutrients, transports them around the body, and keeps dampness (湿) from accumulating. When the Spleen is weak, food is not transformed properly, which can bring fatigue, bloating, weight gain, and metabolic trouble.
Food energetics (食物性味): every food carries a temperature quality, from cold and cool through neutral to warm and hot, which affects the body’s inner balance. This is not about the physical temperature of the food when you eat it, but its effect once inside the body. Beef is warming, duck is cooling, and rice is neutral.
Yin-Yang balance (阴阳平衡): foods are classed as Yin (cooling, moistening, substantive) or Yang (warming, drying, energizing). TCM nutrition often suggests roughly a 3:2 ratio of Yang to Yin foods, though this shifts with individual constitution and season.
The five flavors (五味): foods are grouped as sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or pungent, each tied to particular organs:
- Sweet (甘) → Spleen and Stomach: nourishes and harmonizes
- Sour (酸) → Liver and Gallbladder: astringes and supports metabolism
- Bitter (苦) → Heart: clears heat and dries dampness
- Pungent (辛) → Lungs: disperses and moves qi
- Salty (咸) → Kidneys: softens and nourishes
Individualization (因人制宜): TCM dietary advice is highly personal. It weighs your constitution, current condition, the season, and the balance of Yin and Yang, a dimension largely absent from Western dietary guidelines.
Where TCM and the new guidelines align
1. A focus on whole, unprocessed foods
The guidelines’ emphasis on “real food” and on cutting ultra-processed foods sits well with TCM. For thousands of years, Chinese dietary therapy has favoured food in its natural, minimally processed state.
Processing changes a food’s energetic properties. Fresh ginger is warming and moves qi and blood, but dry it and grind it heavily and those properties concentrate and intensify. Whole foods keep their natural qi and are easier for the Spleen and Stomach to turn into usable energy and Blood.
2. Less sugar
The strict line on added sugars maps onto TCM’s view of the sweet flavour. Taken in moderation from whole foods such as sweet potato, rice, or dates, sweetness supports the Spleen. In excess, and especially as refined sugar, it generates dampness (湿).
Dampness shows up as sluggish digestion, weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, and conditions like high cholesterol or fatty liver. The Spleen dislikes dampness, and too much sweetness overwhelms its ability to transform and move nutrients. The guidelines’ recognition that “no amount of added sugars is recommended” echoes TCM’s caution that too much sweetness dampens the body’s metabolic fire.
3. Healthy fats from whole foods
Getting fats from whole foods like eggs, seafood, nuts, and avocados aligns with TCM’s preference for foods that nourish Yin (阴) and Blood (血).
In TCM, healthy fats deeply nourish Yin, the moistening, cooling, substantive side of the body. Egg yolks, sesame seeds, walnuts, and fatty fish support Blood production and nourish tissue, skin, and hormonal balance. The move away from highly processed seed oils toward natural fats like olive oil also fits TCM’s preference for foods closer to their natural state and easier for the body to take in.
Where TCM has concerns
1. Too much protein may burden the Spleen
The guidelines call for a good deal more protein (1.2-1.6 g/kg body weight daily). Protein matters, but from a TCM view this is worth a second look.
TCM nutrition holds to “moderation and individuality” (中庸之道，因人而异). The Spleen has a limited capacity to transform food into usable Qi and Blood. Excess protein is a heavy load on it, especially for people with a weak Spleen and Stomach, for older adults whose Spleen Yang declines with age, and for anyone whose digestion is already poor.
When protein intake outpaces what the Spleen can transform, food stagnates and produces dampness (湿) and phlegm (痰). That looks like bloating, fatigue, and slow digestion, and over time can feed metabolic disorders. The nutrition scholar Marion Nestle has questioned this recommendation, noting that Americans already eat enough protein. From a TCM view, quality and digestibility count for more than the absolute number.
TCM assessment: too much for most people. Around 80-100 grams a day is usually enough, and how the protein is prepared and absorbed matters more than hitting a high target.
2. Full-fat dairy and the cold-damp problem
The call for three servings of full-fat dairy a day gives TCM pause.
In TCM theory, dairy (cow’s milk especially) is classed as cold and damp in nature. Too much of it can weaken Spleen Yang (脾阳), add to dampness in the body, and bring digestive discomfort, bloating, and fatigue. This is a particular consideration for people with a weak Spleen, a damp-heat constitution, and for older adults whose digestive fire naturally fades. Industrialized dairy can also carry hormone and antibiotic residues that further tax digestion.
TCM assessment: questionable. Three servings of full-fat dairy may be more than many people need. TCM would individualize it. Depending on constitution, some people do better with a little, and some with none.
3. Cooking methods, a notable gap
The US guidelines say nothing about how food is cooked, which from a TCM view is a real oversight.
In TCM, cooking is not only about food safety or keeping nutrients. It turns raw ingredients into forms the Spleen and Stomach can digest with ease. Different methods do different things:
- Steaming (蒸): gentle moist heat that preserves nutrients and improves digestibility
- Boiling and soups (煮/汤): draws out essence through liquid, well suited to the elderly and the frail, as with bone broth or congee
- Light stir-frying (清炒): quick cooking with little oil, balancing freshness and digestibility
- Slow stewing (炖): long, low heat that breaks food down into easily absorbed forms, as with congee
Deep-frying and eating a lot of raw food, by contrast, should be limited, since they tax the Spleen. The guidelines rightly stress whole vegetables and fruit, and TCM adds that how you prepare them matters just as much. Raw salads, cold smoothies, and iced drinks can weaken digestion over time, especially in Singapore’s air-conditioned spaces.
TCM assessment: a clear gap in the US guidelines. How well “eating real food” works depends heavily on how you cook it.
What TCM would add
Individualization over universal rules
The US guidelines speak to a whole population and give general advice. TCM stresses that what nourishes one person may not suit another.
Constitution differs. Someone who is Yang-deficient (阳虚) and cold, often chilly, low on energy, pale, does better with warming proteins like lamb and beef and some warming spice. Someone who is Yin-deficient (阴虚) and hot, with night sweats, dry skin, and a feeling of heat, does better with cooling proteins like fish and duck alongside moistening foods.
Season matters too. In Singapore’s hot, humid climate, we might lean on cooling and damp-resolving foods at the height of the heat, then bring in warming foods in air-conditioned spaces or during the rainy stretch. The emphasis on protein is generally positive, but TCM would ask which kind of protein suits your own constitution and the current season.
The role of the five flavors
The guidelines sort food mainly by category (protein, dairy, grains). TCM would add the value of keeping all five flavours in reasonable balance:
- Sweet (甘): nourishes and harmonizes (rice, sweet potato, dates)
- Sour (酸): astringes and holds fluids (lemon, vinegar, plums)
- Bitter (苦): clears heat and dries dampness (bitter greens, tea)
- Salty (咸): softens and nourishes the Kidney (seaweed, miso, a little good salt)
- Pungent (辛): disperses and moves qi (ginger, garlic, scallions)
A meal that touches all five flavours supports harmony across the organ systems, helps digestion, and heads off stagnation. By stressing vegetables and whole foods, the guidelines already bring flavour variety. TCM simply makes the principle explicit.
Practical, TCM-informed eating tips
Daily habits
Start the day warm. Begin with warm congee or oats rather than cold cereal or a smoothie, to wake the digestive fire gently.
Cook most of your vegetables. Lightly steam, sauté, or roast them rather than eating them raw. In Singapore’s air-conditioned offices this matters more, since the body is already dealing with external cold.
Include warming spices. Ginger, garlic, cinnamon, or black pepper support circulation and digestion.
Sip warm liquids. Drink warm water or herbal tea through the day, and go easy on iced drinks, especially with meals.
Eat slowly and chew well. Digestion begins in the mouth, and chewing thoroughly sets up the Spleen and Stomach to transform nutrients well.
Protein by constitution
If you tend to feel cold and tired (Yang-deficient): choose warming proteins such as lamb, beef, chicken, or prawns; add warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper; include some cooked root vegetables.
If you tend to feel hot and dry (Yin-deficient): choose cooling proteins such as fish, duck, or tofu; add moistening foods like sesame, eggs, seaweed, and pears; include some bitter greens to clear heat.
Conclusion
The 2026 US Dietary Guidelines mark a welcome shift toward whole, nutrient-dense food and away from processed food and excess sugar. Many of these recommendations line up well with principles TCM has held for a very long time.
TCM still has things to add: attention to the energetics of food, a preference for warm and cooked food to protect digestion, respect for individual constitution, and the balancing of five flavours to keep the organs in harmony.
Rather than reading nutrition through rigid universal rules, TCM invites us to listen to the body, notice how different foods make us feel, and adjust to our own needs, constitution, and surroundings.
If you are curious about applying TCM dietary principles to your own health concerns or constitution, we are here to help.
Sources
- Kennedy, Rollins Unveil Historic Reset of U.S. Nutrition Policy - HHS.gov
- American Heart Association statement on the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines - American Heart Association
- New U.S. dietary guidelines from Trump administration - NBC News
- 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Released - National CACFP Sponsors Association
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030 - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- Balancing Warming and Cooling Foods: TCM’s Five Energies - HWC Magazine
- Five Elements Diet: Eating Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine - EACuWell
- Eating with Yin and Yang: Understanding Chinese Medicine Nutrition - Alban Acupuncture
- TCM Diet for Spleen Qi Deficiency - Balance Point Acupuncture
- A Chinese Medicine Approach to Food - DAO Labs
- 5 Gut-Healing Food Tips Inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine - Cielo Daily
- Chinese Medicine Diet Recommendations - Wild Earth Acupuncture
- TCM Warming and Cooling Food - Chien Chi Tow