in traditional chinese medicine hot or cold foods are classified as such based on
Chinese food therapy
Although the precepts of Chinese food therapy are neither systematic nor identical in all times and places , some basic concepts can be isolated . One central tenet is that `` medicine and food share a common origin '' , and that food materials can therefore be used to prevent or treat medical disorders . Like medicinal drugs , food items are classified as `` heating '' ( 热 ; 熱 ; rè ) or `` cooling '' ( 凉 ; 涼 ; liáng ) . In popular understanding , `` heating '' or `` hot '' food is typically `` high - calorie , subjected to high heat in cooking , spicy or bitter , or ' hot ' in color ( red , orange ) '' , and includes red meat , innards , baked and deep - fried goods , and alcohol . They are to be avoided in the summer and can be used to treat `` cold '' illnesses like excessive pallor , watery feces , fatigue , chills , and low body temperature caused by a number of possible causes , including anemia . Green vegetables are the most typical `` cooling '' or `` cold '' food , which is `` low - calorie , watery , soothing or sour in taste , or ' cool ' in color ( whitish , green ) '' . They are recommended for `` hot '' conditions : rashes , dryness or redness of skin , heartburns , and other `` symptoms similar to those of a burn '' , but also sore throat , swollen gums , and constipation . 
Although the precepts of Chinese food therapy are neither systematic nor identical in all times and places , some basic concepts can be isolated . One central tenet is that `` medicine and food share a common origin '' , and that food materials can therefore be used to prevent or treat medical disorders . Like medicinal drugs , food items are classified as `` heating '' ( 热 ; 熱 ; rè ) or `` cooling '' ( 凉 ; 涼 ; liáng ) . In popular understanding , `` heating '' or `` hot '' food is typically `` high - calorie , subjected to high heat in cooking , spicy or bitter , or ' hot ' in color ( red , orange ) '' , and includes red meat , innards , baked and deep - fried goods , and alcohol . They are to be avoided in the summer and can be used to treat `` cold '' illnesses like excessive pallor , watery feces , fatigue , chills , and low body temperature caused by a number of possible causes , including anemia . Green vegetables are the most typical `` cooling '' or `` cold '' food , which is `` low - calorie , watery , soothing or sour in taste , or ' cool ' in color ( whitish , green ) '' . They are recommended for `` hot '' conditions : rashes , dryness or redness of skin , heartburns , and other `` symptoms similar to those of a burn '' , but also sore throat , swollen gums , and constipation .
In popular understanding, ``heating'' or ``hot'' food is typically ``high calorie, subjected to high heat in cooking, spicy or bitter, or 'hot' in color (red, orange)'', and includes red meat, innards, baked and deep fried goods, and alcohol. Green vegetables are the most typical ``cooling'' or ``cold'' food, which is `'low calorie, watery, soothing or sour in taste, or 'cool' in color (whitish, green).
In popular understanding , `` heating '' or `` hot '' food is typically `` high - calorie , subjected to high heat in cooking , spicy or bitter , or ' hot ' in color ( red , orange ) '' , and includes red meat , innards , baked and deep - fried goods , and alcohol . Green vegetables are the most typical `` cooling '' or `` cold '' food , which is `` low - calorie , watery , soothing or sour in taste , or ' cool ' in color ( whitish , green ) '' .