Natural Food for Healing
Green vegetables & plant-based food correspond to the Liver-organ in TCM
Food for a healthy liver
The importance of green vegetables and plant-based food has been mentioned in an ancient book in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). That is: The ‘Green’ (in the 5-element theory) corresponds to the Liver-organ.
The importance of a balanced diet has been mentioned in an ancient book The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine (Huang Di Nei Jing) for thousands of years; which may be the classic ‘Bible’ for theories of TCM.
Green is corresponding to the Liver-organ in TCM
Green corresponds to the Liver-organ in TCM; according to the 5-elements theory. The 5 elements are ‘Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water’; which are corresponding to the 5 internal organs. And the balance of the 5 elements is necessary because imbalance may cause diseases in the corresponding internal organs.
The 5 elements (5 colours) correspond to the 5 internal organs
- Wood (green) corresponds to the Liver-organ:
- Fire (red) corresponds to the Heart-organ.
- Earth (yellow-brown) corresponds to the Spleen-organ.
- Metal (gold, silver and light yellow) corresponds to the Lung-organ.
- Water (blue, black) corresponds to the Kidney-organ.
TCM is not a precise science. When it states Wood (green) corresponds to the Liver-organ, it implies that plant-based foods in green colour benefit the Liver-organ.
Contemporary views on plant-based food and green leafy vegetables
Plant-based food benefits the liver
Contemporarily research has found that plant-based food benefits the liver because it contains a lot of fibre, minerals, and vitamins. Evidence has shown that plant-based food may be effective in lowing the risk of fatty liver disease with many bioactive compounds; which could improve hepatic steatosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, autophagy, apoptosis, and ethanol metabolism. It was recommended that plant-based foods could be effective for liver conditions (Li, 2021).
Green vegetables benefit the liver
Some leafy green vegetables have been studied in trials including kale, spinach broccoli, cabbage, and lettuce.
Kale
The leafy green vegetable, kale, has been called a ‘superfood’ because of its nutrient-dense of antioxidants and phytonutrients; which could promote the overall wellbeing of body health. Kale has contained an abundance of vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, phenolic, glucosinolates and phytochemicals; in which, 26 flavonoid compounds have been identified. It was reported that the consumption of kale could be effective in releasing symptoms of hepatic disease (Nemzer, 2021).
Spinach
Spinach might be a potential green vegetable for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A study found that high polyphenols and antioxidants in spinach might be effective in protecting against liver diseases for patients between 20–60 years.
The high intake of spinach might decrease the accumulation of cholesterol and lipid profile. Especially, the higher consumption of raw spinach was significantly effective in reducing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (Mokhtari, 2021).
Broccoli
A study was done to investigate the biomarkers of broccoli consumption in rats; in which, rats were fed 10% of broccoli in their diet for 2 weeks. Broccoli, a brassica vegetable with brassica bio-actives, might be a kind of potential green vegetable benefiting liver condition.
The study identified plasma indicators and found that 25 plasma metabolites had changed with broccoli consumption, for example, the increase of metabolites associated with hepatic glutathione synthesis; which could protect the liver from oxidative stress.
And also, the correlated changes in gut microbiome had been found; and that might benefit the health of the liver. (Eve, 2020).
Cabbage
A study on cabbage extract consumption in rats found that cabbage might potentially suppress hypercholesterolemia in hepatoma with its component S-methyl-L- cysteine sulfoxide. It was found that this component was effective in decreasing serum cholesterol levels; and on the other hand, in increasing the cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase activity and fecal bile acid excretion. And that would be important in maintaining cholesterol homeostasis in liver status. Further studies were suggested in future (Komatsu, Miura,1998).
Another study on rats has found that cabbage juice was effective in protesting against lead-induced liver damage. The enzymes of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were lowered with the consumption of cabbage juice. And also, the antioxidants (SOD, CAT, GSH) were increased in the rats’ lead-induced liver. It showed that cabbage juice has an effect in releasing lead-induced toxicity with the increase of antioxidants (Asiwe, 2022).
Lettuce
A study on rats showed that lettuce consumption might be effective in improving antioxidant status and cholesterol metabolism. The rats were fed 20% of lettuce in their diet for 21 days. It was found that the cholesterol LDL/HDL ratio and liver cholesterol levels were both decreased.
And also, lettuce was rich in antioxidants which could improve the total cholesterol end-product excretion. It was suggested that lettuce might have a beneficial effect in improving lipid metabolism and tissue oxidation in the study (Nicolle, 2004).
Conclusion
In TCM, it is suggested that food and medicine are from the same source. Whereas, nowadays we always say that “we are what we eat”. Both sayings are implying the same meaning: a healthy diet plays a main role in our health.
According to the 5-element theory, ‘Wood’ corresponds to green and the Liver-organ. And therefore, plant-based food and green vegetables benefit the Liver-organ. According to contemporary research, it seems that this theory in TCM is supported by evidence-based.
Reference
Asiwe, J. N., Kolawole, T. A., Anachuna, K. K., Ebuwa, E. I., Nwogueze, B. C., Eruotor, H., & Igbokwe, V. (2022). Cabbage juice protect against lead-induced liver and kidney damage in male Wistar rat. Biomarkers: biochemical indicators of exposure, response, and susceptibility to chemicals, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/1354750X.2021.2022210
Eve, A. A., Liu, X., Wang, Y., Miller, M. J., Jeffery, E. H., & Madak-Erdogan, Z. (2020). Biomarkers of Broccoli Consumption: Implications for Glutathione Metabolism and Liver Health. Nutrients, 12(9), 2514. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092514
Komatsu, W., Miura, Y., & Yagasaki, K. (1998). Suppression of hypercholesterolemia in hepatoma-bearing rats by cabbage extract and its component, S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide. Lipids, 33(5), 499–503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-998-0233-7
Li, H. Y., Gan, R. Y., Shang, A., Mao, Q. Q., Sun, Q. C., Wu, D. T., Geng, F., He, X. Q., & Li, H. B. (2021). Plant-Based Foods and Their Bioactive Compounds on Fatty Liver Disease: Effects, Mechanisms, and Clinical Application. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2021, 6621644. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6621644
Mokhtari, E., Farhadnejad, H., Salehi-Sahlabadi, A., Najibi, N., Azadi, M., Teymoori, F., & Mirmiran, P. (2021). Spinach consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease among adults: a case-control study. BMC gastroenterology, 21(1), 196. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-021-01784-8
Nemzer, B., Al-Taher, F., & Abshiru, N. (2021). Extraction and Natural Bioactive Molecules Characterization in Spinach, Kale and Purslane: A Comparative Study. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 26(9), 2515. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092515
Ni, M. (1995). The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine: A New Translation of the Neijing Suwen with Commentary. United States: Shambhala.
Nicolle, C., Cardinault, N., Gueux, E., Jaffrelo, L., Rock, E., Mazur, A., Amouroux, P., & Rémésy, C. (2004). Health effect of vegetable-based diet: lettuce consumption improves cholesterol metabolism and antioxidant status in the rat. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 23(4), 605–614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2003.10.009
